INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH OUTSTANDING DEBT (Details) (USD $)	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Assets:
Short-term investments	$ 24,365,000,000	$ 22,572,000,000
Other investments	388,165,000,000	387,866,000,000
Total investments	412,530,000,000	410,438,000,000
Cash	1,232,000,000	1,474,000,000	2,590,000,000	1,558,000,000
Debt issuance costs		493,000,000
Other assets, including current and deferred income taxes	141,621,000,000	139,955,000,000
Total assets	555,383,000,000	552,360,000,000
Liabilities:
Insurance liabilities	280,449,000,000	282,516,000,000
Other long-term debt	73,897,000,000	75,253,000,000
Other liabilities, including intercompany balances	95,396,000,000	83,675,000,000
Total liabilities	449,742,000,000	441,444,000,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests (see Note 1):
Nonvoting, callable, junior preferred interests held by Department of the Treasury		8,427,000,000
Other	112,000,000	96,000,000
Total redeemable noncontrolling interests	112,000,000	8,523,000,000
Total AIG shareholders' equity	104,709,000,000	101,538,000,000
Other noncontrolling interests	820,000,000	855,000,000
Total noncontrolling interests	820,000,000	855,000,000
Total equity	105,529,000,000	102,393,000,000	88,189,000,000	113,239,000,000
Total liabilities and equity	555,383,000,000	552,360,000,000
AIG (As Guarantor)
Assets:
Short-term investments	11,705,000,000	12,868,000,000
Other investments	12,884,000,000	6,599,000,000
Total investments	24,589,000,000	19,467,000,000
Cash	72,000,000	176,000,000	598,000,000	49,000,000
Loans to subsidiaries	36,677,000,000	39,971,000,000
Debt issuance costs	198,000,000	196,000,000
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries	74,422,000,000	80,990,000,000
Other assets, including current and deferred income taxes	25,652,000,000	24,595,000,000
Total assets	161,610,000,000	165,395,000,000
Liabilities:
Other long-term debt	36,162,000,000	35,906,000,000
Other liabilities, including intercompany balances	19,732,000,000	15,635,000,000
Loans from subsidiaries	1,007,000,000	12,316,000,000
Total liabilities	56,901,000,000	63,857,000,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests (see Note 1):
Total AIG shareholders' equity	104,709,000,000	101,538,000,000
Total equity	104,709,000,000	101,538,000,000
Total liabilities and equity	161,610,000,000	165,395,000,000
Intercompany tax payable	9,800,000,000	9,800,000,000
Intercompany derivative liabilities	990,000,000	901,000,000
SAFG, Inc.
Assets:
Cash		13,000,000	1,000,000
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries	41,107,000,000	32,361,000,000
Other assets, including current and deferred income taxes	224,000,000	2,704,000,000
Total assets	41,331,000,000	35,078,000,000
Liabilities:
Other long-term debt	1,638,000,000	1,638,000,000
Other liabilities, including intercompany balances	711,000,000	2,402,000,000
Loans from subsidiaries	791,000,000	249,000,000
Total liabilities	3,140,000,000	4,289,000,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests (see Note 1):
Total AIG shareholders' equity	38,191,000,000	30,789,000,000
Total equity	38,191,000,000	30,789,000,000
Total liabilities and equity	41,331,000,000	35,078,000,000
Intercompany tax receivable	169,000,000	128,000,000
Other Subsidiaries
Assets:
Short-term investments	14,671,000,000	14,110,000,000
Other investments	374,798,000,000	481,525,000,000
Total investments	389,469,000,000	495,635,000,000
Cash	1,160,000,000	1,285,000,000
Loans to subsidiaries	(29,987,000,000)	(39,971,000,000)
Debt issuance costs	(198,000,000)	297,000,000
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries	(27,558,000,000)	(11,463,000,000)
Other assets, including current and deferred income taxes	103,400,000,000	117,231,000,000
Total assets	436,286,000,000	563,014,000,000
Liabilities:
Insurance liabilities	280,694,000,000	282,790,000,000
Other long-term debt	35,639,000,000	138,240,000,000
Other liabilities, including intercompany balances	64,357,000,000	75,132,000,000
Loans from subsidiaries	4,898,000,000	(12,565,000,000)
Total liabilities	385,588,000,000	483,597,000,000
Redeemable noncontrolling interests (see Note 1):
Other	34,000,000	29,000,000
Total redeemable noncontrolling interests	34,000,000	29,000,000
Total AIG shareholders' equity	50,262,000,000	78,996,000,000
Other noncontrolling interests	402,000,000	392,000,000
Total noncontrolling interests	402,000,000	392,000,000
Total equity	50,664,000,000	79,388,000,000
Total liabilities and equity	436,286,000,000	563,014,000,000
Reclassifications and Eliminations
Assets:
Short-term investments	(2,011,000,000)	(4,406,000,000)
Other investments	483,000,000	(100,258,000,000)
Total investments	(1,528,000,000)	(104,664,000,000)
Loans to subsidiaries	(6,690,000,000)
Investment in consolidated subsidiaries	(87,971,000,000)	(101,888,000,000)
Other assets, including current and deferred income taxes	12,345,000,000	(4,575,000,000)
Total assets	(83,844,000,000)	(211,127,000,000)
Liabilities:
Insurance liabilities	(245,000,000)	(274,000,000)
Other long-term debt	458,000,000	(100,531,000,000)
Other liabilities, including intercompany balances	10,596,000,000	(9,494,000,000)
Loans from subsidiaries	(6,696,000,000)
Total liabilities	4,113,000,000	(110,299,000,000)
Redeemable noncontrolling interests (see Note 1):
Nonvoting, callable, junior preferred interests held by Department of the Treasury		8,427,000,000
Other	78,000,000	67,000,000
Total redeemable noncontrolling interests	78,000,000	8,494,000,000
Total AIG shareholders' equity	(88,453,000,000)	(109,785,000,000)
Other noncontrolling interests	418,000,000	463,000,000
Total noncontrolling interests	418,000,000	463,000,000
Total equity	(88,035,000,000)	(109,322,000,000)
Total liabilities and equity	$ (83,844,000,000)	$ (211,127,000,000)