INVESTMENTS (Details 15) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Fixed maturity securities
Other Than Temporary Impairment Credit Losses Recognized in Earnings
Balance at the beginning of the period	$ 6,504	$ 6,786	$ 7,803
Increases due to:
Credit impairments on new securities subject to impairment losses	194	235	627
Additional credit impairments on previously impaired securities	483	735	1,294
Reduction due to:
Credit impaired securities fully disposed for which there was no prior intent or requirement to sell	(1,105)	(529)	(1,039)
Credit impaired securities for which there is a current intent or anticipated requirement to sell	(5)		(503)
Accretion on securities previously impaired due to credit	(915)	(544)	(332)
Hybrid securities with embedded credit derivatives reclassified to Bond trading securities		(179)	(748)
Other	8		(316)
Balance at the end of the period	$ 5,164	$ 6,504	$ 6,786
Equity securities
Reduction due to:
Percent discount to cost for purposes of evaluating other-than-temporary impairment	25.00%
Criteria for considering impairment, period of time traded at discount	9 months

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This item represents an increase or (decrease) to the cumulative amount of credit losses recognized in earnings for an other than temporary impairment (OTTI) of a debt security for other reasons not otherwise specified in the taxonomy.

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This item represents reductions in the cumulative amount of credit losses recognized in earnings for an other than temporary impairment (OTTI) due to reclassification of hybrid securities with embedded credit derivatives reclassified to Bonds trading securities.

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Represents one of the criteria for considering impairment of securities, the period of time at which a security has traded at a discount.

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The percentage discount criterion (or more) to cost by which a security is determined to be traded at a significant discount to cost for an extended period of time (nine consecutive months or longer) and, therefore, is considered a candidate for other-than-temporary impairment.

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This item represents an increase to the cumulative amount of credit losses recognized in earnings for an other than temporary impairment (OTTI) of a debt security held for which a previous OTTI was recognized and the investor does not intend to sell the debt security and it is not more likely than not that the investor will be required to sell the debt security before recovery of its amortized cost basis.

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This item represents an increase to the cumulative amount of credit losses recognized in earnings for an other than temporary impairment (OTTI) of a debt security held for which no such other than temporary impairment (OTTI) was previously recognized.

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The cumulative amount of credit losses recognized in earnings related to debt securities held for which a portion of an other than temporary impairment (OTTI) was recognized in other comprehensive income (a component of shareholders' equity).

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This item represents reductions in the cumulative amount of credit losses recognized in earnings for an other than temporary impairment (OTTI) of a debt security held due to increases in cash flows expected to be collected and recognized over the remaining life of the security.

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This item represents reductions in the amount of cumulative losses recognized in earnings for other than temporary impairments (OTTI) for which a portion of the impairment had been recognized in other comprehensive income (a component of shareholders' equity) due to a change in status of the impaired security because of a change in the entity's intent to either sell the impaired security or it has become more likely than not that the entity will be required to sell the security before recovery of its cost basis.

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This item represents reductions in the cumulative amount of credit losses recognized in earnings for an other than temporary impairment (OTTI) of a debt security because of the sale of impaired securities during the period.

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