Basis of Presentation and Recent Events (Details 3) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Basis of Presentation and Significant Events
Minimum Number of Countries Potential for Regulatory Limitations		1
Cash paid during the period for:
Interest		$ (7,081)	$ (2,735)
Taxes		(547)	(859)
Non-cash financing/investing activities:
Interest credited to policyholder contract deposits included in financing activities		2,434	4,061
Debt assumed on consolidation of variable interest entities			2,591
Debt assumed on acquisition			164
Payment of FRBNY credit facility accrued compounded interest	$ 4,700	$ 6,363

Name:	aig_CashPaidDuringPeriodForAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	aig
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Interest credited to policyholder accounts included in financing activities.

+ Details

Name:	aig_InterestCreditedToPolicyholderAccountsIncludedInFinancingActivities
Namespace Prefix:	aig
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the minimum number of countries in which the entity has the potential for regulatory limitations.

+ Details

Name:	aig_MinimumNumberOfCountriesPotentialForRegulatoryLimitations
Namespace Prefix:	aig
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents cash outflow as a result of payment made for accrued compounded interest and fees in respect to credit facility of the reporting entity.

+ Details

Name:	aig_PaymentOfCreditFacilityAccruedCompoundedInterestAndFees
Namespace Prefix:	aig
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CashFlowNoncashInvestingAndFinancingActivitiesDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of cash paid during the current period to foreign, federal, state, and local authorities as taxes on income, net of any cash received during the current period as refunds for the overpayment of taxes.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 95
-Paragraph 29
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 95
-Paragraph 27
-Subparagraph f
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4297-108586

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaidNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of cash paid for interest during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 95
-Paragraph 29
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 25
-Subparagraph (e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6943989&loc=d3e3536-108585

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4297-108586

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InterestPaid
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The fair value of loans assumed in noncash investing or financing activities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4332-108586

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 95
-Paragraph 32
-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4313-108586

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4304-108586

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LoansAssumed1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of debt that an Entity assumes in acquiring a business or in consideration for an asset received in a noncash (or part noncash) acquisition. Noncash is defined as transactions during a period that affect recognized assets or liabilities but that do not result in cash receipts or cash payments in the period. "Part noncash" refers to that portion of the transaction not resulting in cash receipts or cash payments in the period.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NoncashOrPartNoncashAcquisitionDebtAssumed1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_OrganizationConsolidationAndPresentationOfFinancialStatementsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration