SEGMENT INFORMATION (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012 segment	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Segment results
Number of reportable segments									2
Total revenues	$ 15,854,000,000	$ 16,505,000,000	$ 16,006,000,000	$ 17,291,000,000	$ 16,376,000,000	$ 11,606,000,000	$ 15,547,000,000	$ 16,283,000,000	$ 65,656,000,000	$ 59,812,000,000	$ 72,829,000,000
Other-than-temporary impairment charges									1,167,000,000	1,280,000,000	3,039,000,000
Net (gain) loss on sale of properties and divested businesses	2,000,000				(2,000,000)	2,000,000	2,000,000	72,000,000	2,000,000	74,000,000	(19,566,000,000)
Interest expense									2,319,000,000	2,444,000,000	6,742,000,000
Depreciation and amortization									5,307,000,000	5,424,000,000	5,977,000,000
Pre-tax Income from continuing operations	629,000,000	2,558,000,000	1,669,000,000	4,466,000,000	2,771,000,000	(2,938,000,000)	1,711,000,000	(1,428,000,000)	9,322,000,000	116,000,000	20,247,000,000
Year-end identifiable assets	548,633,000,000				553,054,000,000				548,633,000,000	553,054,000,000
Capital expenditures									1,072,000,000	1,568,000,000
Claims and claims adjustment expenses incurred									36,339,000,000	37,917,000,000	45,879,000,000
AIG Property Casualty
Segment results
Number of operating segments									2
Claims and claims adjustment expenses incurred									25,785,000,000	27,949,000,000	27,867,000,000
Commercial Insurance
Segment results
Total revenues									23,609,000,000	25,016,000,000	24,371,000,000
Interest expense									5,000,000	3,000,000	1,000,000
Depreciation and amortization									2,735,000,000	2,864,000,000	2,911,000,000
Pre-tax Income from continuing operations									904,000,000	1,339,000,000	305,000,000
Claims and claims adjustment expenses incurred									16,696,000,000	18,332,000,000	18,814,000,000
Underwriting expenses									6,009,000,000	5,345,000,000	5,252,000,000
Consumer Insurance
Segment results
Total revenues									14,403,000,000	14,109,000,000	11,580,000,000
Interest expense									4,000,000	4,000,000
Depreciation and amortization									2,121,000,000	1,836,000,000	1,509,000,000
Pre-tax Income from continuing operations									292,000,000	(44,000,000)	185,000,000
Claims and claims adjustment expenses incurred									8,498,000,000	8,900,000,000	6,745,000,000
Underwriting expenses									5,613,000,000	5,253,000,000	4,650,000,000
Other
Segment results
Total revenues									1,769,000,000	1,597,000,000	1,256,000,000
Other-than-temporary impairment charges									378,000,000	274,000,000	577,000,000
Net (gain) loss on sale of properties and divested businesses											(669,000,000)
Interest expense									1,000,000
Depreciation and amortization									(1,000,000)		2,000,000
Pre-tax Income from continuing operations									641,000,000	525,000,000	(583,000,000)
Claims and claims adjustment expenses incurred									591,000,000	717,000,000	2,308,000,000
Underwriting expenses									466,000,000	272,000,000	200,000,000
Total AIG Property Casualty
Segment results
Total revenues									39,781,000,000	40,722,000,000	37,207,000,000
Other-than-temporary impairment charges									378,000,000	274,000,000	577,000,000
Net (gain) loss on sale of properties and divested businesses											(669,000,000)
Interest expense									10,000,000	7,000,000	1,000,000
Depreciation and amortization									4,855,000,000	4,700,000,000	4,422,000,000
Pre-tax Income from continuing operations									1,837,000,000	1,820,000,000	(93,000,000)
Year-end identifiable assets	178,733,000,000				177,892,000,000				178,733,000,000	177,892,000,000
Capital expenditures									321,000,000	234,000,000
Claims and claims adjustment expenses incurred									25,785,000,000	27,949,000,000	27,867,000,000
Underwriting expenses									12,088,000,000	10,870,000,000	10,102,000,000
AIG Life and Retirement
Segment results
Number of operating segments									2
Claims and claims adjustment expenses incurred									9,977,000,000	9,132,000,000	8,754,000,000
Life Insurance
Segment results
Total revenues									9,509,000,000	8,282,000,000	8,334,000,000
Other-than-temporary impairment charges									162,000,000	223,000,000	409,000,000
Depreciation and amortization									322,000,000	301,000,000	433,000,000
Pre-tax Income from continuing operations									1,966,000,000	1,387,000,000	1,441,000,000
Year-end identifiable assets	105,441,000,000				90,446,000,000				105,441,000,000	90,446,000,000
Capital expenditures									48,000,000	42,000,000
Life Insurance | Insurance-oriented products
Segment results
Total revenues									5,985,000,000	5,813,000,000	5,992,000,000
Life Insurance | Retirement savings products
Segment results
Total revenues									3,524,000,000	2,469,000,000	2,335,000,000
Life Insurance | Asset management revenues
Segment results
Total revenues											7,000,000
Retirement Services
Segment results
Total revenues									7,258,000,000	7,033,000,000	6,413,000,000
Other-than-temporary impairment charges									562,000,000	754,000,000	1,549,000,000
Depreciation and amortization									(109,000,000)	390,000,000	189,000,000
Pre-tax Income from continuing operations									1,814,000,000	1,569,000,000	1,260,000,000
Year-end identifiable assets	177,002,000,000				177,627,000,000				177,002,000,000	177,627,000,000
