Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities (Unobservable inputs) (Details 4) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
IUL embedded derivatives [Member] | Discounted cash flow [Member]
Fair values of assets and liabilities
Liabilities at fair value	$ 202		$ 125
GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives [Member] | Discounted cash flow [Member]
Fair values of assets and liabilities
Liabilities at fair value	(77)		(575)
Corporate debt securities [Member] | Discounted cash flow [Member]
Fair values of assets and liabilities
Assets at fair value	1,509		1,589
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | IUL embedded derivatives [Member] | Discounted cash flow [Member]
Fair values of assets and liabilities
Nonperformance risk	0.69%	[1]	0.74%	[1]
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives [Member] | Discounted cash flow [Member]
Fair values of assets and liabilities
Nonperformance risk	0.69%	[1]	0.74%	[1]
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives [Member] | Discounted cash flow [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Fair values of assets and liabilities
Utilization of guaranteed withdrawals (as a percent)	0.00%	[2]	0.00%	[2]
Surrender rate (as a percent)	0.00%		0.10%
Market volatility	4.90%	[3]	4.90%	[3]
Elective contractholder strategy allocations	0.00%	[4]	0.00%	[4]
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives [Member] | Discounted cash flow [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Fair values of assets and liabilities
Utilization of guaranteed withdrawals (as a percent)	51.10%	[2]	51.10%	[2]
Surrender rate (as a percent)	59.10%		57.90%
Market volatility	19.40%	[3]	18.80%	[3]
Elective contractholder strategy allocations	31.00%	[4]	50.00%	[4]
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member] | Discounted cash flow [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Fair values of assets and liabilities
Yield/spread to U.S. Treasuries (as a percent)	0.90%		0.90%
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member] | Discounted cash flow [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Fair values of assets and liabilities
Yield/spread to U.S. Treasuries (as a percent)	3.50%		5.30%
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member] | Discounted cash flow [Member] | Weighted average [Member]
Fair values of assets and liabilities
Yield/spread to U.S. Treasuries (as a percent)	1.20%		1.50%
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Macro hedge program [Member] | Option pricing model technique [Member]
Fair values of assets and liabilities
Assets at fair value	$ 1
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Macro hedge program [Member] | Option pricing model technique [Member] | Minimum [Member]
Fair values of assets and liabilities
Correlation	(3.00%)	[5]
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Macro hedge program [Member] | Option pricing model technique [Member] | Maximum [Member]
Fair values of assets and liabilities
Correlation	(84.00%)	[5]
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Macro hedge program [Member] | Option pricing model technique [Member] | Weighted average [Member]
Fair values of assets and liabilities
Correlation	(60.00%)	[5]

[1] The nonperformance risk is the spread added to the observable interest rates used in the valuation of the embedded derivatives.

[2] The utilization of guaranteed withdrawals represents the percentage of contractholders that will begin withdrawing in any given year.

[3] Market volatility is implied volatility of fund of funds and managed volatility funds.

[4] The elective allocation represents the percentage of contractholders that are assumed to electively switch their investment allocation to a different allocation model.

[5] Represents the correlation between equity returns and interest rates used in the valuation of the derivative contract.