Legal Proceedings	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Legal Proceedings [Abstract]
Legal Proceedings	8. Legal Proceedings In August 2005, CNA and certain insurance subsidiaries were joined as defendants, along with other insurers and brokers, in multidistrict litigation pending in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, In re Insurance Brokerage Antitrust Litigation, Civil No. 04-5184 ("GEB"). The plaintiffs' consolidated class action complaint alleged bid rigging and improprieties in the payment of contingent commissions in connection with the sale of insurance. After various motions and preliminary court rulings providing for further proceedings, all parties executed final settlement documents and the plaintiffs filed a motion for preliminary approval of the settlement in May 2011. In June 2011, the Court entered an order preliminarily approving the settlement. A fairness hearing was held in September 2011 to determine final approval of the settlement. The Court took the matter under advisement and will issue a ruling in due course. As currently structured, the settlement will not have a material impact on the Company's results of operations. In addition, the Company does not believe it has any material ongoing exposure relating to this matter. The Company has been named as a defendant in the following three cases alleging substantial damages based on alleged health effects caused by smoking cigarettes or exposure to tobacco smoke, all of which also name a former subsidiary, Lorillard, Inc. or one of its subsidiaries, as a defendant. In Cypret vs. The American Tobacco Company, Inc. et al. (1998, Circuit Court, Jackson County, Missouri), the Company would contest jurisdiction and make use of all available defenses in the event it receives personal service of this action. In Clalit vs. Philip Morris, Inc., et al. (1998, Jerusalem District Court of Israel), the court did not permit plaintiffs to effect service on the Company and plaintiffs noticed an appeal to the Israel Supreme Court (which was dismissed but could be reinstated under certain circumstances); one of several appeals pending in the case. In Young vs. The American Tobacco Company, Inc. et al. (1997, Civil District Court, Orleans Parish, Louisiana), the Company filed an exception for lack of personal jurisdiction during 2000, which remains pending. A fourth case, Luciano vs. Alcoa Inc., et al. (2011, Supreme Court, New York County, New York), was dismissed in October 2011. The Company does not believe it is a proper defendant in any tobacco related cases and as a result, does not believe the outcome will have a material affect on its results of operations or equity. Further, pursuant to the Separation Agreement dated May 7, 2008 between the Company and Lorillard Inc. and its subsidiaries, Lorillard, Inc. and its subsidiaries have agreed to indemnify and hold the Company harmless from all costs and expenses based upon or arising out of the operation or conduct of Lorillard's business, including among other things, smoking and health claims and litigation such as the four cases described above. While the Company intends to defend vigorously all tobacco products liability litigation, it is not possible to predict the outcome of any of this litigation. Litigation is subject to many uncertainties. It is possible that one or more of the pending actions could be decided unfavorably. The Company and its subsidiaries are also parties to other litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. The outcome of this other litigation will not, in the opinion of management, materially affect the Company's results of operations or equity.

Legal Proceedings

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

8. Legal Proceedings

In August 2005, CNA and certain insurance subsidiaries were joined as defendants, along with other insurers and brokers, in multidistrict litigation pending in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, In re Insurance Brokerage Antitrust Litigation, Civil No. 04-5184 ("GEB"). The plaintiffs' consolidated class action complaint alleged bid rigging and improprieties in the payment of contingent commissions in connection with the sale of insurance. After various motions and preliminary court rulings providing for further proceedings, all parties executed final settlement documents and the plaintiffs filed a motion for preliminary approval of the settlement in May 2011. In June 2011, the Court entered an order preliminarily approving the settlement. A fairness hearing was held in September 2011 to determine final approval of the settlement. The Court took the matter under advisement and will issue a ruling in due course. As currently structured, the settlement will not have a material impact on the Company's results of operations. In addition, the Company does not believe it has any material ongoing exposure relating to this matter.

The Company has been named as a defendant in the following three cases alleging substantial damages based on alleged health effects caused by smoking cigarettes or exposure to tobacco smoke, all of which also name a former subsidiary, Lorillard, Inc. or one of its subsidiaries, as a defendant. In Cypret vs. The American Tobacco Company, Inc. et al. (1998, Circuit Court, Jackson County, Missouri), the Company would contest jurisdiction and make use of all available defenses in the event it receives personal service of this action. In Clalit vs. Philip Morris, Inc., et al. (1998, Jerusalem District Court of Israel), the court did not permit plaintiffs to effect service on the Company and plaintiffs noticed an appeal to the Israel Supreme Court (which was dismissed but could be reinstated under certain circumstances); one of several appeals pending in the case. In Young vs. The American Tobacco Company, Inc. et al. (1997, Civil District Court, Orleans Parish, Louisiana), the Company filed an exception for lack of personal jurisdiction during 2000, which remains pending. A fourth case, Luciano vs. Alcoa Inc., et al. (2011, Supreme Court, New York County, New York), was dismissed in October 2011.

The Company does not believe it is a proper defendant in any tobacco related cases and as a result, does not believe the outcome will have a material affect on its results of operations or equity. Further, pursuant to the Separation Agreement dated May 7, 2008 between the Company and Lorillard Inc. and its subsidiaries, Lorillard, Inc. and its subsidiaries have agreed to indemnify and hold the Company harmless from all costs and expenses based upon or arising out of the operation or conduct of Lorillard's business, including among other things, smoking and health claims and litigation such as the four cases described above.

While the Company intends to defend vigorously all tobacco products liability litigation, it is not possible to predict the outcome of any of this litigation. Litigation is subject to many uncertainties. It is possible that one or more of the pending actions could be decided unfavorably.

The Company and its subsidiaries are also parties to other litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. The outcome of this other litigation will not, in the opinion of management, materially affect the Company's results of operations or equity.