Investments (Rating info) (Details 4) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2014 item	Dec. 31, 2013
Investments
Fixed maturity securities as percentage of the entity's total investments	84.00%	85.00%
Number of holdings of other than GNMA, FNMA, and FHLMC having greater than 10% of total equity	0
Ameriprise Financial [Member]
Investments
Amount of securities internally rated	$ 1,300,000,000	$ 1,400,000,000
Percentage of GNMA, FNMA and FHLMC securities rated AAA	51.00%	45.00%
AAA [Member] | Ameriprise Financial [Member]
Investments
Amortized cost	7,545,000,000	7,562,000,000
Fair value	7,785,000,000	7,746,000,000
Percent of total fair value	26.00%	25.00%
AA [Member] | Ameriprise Financial [Member]
Investments
Amortized cost	1,657,000,000	1,587,000,000
Fair value	1,851,000,000	1,707,000,000
Percent of total fair value	6.00%	6.00%
A [Member] | Ameriprise Financial [Member]
Investments
Amortized cost	5,977,000,000	6,381,000,000
Fair value	6,572,000,000	6,738,000,000
Percent of total fair value	22.00%	22.00%
BBB [Member] | Ameriprise Financial [Member]
Investments
Amortized cost	11,236,000,000	11,427,000,000
Fair value	12,190,000,000	12,272,000,000
Percent of total fair value	40.00%	41.00%
Below investment grade [Member] | Ameriprise Financial [Member]
Investments
Amortized cost	1,848,000,000	1,875,000,000
Fair value	1,838,000,000	1,829,000,000
Percent of total fair value	6.00%	6.00%
Total fixed maturities [Member] | Ameriprise Financial [Member]
Investments
Amortized cost	28,263,000,000	28,832,000,000
Fair value	$ 30,236,000,000	$ 30,292,000,000
Percent of total fair value	100.00%	100.00%