Lending Activities (Details 3) (USD $) In Millions	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Changes in the allowance for losses on Mortgage and other loans receivable
Allowance at the beginning of the year	$ 878	$ 2,444
Loans charged off	(67)	(273)
Recoveries of loans previously charged off	35	11
Net charge-offs	(32)	(262)
Provision for loan losses	20	216
Other	(31)	(14)
Reclassified to Assets of businesses held for sale		(56)
Allowance at the end of the period	835	2,328
Commercial mortgages
Changes in the allowance for losses on Mortgage and other loans receivable
Allowance at the beginning of the year	470	432
Loans charged off	(36)	(196)
Recoveries of loans previously charged off	35
Net charge-offs	(1)	(196)
Provision for loan losses	(6)	218
Other	(31)	9
Reclassified to Assets of businesses held for sale		(46)
Allowance at the end of the period	432	417
Allowance related to individually assessed credit losses	112
Commercial mortgage loans	610
Other Loans
Changes in the allowance for losses on Mortgage and other loans receivable
Allowance at the beginning of the year	408	2,012
Loans charged off	(31)	(77)
Recoveries of loans previously charged off		11
Net charge-offs	(31)	(66)
Provision for loan losses	26	(2)
Other		(23)
Reclassified to Assets of businesses held for sale		(10)
Allowance at the end of the period	$ 403	$ 1,911

Reflects the amount reclassified to assets of businesses held for sale in the reserve for credit losses.

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- Definition

Reflects the amount of loans and leases that have been removed, or charged off, from both loan receivables and the reserve for credit losses, net of collections of loans and lease receivables which have previously been fully or partially charged off as bad debts.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	aig
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Reflects the net amount of other additions and reductions in the reserve for credit losses.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.7(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 114
-Paragraph 20
-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 SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Article 9
-Section 03
-Paragraph 7
-Subparagraph d

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6965416&loc=d3e5212-111524

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

- Definition

Reflects the gross amount charged against earnings during the period as credit losses (bad debt expense) based on review of the loan and lease portfolio and application of the methodology for estimating credit losses.

+ References

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Reflects a reduction in bad debt expense attributable to collections of loans and lease receivables which had previously been fully or partially charged off as bad debts.

+ References

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ Details

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- Definition

Reflects the amount of loans and leases that have been removed, or charged off, from both loan receivables and the reserve for credit losses, typically because they are considered to be not salvageable or have been purchased by unconsolidated collection entities.

+ References

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The valuation allowance for financing receivables that are expected to be uncollectible that were individually evaluated for impairment.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 11B
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6965416&loc=SL6953423-111524
-Subparagraph (g)

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The balance of financing receivables that were individually evaluated for impairment.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The allowance for loan and lease losses represents the reserve to cover probable credit losses related to specifically identified loans and leases, as well as probable credit losses inherent in the remainder of the loan portfolio as of the balance sheet date. For banks, include currently required allocated transfer risk reserves. Include carryover of or adjustments to the allowance for loan losses in connection with business combinations determined to be appropriate.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher OTS
-Name Federal Regulation (FR)
-Number Title 12
-Chapter V
-Section 563c.102
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph a(ii)
-Subsection I
-LegacyDoc This is a non-GAAP reference that was included in the 2009 taxonomy. It will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB)
-Number Topic 6
-Section L
-Subsection 1

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 114
-Paragraph 20
-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 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.7(d))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Article 9
-Section 03
-Paragraph 7
-Subparagraph d

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)
-Number 5
-Paragraph 8, 9
-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 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)(1)(ii)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6379141&loc=d3e15032-111544

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant