Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities (Level 3 rollforwards-Assets) (Details) - Ameriprise Financial [Member] - USD ($) $ in Millions		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period		$ 1,139	$ 1,311	$ 1,425
Total gains (losses) included in net income		(1)		(1)
Total gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss)		(26)	(8)
Purchases		15	138	54
Settlements		(214)	(302)	(168)
Transfers into Level 3				1
Balance, at the end of the period		913	1,139	1,311
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) included in income relating to assets held at end of period		(1)		1
Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period		155	268	218
Total gains (losses) included in net income				1
Total gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss)		1	1	(1)
Purchases		70	132	209
Settlements		(29)	(43)	(67)
Transfers into Level 3			20
Transfers out of Level 3		(61)	(223)	(92)
Balance, at the end of the period		136	155	268
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) included in income relating to assets held at end of period				1
Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period		0	0	3
Purchases		72	65	42
Settlements				(3)
Transfers out of Level 3		(52)	(65)	(42)
Balance, at the end of the period		20	0	0
Asset backed securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period		7	68	162
Total gains (losses) included in net income				(1)
Total gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss)		1	(4)	(4)
Purchases		32	64	58
Settlements		(1)	(29)	(2)
Transfers into Level 3		2	27	12
Transfers out of Level 3		(35)	(119)	(178)
Balance, at the end of the period		6	7	68
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) included in income relating to assets held at end of period			(1)	(1)
Asset backed securities [Member] | Cumulative effect of change in accounting policies [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period				21
Common stocks [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period		0	1	0
Total gains (losses) included in net income			1
Sales			(1)
Transfers into Level 3			8	1
Transfers out of Level 3			(9)
Balance, at the end of the period			0	1
Total available-for-sale securities [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period		1,301	1,648	1,808
Total gains (losses) included in net income	[1]	(1)	1	(1)
Total gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss)		(24)	(11)	(5)
Purchases		189	399	363
Sales			(1)
Settlements		(244)	(374)	(240)
Transfers into Level 3		2	55	14
Transfers out of Level 3		(148)	(416)	(312)
Balance, at the end of the period		1,075	1,301	1,648
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) included in income relating to assets held at end of period	[1]	(1)	(1)	1
Total available-for-sale securities [Member] | Cumulative effect of change in accounting policies [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period				21
Other derivative contracts [Member]
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward]
Balance, at the beginning of the period		0	0	0
Total gains (losses) included in net income	[2]	(3)		(2)
Purchases		3		2
Balance, at the end of the period		$ 0	$ 0	0
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.