LIABILITY FOR UNPAID CLAIMS AND CLAIMS ADJUSTMENT EXPENSE AND FUTURE POLICY BENEFITS FOR LIFE AND ACCIDENT AND HEALTH INSURANCE CONTRACTS AND POLICYHOLDER CONTRACT DEPOSITS (Details 2) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011
DISCOUNTING OF RESERVES
Loss reserve discount	3,180,000,000
Tabular discount
DISCOUNTING OF RESERVES
Interest rate used to calculate worker's compensation discount (as a percent)	3.50%
Tabular discount \| Chartis
DISCOUNTING OF RESERVES
Discount for workers' compensation	777,000,000
Non-tabular discount \| Chartis
DISCOUNTING OF RESERVES
Discount for workers' compensation	2,320,000,000
Discount for asbestos	88,000,000
Non-tabular discount \| New York
DISCOUNTING OF RESERVES
Interest rate used to calculate worker's compensation discount (as a percent)	5.00%
Non-tabular discount \| Pennsylvania
DISCOUNTING OF RESERVES
Interest rate used to calculate worker's compensation discount (as a percent)	6.00%

Percent discount applied to worker's compensation reserve liability to reduce the reserve to present value.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.13(b))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 40

-Section 50

-Paragraph 6

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6482852&loc=d3e14931-158439

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Article 7

-Section 03

-Paragraph 13

-Subparagraph b

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 40

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6482485&loc=d3e14754-158437

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 60

-Paragraph 60

-Subparagraph d

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.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 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Audit and Accounting Guide (AAG)

-Number AAG-PLI

-Chapter 4

-Paragraph 4

-IssueDate 2006-09-01

-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.

Name:	us-gaap_WorkersCompensationDiscountPercent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration