Total Equity and Earnings (Loss) Per Share (Details 4) (USD $)	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2009	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Numerator for EPS:
Income from continuing operations		$ (3,724,000,000)	$ (180,000,000)	$ (2,810,000,000)	$ 2,404,000,000
Net income from continuing operations attributable to noncontrolling interests:
Nonvoting, callable, junior and senior preferred interests		145,000,000	388,000,000	538,000,000	1,415,000,000
Other		19,000,000	104,000,000	28,000,000	243,000,000
Total net income from continuing operations attributable to noncontrolling interests		164,000,000	492,000,000	566,000,000	1,658,000,000
Net income (loss) attributable to AIG from continuing operations		(3,888,000,000)	(672,000,000)	(3,376,000,000)	746,000,000
Income (loss) from discontinued operations		(221,000,000)	(1,833,000,000)	1,395,000,000	(4,101,000,000)
Net income from discontinued operations attributable to noncontrolling interests			12,000,000	19,000,000	35,000,000
Net loss attributable to AIG from discontinued operations		(221,000,000)	(1,845,000,000)	1,376,000,000	(4,136,000,000)
Deemed dividends				(812,000,000)
(Income) loss allocated to the Series C Preferred Stock - continuing operations					(595,000,000)
Net income (loss) attributable to AIG common shareholders from continuing operations, applicable to common stock for EPS		(3,888,000,000)	(672,000,000)	(4,188,000,000)	151,000,000
(Income) loss allocated to the Series C Preferred Stock-discontinued operations					3,299,000,000
Net income attributable to AIG common shareholders from discontinued operations, applicable to common stock for EPS		(221,000,000)	(1,845,000,000)	1,376,000,000	(837,000,000)
Denominator for EPS:
Weighted average shares outstanding - basic (in shares)		1,899,500,628	135,879,125	1,765,905,779	135,788,053
Dilutive shares (in shares)					67,275
Weighted average shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)		1,899,500,628	135,879,125	1,765,905,779	135,855,328
Basic:
Income (loss) from continuing operations (in dollars per share)		$ (2.05)	$ (4.95)	$ (2.37)	$ 1.11
Income (loss) from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)		$ (0.11)	$ (13.58)	$ 0.78	$ (6.16)
Diluted:
Income (loss) from continuing operations (in dollars per share)		$ (2.05)	$ (4.95)	$ (2.37)	$ 1.11
Income (loss) from discontinued operations (in dollars per share)		$ (0.11)	$ (13.58)	$ 0.78	$ (6.16)
Series F Warrant issued to Department of the Treasury included in dilutive share calculations (in shares)	150
Number of shares excluded from diluted shares outstanding because the effect would have been anti-dilutive (in shares)		79,000,000	12,000,000	75,000,000	12,000,000
Weighted average number of warrants (in shares)		75,000,000		70,000,000
Common stock included in consideration transferred to the Department of the Treasury (in shares)		1,092,169,866		1,092,169,866
Redeemable SPV Preferred Interests included in consideration transferred to the Department of the Treasury		$ 20,200,000,000		$ 20,200,000,000
Exchange of preferred stock for common stock in connection with recapitalization (in shares)				562,868,096