Investments (EITF info) (Details 5) - Ameriprise Financial [Member] $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) Positions	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) Positions
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	437	650
12 months or more | Positions	211	268
Total | Positions	648	918
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 5,036	$ 7,496
12 months or more	1,797	2,142
Total	6,833	9,638
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(47)	(129)
12 months or more	(52)	(96)
Total	$ (99)	$ (225)
Corporate debt securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	106	187
12 months or more | Positions	34	38
Total | Positions	140	225
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 1,151	$ 2,452
12 months or more	325	377
Total	1,476	2,829
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(7)	(33)
12 months or more	(16)	(27)
Total	$ (23)	$ (60)
Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	113	127
12 months or more | Positions	109	177
Total | Positions	222	304
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 1,901	$ 2,533
12 months or more	993	1,290
Total	2,894	3,823
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(16)	(33)
12 months or more	(13)	(34)
Total	$ (29)	$ (67)
Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	90	100
12 months or more | Positions	19	5
Total | Positions	109	105
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 1,391	$ 1,583
12 months or more	210	43
Total	1,601	1,626
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(21)	(39)
12 months or more	(6)	0
Total	$ (27)	$ (39)
Asset backed securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	33	48
12 months or more | Positions	16	27
Total | Positions	49	75
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 398	$ 524
12 months or more	105	298
Total	503	822
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(2)	(9)
12 months or more	(2)	(7)
Total	$ (4)	$ (16)
State and municipal obligations [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	89	181
12 months or more | Positions	16	3
Total | Positions	105	184
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 176	$ 374
12 months or more	142	110
Total	318	484
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(1)	(14)
12 months or more	(9)	(21)
Total	$ (10)	$ (35)
Foreign government bonds and obligations [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	6	7
12 months or more | Positions	14	15
Total | Positions	20	22
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 19	$ 30
12 months or more	21	23
Total	40	53
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	0	(1)
12 months or more	(5)	(6)
Total	$ (5)	$ (7)
Common stocks [Member]
Number of securities
12 months or more | Positions	3	3
Total | Positions	3	3
Fair Value
12 months or more	$ 1	$ 1
Total	1	1
Unrealized losses
12 months or more	(1)	(1)
Total	$ (1)	$ (1)