Shares and Stockholders' Equity (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended						12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended							12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009 Restatement Adjustment [Member] Accounting Standards Update 2010-26 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Unrealized Gain (Loss) on AFS Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Unrealized Gain (Loss) on AFS Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Unrealized Gain (Loss) on AFS Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Unrealized Gain (Loss) on AFS Securities [Member] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Unrealized Gain (Loss) on AFS Securities [Member] Restatement Adjustment [Member] Accounting Standards Update 2010-26 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Unrealized Gain (Loss) on AFS Securities [Member] Restatement Adjustment [Member] Accounting Standards Update 2009-17 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Unrealized Other Than Temporary Impairment on Available For Sale Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Unrealized Other Than Temporary Impairment on Available For Sale Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Unrealized Other Than Temporary Impairment on Available For Sale Securities [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Unrealized Other Than Temporary Impairment on Available For Sale Securities [Member] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Unrealized Other Than Temporary Impairment on Available For Sale Securities [Member] Restatement Adjustment [Member] Accounting Standards Update 2010-26 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivative Instruments [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivative Instruments [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivative Instruments [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivative Instruments [Member] Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Derivative Instruments [Member] Restatement Adjustment [Member] Accounting Standards Update 2010-26 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Funded Status of Employee Benefit Plans [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Funded Status of Employee Benefit Plans [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Funded Status of Employee Benefit Plans [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Common stock warrant [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Series A Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Series A Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Series A Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Series B Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Series B Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Series B Preferred Stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Common stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Common stock [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Common stock [Member]
Changes in preferred and common stock (number of shares) [Line Items]
Balance as of beginning-of-year (in shares)																												10,072	10,914	11,497	0	0	950,000	291,319,222	315,718,554	302,223,281
Stock issued (in shares)																																		0	0	14,137,615
Conversion of convertible preferred stock (in shares)																												(540)	(842)	(583)				8,640	13,472	9,328
Issuance (redemption) of Series B preferred stock (in shares)																															0	0	(950,000)
Stock compensation/issued for benefit plans (in shares)																																		542,125	248,553	414,712
Retirement/cancellation of shares (in shares)																																		(20,467,401)	(24,661,357)	(1,066,382)
Balance as of end-of-year (in shares)																												9,532	10,072	10,914	0	0	0	271,402,586	291,319,222	315,718,554
Common stock as of end-of-year:
Assuming conversion of preferred stock (in shares)	271,555,098	291,480,374	315,893,178
Diluted basis (in shares)	279,087,588	298,225,244	324,043,137
Series B Preferred Stock Issuance and Redemption [Abstract]
Outstanding warrant to purchase common stock (in shares)																											10,150,292
Exercise price of warrant (in dollars per share)																											$ 10.72
Reconciliation of the denominator (number of shares) in the calculations of basic and diluted earnings (loss) per common share Table
Weighted-average shares, as used in basic calculation (in shares)	280,648,391	307,216,181	310,005,264
Shares to cover exercise of outstanding warrants (in shares)	10,150,212	10,150,292	12,260,236
Shares to cover conversion of preferred stock (in shares)	153,749	173,289	178,720
Shares to cover non-vested stock (in shares)	1,153,178	813,905	616,314
Average stock options outstanding during the year (in shares)	570,180	636,989	707,704
Assumed acquisition of shares with assumed proceeds from exercising outstanding warrants (in shares)	(4,685,901)	(4,658,020)	(5,148,473)
Assumed acquisition of shares with assumed proceeds and benefits from exercising stock options (at average market price for the year) (in shares)	(394,241)	(427,425)	(464,813)
Shares repurchaseable from measured but unrecognized stock option expense (in shares)	(4,723)	(65,882)	(139,673)
Average deferred compensation shares (in shares)	0	1,110,722	1,198,468
Weighted-average shares, as used in diluted calculation (in shares)	287,590,845	314,950,051	319,213,747
Deferred compensation plan mark to market adjustment		5,000,000	2,000,000
Components and changes in accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]
Balance as of beginning-of-year				3,000,000	2,947,000,000	1,176,000,000		49,000,000	2,000,000	181,000,000	(109,000,000)	(134,000,000)		(115,000,000)	(5,000,000)	119,000,000	(11,000,000)		11,000,000	3,000,000	1,000,000	1,000,000	3,000,000	(278,000,000)	(181,000,000)	(210,000,000)
Unrealized holding gains (losses) arising during the year					2,691,000,000	3,414,000,000	2,528,000,000
Change in foreign currency exchange rate adjustment					14,000,000	(5,000,000)	(6,000,000)									(12,000,000)	7,000,000	4,000,000
Change in DAC, VOBA, DSI and other contract holder funds					(1,233,000,000)	(797,000,000)	(1,038,000,000)									15,000,000	0	0
Income tax benefit (expense)					(480,000,000)	(932,000,000)	(535,000,000)
Less: Reclassification adjustment for gains (losses) included in net income (loss)					(194,000,000)	(129,000,000)	(135,000,000)
Less: Reclassification adjustment for gains (losses) on derivatives included in net income (loss)					0	0	135,000,000
Less: Associated amortization of DAC, VOBA, DSI, and DFEL					(2,000,000)	(11,000,000)	8,000,000
Less: Income tax benefit (expense)					69,000,000	49,000,000	(3,000,000)
Increases attributable to: Gross OTTI recognized in OCI during the year											(121,000,000)	(58,000,000)	(97,000,000)
Increases attributable to: Change in DAC, VOBA, DSI and DFEL											15,000,000	13,000,000	10,000,000
Increases attributable to: Income tax benefit (expense)											36,000,000	16,000,000	30,000,000
Decreases attributable to: Sales, maturities or other settlements of AFS Securities											129,000,000	103,000,000	87,000,000
Decreases attributable to: Change in DAC, VOBA, DSI, and DFEL											(18,000,000)	(20,000,000)	(20,000,000)
Decreases attributable to: Income tax benefit (expense)											(39,000,000)	(29,000,000)	(24,000,000)
Unrealized holding gains (losses) arising during the year																55,000,000	184,000,000	(27,000,000)
Change in DAC, VOBA, DSI and DFEL																15,000,000	0	0
Income tax benefit (expense)																(21,000,000)	(67,000,000)	7,000,000
Less: Reclassification adjustment for gains (losses) included in net income (loss)																(15,000,000)	(10,000,000)	14,000,000
Less: Associated amortization of DAC, VOBA, DSI and DFEL																4,000,000	1,000,000	0
Less: Income tax benefit (expense)																4,000,000	3,000,000	(5,000,000)
Foreign currency translation adjustment arising during the year																					(5,000,000)	0	(3,000,000)
Income tax benefit (expense)																					0	0	1,000,000
Adjustment arising during the year																								2,000,000	(149,000,000)	45,000,000
Income tax benefit (expense)																								(34,000,000)	52,000,000	(16,000,000)
Balance as of end-of-year				$ 3,000,000	$ 4,066,000,000	$ 2,947,000,000	$ 1,176,000,000	$ 49,000,000	$ 2,000,000	$ 181,000,000	$ (107,000,000)	$ (109,000,000)	$ (134,000,000)	$ (115,000,000)	$ (5,000,000)	$ 163,000,000	$ 119,000,000	$ (11,000,000)	$ 11,000,000	$ 3,000,000	$ (4,000,000)	$ 1,000,000	$ 1,000,000	$ (310,000,000)	$ (278,000,000)	$ (181,000,000)