Policyholder Account Balances, Future Policy Benefits and Claims and Separate Account Liabilities (Balances by product) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Policyholder account balances	$ 20,775	$ 21,790
Future policy benefits	8,500	7,850
Policy claims and other policyholders' funds	771	710
Policyholder account balances, future policy benefits and claims	30,046	30,350
Separate account liability
Variable annuity	67,930	72,125
VUL insurance	6,483	7,016
Other insurance	34	37
Threadneedle investment liabilities	4,189	4,078
Total	78,636	83,256
Fixed annuities [Member]
Policyholder account balances	11,446	12,700
Variable annuity fixed sub-accounts [Member]
Policyholder account balances	4,914	4,860
VUL/UL insurance [Member]
Policyholder account balances	2,884	2,856
IUL [Member]
Policyholder account balances	727	534
Other life insurance [Member]
Policyholder account balances	804	840
Variable annuity GMWB [Member]
Future policy benefits	1,273	693
Variable annuity GMAB [Member]
Future policy benefits	31	(41)	[1]
Other annuity liabilities [Member]
Future policy benefits	73	115
Fixed annuities life contingent liabilities [Member]
Future policy benefits	1,502	1,511
EIA [Member]
Future policy benefits	27	29
Life disability income and long term care insurance [Member]
Future policy benefits	5,150	5,106
VUL/UL and other life insurance additional liabilities [Member]
Future policy benefits	$ 444	$ 437

[1] Includes the value of GMAB embedded derivatives that was a net asset at December 31, 2014 reported as a contra liability.