Investments (EITF info) (Details 5) - Ameriprise Financial [Member] $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) Positions	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) Positions
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	650	618
12 months or more | Positions	268	250
Total | Positions	918	868
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 7,496	$ 8,308
12 months or more	2,142	2,244
Total	9,638	10,552
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(129)	(259)
12 months or more	(96)	(167)
Total	$ (225)	$ (426)
Corporate debt securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	187	347
12 months or more | Positions	38	48
Total | Positions	225	395
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 2,452	$ 5,150
12 months or more	377	454
Total	2,829	5,604
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(33)	(220)
12 months or more	(27)	(76)
Total	$ (60)	$ (296)
Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	127	123
12 months or more | Positions	177	164
Total | Positions	304	287
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 2,533	$ 1,869
12 months or more	1,290	1,350
Total	3,823	3,219
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(33)	(16)
12 months or more	(34)	(50)
Total	$ (67)	$ (66)
Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	100	58
12 months or more | Positions	5	4
Total | Positions	105	62
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 1,583	$ 695
12 months or more	43	49
Total	1,626	744
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(39)	(13)
12 months or more		(1)
Total	$ (39)	$ (14)
Asset backed securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	48	50
12 months or more | Positions	27	14
Total | Positions	75	64
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 524	$ 455
12 months or more	298	254
Total	822	709
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(9)	(7)
12 months or more	(7)	(4)
Total	$ (16)	$ (11)
State and municipal obligations [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	181	31
12 months or more | Positions	3	5
Total | Positions	184	36
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 374	$ 100
12 months or more	110	110
Total	484	210
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(14)	(1)
12 months or more	(21)	(27)
Total	$ (35)	$ (28)
Foreign government bonds and obligations [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	7	9
12 months or more | Positions	15	15
Total | Positions	22	24
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 30	$ 39
12 months or more	23	27
Total	53	66
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(1)	(2)
12 months or more	(6)	(9)
Total	$ (7)	$ (11)
Common stocks [Member]
Number of securities
12 months or more | Positions	3
Total | Positions	3
Fair Value
12 months or more	$ 1
Total	1
Unrealized losses
12 months or more	(1)
Total	$ (1)