Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities (Details 2) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013		Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2013		Sep. 30, 2012
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation
Fair Value Assets or Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis Change in Unrealized Gain (Loss) Included in Interest Credited to Fixed Accounts			$ 1
Ameriprise Financial
Summary of changes in Level 3 liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Net Increase (Decrease) to Pretax Income from Embedded Derivative Liability	(14)		(51)		(104)		(45)
Available-for-Sale Securities, at fair value
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Change in Unrealized Gain (Loss) Included in Investment Income					(1)		1
Fair Value Assets Measured on Recurring Basis Change in Unrealized Gain (Loss) Included in Realized Investment Gains (Losses)			1
Available-for-Sale Securities, at fair value | Ameriprise Financial
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Balance, at the beginning of the period	2,165		1,982		2,438		1,814
Total gains (losses) included in Net income	(1)	[1]	(30)	[1]	(1)	[1]	(43)
Total gains (losses) included in Other comprehensive income (loss)			61		(36)		97
Purchases	274		193		591		458
Settlements	(80)		(53)		(217)		(193)
Transfers into Level 3			161		8		237
Transfers out of Level 3	(215)		(153)		(640)		(209)
Balance, at the end of the period	2,143		2,086		2,143		2,086
Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Asset, Sales			(75)				(75)
Corporate debt securities
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Change in Unrealized Gain (Loss) Included in Investment Income					(2)		(1)
Fair Value Assets Measured on Recurring Basis Change in Unrealized Gain (Loss) Included in Realized Investment Gains (Losses)	(1)		(1)
Corporate debt securities | Ameriprise Financial
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Balance, at the beginning of the period	1,667		1,485		1,764		1,355
Total gains (losses) included in Net income	(1)		(1)		(2)		(1)
Total gains (losses) included in Other comprehensive income (loss)	3		14		(34)		19
Purchases			139		74		349
Settlements	(37)		(40)		(170)		(135)
Transfers into Level 3							10
Transfers out of Level 3
Balance, at the end of the period	1,632		1,597		1,632		1,597
Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Asset, Sales			0				0
Residential mortgage backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Balance, at the beginning of the period	69		238		284		215
Total gains (losses) included in Net income			(31)				(45)
Total gains (losses) included in Other comprehensive income (loss)	(1)		40		(1)		68
Purchases	245		54		307		99
Settlements	(6)		(8)		(7)		(38)
Transfers into Level 3							22
Transfers out of Level 3	(19)		(146)		(295)		(174)
Balance, at the end of the period	288		72		288		72
Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Asset, Sales			(75)				(75)
Commercial mortgage backed securities
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Change in Unrealized Gain (Loss) Included in Investment Income							1
Fair Value Assets Measured on Recurring Basis Change in Unrealized Gain (Loss) Included in Realized Investment Gains (Losses)			1
Commercial mortgage backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Balance, at the beginning of the period	210		69		206		50
Total gains (losses) included in Net income			1				1
Total gains (losses) included in Other comprehensive income (loss)			4		(6)		6
Purchases					10		9
Settlements	(36)		(1)		(36)		(3)
Transfers into Level 3			146				183
Transfers out of Level 3	(159)		(7)		(159)		(34)
Balance, at the end of the period	15		212		15		212
Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Asset, Sales			0				0
Asset backed securities
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Change in Unrealized Gain (Loss) Included in Investment Income					1		1
Asset backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Balance, at the beginning of the period	214		185		178		189
Total gains (losses) included in Net income			1		1		2
Total gains (losses) included in Other comprehensive income (loss)	(2)		3		5		4
Purchases	29				200
Settlements	(1)		(4)		(4)		(17)
Transfers into Level 3			15		8		22
Transfers out of Level 3	(37)				(185)
Balance, at the end of the period	203		200		203		200
Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Asset, Sales			0				0
Common Stocks | Ameriprise Financial
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Balance, at the beginning of the period	5		5		6		5
Total gains (losses) included in Net income
Total gains (losses) included in Other comprehensive income (loss)
Purchases							1
Settlements
Transfers into Level 3
Transfers out of Level 3					(1)		(1)
Balance, at the end of the period	5		5		5		5
Fair Value, Measurement with Unobservable Inputs Reconciliation, Recurring Basis, Asset, Sales			0				0
Future policy benefits and claims | Ameriprise Financial
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Transfers into Level 3			(22)				(22)
Summary of changes in Level 3 liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Balance, at the beginning of the period	(87)		(1,406)		(878)		(1,585)
Total Gains (Losses) Included in Net Income	320		322		1,238		578
Issues	(77)		(65)		(205)		(147)
Settlements	4		(8)		5		(3)
Balance, at the end of the period	160		(1,179)		160		(1,179)
GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives | Ameriprise Financial
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Transfers into Level 3			0				0
Summary of changes in Level 3 liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Balance, at the beginning of the period	(11)		(1,406)		(833)		(1,585)
Total Gains (Losses) Included in Net Income	322	[2]	321	[2]	1,246	[2]	577
Issues	(60)		(49)		(163)		(131)
Settlements	5		(8)		6		(3)
Balance, at the end of the period	256		(1,142)		256		(1,142)
Indexed Universal Life Embedded Derivatives [Member] | Ameriprise Financial
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Transfers into Level 3			(22)				(22)
Summary of changes in Level 3 liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Balance, at the beginning of the period	(76)				(45)
Total Gains (Losses) Included in Net Income	(2)	[3]	1	[3]	(8)	[3]	1
Issues	(17)		(16)		(42)		(16)
Settlements	(1)				(1)
Balance, at the end of the period	(96)		(37)		(96)		(37)
Asset-backed Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation
Fair Value Assets Measured on Recurring Basis Change in Unrealized Gain (Loss) Included in Realized Investment Gains (Losses)	1		1
Future Policy Benefits [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation
Fair Value Assets or Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis Change in Unrealized Gain (Loss) Included in Interest Credited to Fixed Accounts	(2)		1		(8)		1
Summary of changes in Level 3 liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Fair Value Assets or Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis Change in Unrealized Gain (Loss) Included in Benefits, Claims, Losses and Settlement Expenses	321		310		1,229		544
Embedded Derivative GMWB and GMAB [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Fair Value Assets or Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis Change in Unrealized Gain (Loss) Included in Benefits, Claims, Losses and Settlement Expenses	321		310		1,229		544
Indexed Universal Life Embedded Derivatives [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation
Fair Value Assets or Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis Change in Unrealized Gain (Loss) Included in Interest Credited to Fixed Accounts	$ (2)				$ (8)		$ 1

[1] Included in net investment income in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

[2] Included in benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

[3] Included in interest credited to fixed accounts in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.