Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities (Level 3 rollforwards - Assets) (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Millions		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation
Transfers from Level 2 to Level 1, Assets		$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Transfers from Level 1 to Level 2, Assets		0	0	0
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Corporate debt securities [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Balance, at the beginning of the period		1,425	1,518	1,640
Total gains (losses) included in net income		(1)	(2)	(1)
Total gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss)			(21)	(2)
Purchases		54	189	213
Sales				(18)
Settlements		(168)	(248)	(306)
Transfers into Level 3		1
Transfers out of Level 3			(11)	(8)
Balance, at the end of the period		1,311	1,425	1,518
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of the period included in:
Changes in unrealized gains/ (losses) included in income relating to assets held at end of period		1	(2)	(1)
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Balance, at the beginning of the period		218	206	187
Total gains (losses) included in net income		1		(1)
Total gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss)		(1)	(2)
Purchases		209	334	399
Settlements		(67)	(55)	(24)
Transfers out of Level 3		(92)	(265)	(355)
Balance, at the end of the period		268	218	206
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of the period included in:
Changes in unrealized gains/ (losses) included in income relating to assets held at end of period		1
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Balance, at the beginning of the period		3	91	30
Total gains (losses) included in net income				1
Total gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss)				(2)
Purchases		42	41	59
Settlements		(3)	(7)	(1)
Transfers into Level 3			6	78
Transfers out of Level 3		(42)	(128)	(74)
Balance, at the end of the period		0	3	91
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of the period included in:
Changes in unrealized gains/ (losses) included in income relating to assets held at end of period				1
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Balance, at the beginning of the period		162	169	260
Total gains (losses) included in net income		(1)	1	1
Total gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss)		(4)	(2)	2
Purchases		58	72	32
Settlements		(2)	(22)	(11)
Transfers into Level 3		12	14
Transfers out of Level 3		(178)	(70)	(115)
Balance, at the end of the period		68	162	169
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of the period included in:
Changes in unrealized gains/ (losses) included in income relating to assets held at end of period		(1)	1	1
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Asset backed securities [Member] | Adjustments for New Accounting Pronouncement [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Balance, at the beginning of the period		21
Balance, at the end of the period			21
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Common stocks [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Balance, at the beginning of the period		0	2	0
Purchases				1
Transfers into Level 3		1		2
Transfers out of Level 3			(2)	(1)
Balance, at the end of the period		1	0	2
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Total available-for-sale securities [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Balance, at the beginning of the period		1,808	1,986	2,117
Total gains (losses) included in net income	[1]	(1)	(1)	0
Total gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss)		(5)	(25)	(2)
Purchases		363	636	704
Sales				(18)
Settlements		(240)	(332)	(342)
Transfers into Level 3		14	20	80
Transfers out of Level 3		(312)	(476)	(553)
Balance, at the end of the period		1,648	1,808	1,986
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of the period included in:
Changes in unrealized gains/ (losses) included in income relating to assets held at end of period	[1]	1	(1)	1
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Total available-for-sale securities [Member] | Adjustments for New Accounting Pronouncement [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Balance, at the beginning of the period		21
Balance, at the end of the period			21
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Trading Securities [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Balance, at the beginning of the period		0	1	2
Total gains (losses) included in net income	[1]		(1)
Purchases				1
Sales				(2)
Balance, at the end of the period			0	$ 1
Ameriprise Financial [Member] | Other derivative contracts [Member]
Summary of changes in Level 3 assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Balance, at the beginning of the period		0
Total gains (losses) included in net income	[2]	(2)
Purchases		2
Balance, at the end of the period		0	$ 0
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of the period included in:
Changes in unrealized gains/ (losses) included in income relating to assets held at end of period	[2]	$ (2)

[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.