Capital expenditures									12,000,000	33,000,000
Retirement Services | Retirement savings products
Segment results
Total revenues									6,410,000,000	6,006,000,000	6,150,000,000
Retirement Services | Asset management revenues
Segment results
Total revenues									848,000,000	1,027,000,000	263,000,000
AIG Life and Retirement, consolidation and elimination
Segment results
Year-end identifiable assets	(6,769,000,000)				(9,610,000,000)				(6,769,000,000)	(9,610,000,000)
Total AIG Life and Retirement
Segment results
Total revenues									16,767,000,000	15,315,000,000	14,747,000,000
Other-than-temporary impairment charges									724,000,000	977,000,000	1,958,000,000
Depreciation and amortization									213,000,000	691,000,000	622,000,000
Pre-tax Income from continuing operations									3,780,000,000	2,956,000,000	2,701,000,000
Year-end identifiable assets	275,674,000,000				258,463,000,000				275,674,000,000	258,463,000,000
Capital expenditures									60,000,000	75,000,000
Other Operations
Segment results
Total revenues									9,974,000,000	4,079,000,000	21,405,000,000
Other-than-temporary impairment charges									65,000,000	29,000,000	504,000,000
Net (gain) loss on sale of properties and divested businesses									2,000,000	74,000,000	(18,897,000,000)
Interest expense									2,340,000,000	2,490,000,000	6,881,000,000
Depreciation and amortization									241,000,000	33,000,000	933,000,000
Pre-tax Income from continuing operations									3,899,000,000	(4,703,000,000)	17,611,000,000
Year-end identifiable assets	191,112,000,000				229,618,000,000				191,112,000,000	229,618,000,000
Capital expenditures									691,000,000	1,259,000,000
Amortization of prepaid commitment asset											3,500,000,000
Claims and claims adjustment expenses incurred									(82,000,000)	2,000,000	39,000,000
Mortgage Guaranty
Segment results
Total revenues									867,000,000	944,000,000	1,168,000,000
Depreciation and amortization									44,000,000	44,000,000	43,000,000
Pre-tax Income from continuing operations									15,000,000	(77,000,000)	397,000,000
Year-end identifiable assets	5,270,000,000				5,395,000,000				5,270,000,000	5,395,000,000
Capital expenditures									11,000,000	37,000,000
Global Capital Markets
Segment results
Total revenues									745,000,000	266,000,000	532,000,000
Other-than-temporary impairment charges											2,000,000
Interest expense											3,000,000
Depreciation and amortization											4,000,000
Pre-tax Income from continuing operations									553,000,000	(7,000,000)	193,000,000
Year-end identifiable assets	7,050,000,000				12,620,000,000				7,050,000,000	12,620,000,000
Direct Investment Book
Segment results
Total revenues									2,024,000,000	1,004,000,000	1,499,000,000
Other-than-temporary impairment charges									60,000,000	25,000,000	356,000,000
Interest expense									369,000,000	367,000,000	382,000,000
Depreciation and amortization									(121,000,000)	(218,000,000)	(317,000,000)
Pre-tax Income from continuing operations									1,632,000,000	622,000,000	1,242,000,000
Year-end identifiable assets	28,528,000,000				31,172,000,000				28,528,000,000	31,172,000,000
Retained Interests
Segment results
Total revenues									4,957,000,000	486,000,000	1,819,000,000
Pre-tax Income from continuing operations									4,957,000,000	486,000,000	1,819,000,000
Year-end identifiable assets					15,086,000,000					15,086,000,000
Corporate and Other
Segment results
Total revenues									1,429,000,000	1,415,000,000	2,631,000,000
Other-than-temporary impairment charges									5,000,000	4,000,000	30,000,000
Net (gain) loss on sale of properties and divested businesses									2,000,000	74,000,000	(18,897,000,000)
Interest expense									1,998,000,000	2,143,000,000	6,551,000,000
Depreciation and amortization									318,000,000	207,000,000	342,000,000
Pre-tax Income from continuing operations									(3,262,000,000)	(5,727,000,000)	11,436,000,000
Year-end identifiable assets	87,021,000,000				99,085,000,000				87,021,000,000	99,085,000,000
Capital expenditures									680,000,000	618,000,000
Divested Businesses
Segment results
Total revenues											13,811,000,000
Other-than-temporary impairment charges											116,000,000
Interest expense											4,000,000
Depreciation and amortization											861,000,000
Pre-tax Income from continuing operations											2,435,000,000
Other Operations, consolidation and eliminations
Segment results
Total revenues									(48,000,000)	(36,000,000)	(55,000,000)
Interest expense									(27,000,000)	(20,000,000)	(59,000,000)
Pre-tax Income from continuing operations									4,000,000		89,000,000
Year-end identifiable assets	23,431,000,000				27,153,000,000				23,431,000,000	27,153,000,000
Aircraft Leasing
Segment results
Year-end identifiable assets	39,812,000,000				39,107,000,000				39,812,000,000	39,107,000,000
Capital expenditures										604,000,000
Consolidation and Eliminations
Segment results
Total revenues									(866,000,000)	(304,000,000)	(530,000,000)
Interest expense									(31,000,000)	(53,000,000)	(140,000,000)
Depreciation and amortization									(2,000,000)
Pre-tax Income from continuing operations									(194,000,000)	43,000,000	28,000,000
Year-end identifiable assets	$ (96,886,000,000)				$ (112,919,000,000)				$ (96,886,000,000)	$ (112,919,000,000)