Name:	afl_AssetsFairValueDisclosureFinancialInstrumentsCarriedatCost
Namespace Prefix:	afl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

This element represents liabilities reported on the balance sheet that are carried at cost or amortized cost but for which fair value is disclosed.

No definition available.

Name:	afl_LiabilitiesFairValueDisclosureFinancialInstrumentsCarriedAtCost
Namespace Prefix:	afl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Other Investments Carried at Amortized Cost

No definition available.

Name:	afl_OtherInvestmentsCarriedatAmortizedCost
Namespace Prefix:	afl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Other Investments Carried at Amortized Cost, Fair Value Disclosure

No definition available.

Name:	afl_OtherInvestmentsCarriedatAmortizedCostFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	afl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Other policyholders' funds fair value disclosure

No definition available.

Name:	afl_OtherPolicyholdersFundsFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	afl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Total Financial Instrument Assets Not Carried at Fair Value

No definition available.

Name:	afl_TotalFinancialInstrumentAssetsNotCarriedatFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	afl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Total Financial Instrument Liabilities Not Carried At Fair Value

No definition available.

Name:	afl_TotalFinancialInstrumentLiabilitiesNotCarriedAtFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	afl_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_AssetsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringAndNonrecurringBasisLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Amount of investment in debt security measured at amortized cost (held-to-maturity).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121553693&loc=d3e26610-111562

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121645371&loc=d3e27232-111563

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(6))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120398452&loc=d3e534808-122878

Name:	us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecurities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Fair value of investment in debt security measured at amortized cost (held-to-maturity).

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (aa)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121645371&loc=d3e27232-111563

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(6))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120398452&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5A
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121645371&loc=SL120269820-111563

Name:	us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_LiabilitiesAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Amount after allowance and deduction of deferred interest and fees, unamortized costs and premiums and discounts from face amounts, of loans and leases held in portfolio, including but not limited to, commercial and consumer loans. Excludes loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements and loans held for sale.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121593590&loc=d3e4428-111522

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.7)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120398452&loc=d3e534808-122878

Name:	us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableNetReportedAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Fair value portion of loan receivable, including, but not limited to, mortgage loans held for investment, finance receivables held for investment, policy loans on insurance contracts.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2196772

Name:	us-gaap_LoansReceivableFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Including the current and noncurrent portions, aggregate carrying amount of all types of notes payable, as of the balance sheet date, with initial maturities beyond one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120400017&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120398452&loc=d3e534808-122878

Name:	us-gaap_NotesPayable
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Fair value portion of notes payable.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19,20,22)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Name:	us-gaap_NotesPayableFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of investments classified as other.

Name:	us-gaap_OtherInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount due to policyholders for funds held that are returnable under the terms of insurance contracts, classified as other.

Name:	us-gaap_OtherPolicyholderFunds
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=afl_GovernmentAndAgenciesDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_MunicipalBondsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_AssetBackedSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_PublicUtilityBondsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_SovereignDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_PolicyLoansMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: