INVESTMENTS (Details - Summary of fair value and gross unrealized losses on available for sale securities aggregated by major investment category and length of time in a continuous unrealized loss position) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) item	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Fair value and gross unrealized losses on AIG's available for sale securities
Fair Value, Less than 12 Months	$ 31,657	$ 57,397
Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 Months	726	1,943
Fair Value, 12 Months or More	15,127	13,285
Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 Months or More	655	1,197
Fair Value, Total	46,784	70,682
Gross Unrealized Losses, Total	1,381	3,140
Bonds available for sale
Fair value and gross unrealized losses on AIG's available for sale securities
Fair Value, Less than 12 Months	31,520	57,208
Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 Months	705	1,928
Fair Value, 12 Months or More	15,127	13,285
Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 Months or More	655	1,197
Fair Value, Total	46,647	70,493
Gross Unrealized Losses, Total	$ 1,360	3,125
Number of securities in an unrealized loss position | item	7,448
Number of individual securities in continuous unrealized loss position for longer than twelve months | item	1,920
Bonds available for sale | U.S. government and government sponsored entities
Fair value and gross unrealized losses on AIG's available for sale securities
Fair Value, Less than 12 Months	$ 770	720
Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 Months	23	26
Fair Value, 12 Months or More	332	0
Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 Months or More	13	0
Fair Value, Total	1,102	720
Gross Unrealized Losses, Total	36	26
Bonds available for sale | Obligations of states, municipalities and political subdivisions
Fair value and gross unrealized losses on AIG's available for sale securities
Fair Value, Less than 12 Months	586	5,814
Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 Months	6	221
Fair Value, 12 Months or More	646	231
Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 Months or More	24	33
Fair Value, Total	1,232	6,045
Gross Unrealized Losses, Total	30	254
Bonds available for sale | Non-U.S. governments
Fair value and gross unrealized losses on AIG's available for sale securities
Fair Value, Less than 12 Months	3,511	3,865
Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 Months	54	162
Fair Value, 12 Months or More	857	489
Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 Months or More	63	94
Fair Value, Total	4,368	4,354
Gross Unrealized Losses, Total	117	256
Bonds available for sale | Corporate debt
Fair value and gross unrealized losses on AIG's available for sale securities
Fair Value, Less than 12 Months	15,578	28,184
Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 Months	453	1,013
Fair Value, 12 Months or More	7,291	6,080
Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 Months or More	347	726
Fair Value, Total	22,869	34,264
Gross Unrealized Losses, Total	800	1,739
Bonds available for sale | Residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS)
Fair value and gross unrealized losses on AIG's available for sale securities
Fair Value, Less than 12 Months	6,212	8,794
Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 Months	99	252
Fair Value, 12 Months or More	3,790	4,045
Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 Months or More	121	226
Fair Value, Total	10,002	12,839
Gross Unrealized Losses, Total	220	478
Bonds available for sale | Commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS)
Fair value and gross unrealized losses on AIG's available for sale securities
Fair Value, Less than 12 Months	3,408	4,469
Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 Months	46	152
Fair Value, 12 Months or More	1,389	479
Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 Months or More	59	40
Fair Value, Total	4,797	4,948
Gross Unrealized Losses, Total	105	192
Bonds available for sale | Collateralized Debt Obligations/Asset-Backed Securities (CDO/ABS)
Fair value and gross unrealized losses on AIG's available for sale securities
Fair Value, Less than 12 Months	1,455	5,362
Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 Months	24	102
Fair Value, 12 Months or More	822	1,961
Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 Months or More	28	78
Fair Value, Total	2,277	7,323
Gross Unrealized Losses, Total	52	180
Equity securities available for sale
Fair value and gross unrealized losses on AIG's available for sale securities
Fair Value, Less than 12 Months	137	189
Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 Months	21	15
Fair Value, 12 Months or More	0	0
Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 Months or More	0	0
Fair Value, Total	137	189
Gross Unrealized Losses, Total	$ 21	15
Number of securities in an unrealized loss position | item	74
Equity securities available for sale | Common Stock
Fair value and gross unrealized losses on AIG's available for sale securities
Fair Value, Less than 12 Months	$ 136	125
Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 Months	21	12
Fair Value, 12 Months or More	0	0
Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 Months or More	0	0
Fair Value, Total	136	125
Gross Unrealized Losses, Total	21	12
Equity securities available for sale | Preferred Stock
Fair value and gross unrealized losses on AIG's available for sale securities
Fair Value, Less than 12 Months	0	0
Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 Months	0	0
Fair Value, 12 Months or More	0	0
Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 Months or More	0	0
Fair Value, Total	0	0
Gross Unrealized Losses, Total	0	0
Equity securities available for sale | Mutual Funds
Fair value and gross unrealized losses on AIG's available for sale securities
Fair Value, Less than 12 Months	1	64
Gross Unrealized Losses, Less than 12 Months	0	3
Fair Value, 12 Months or More	0	0
Gross Unrealized Losses, 12 Months or More	0	0
Fair Value, Total	1	64
Gross Unrealized Losses, Total	$ 0	$ 3