Investments (EITF info) (Details 5) - Ameriprise Financial [Member] $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2018 USD ($) Positions	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) Positions
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	894	434
12 months or more | Positions	301	337
Total | Positions	1,195	771
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 11,846	$ 5,312
12 months or more	2,922	3,381
Total	14,768	8,693
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(251)	(34)
12 months or more	(135)	(92)
Total	$ (386)	$ (126)
Corporate debt securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	347	150
12 months or more | Positions	57	70
Total | Positions	404	220
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 5,474	$ 1,791
12 months or more	605	740
Total	6,079	2,531
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(111)	(8)
12 months or more	(38)	(24)
Total	$ (149)	$ (32)
Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	176	102
12 months or more | Positions	121	130
Total | Positions	297	232
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 2,759	$ 1,772
12 months or more	1,258	1,467
Total	4,017	3,239
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(47)	(11)
12 months or more	(41)	(26)
Total	$ (88)	$ (37)
Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	135	67
12 months or more | Positions	58	58
Total | Positions	193	125
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 2,458	$ 1,178
12 months or more	779	783
Total	3,237	1,961
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(75)	(12)
12 months or more	(45)	(24)
Total	$ (120)	$ (36)
Asset backed securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	54	36
12 months or more | Positions	20	26
Total | Positions	74	62
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 744	$ 424
12 months or more	122	187
Total	866	611
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(8)	(2)
12 months or more	(2)	(3)
Total	$ (10)	$ (5)
State and municipal obligations [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	167	76
12 months or more | Positions	32	34
Total | Positions	199	110
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 363	$ 141
12 months or more	142	180
Total	505	321
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(7)	(1)
12 months or more	(4)	(10)
Total	$ (11)	$ (11)
Foreign government bonds and obligations [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	15	3
12 months or more | Positions	13	15
Total | Positions	28	18
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 48	$ 6
12 months or more	16	23
Total	64	29
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(3)	0
12 months or more	(5)	(4)
Total	$ (8)	$ (4)
Common stocks [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions		0
12 months or more | Positions		4
Total | Positions		4
Fair Value
Less than 12 months		$ 0
12 months or more		1
Total		1
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months		0
12 months or more		(1)
Total		$ (1)