Investments (EITF info) (Details 5) - Ameriprise Financial [Member] $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) Positions	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) Positions
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	727	434
12 months or more | Positions	584	337
Total | Positions	1,311	771
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 10,445	$ 5,312
12 months or more	6,322	3,381
Total	16,767	8,693
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(214)	(34)
12 months or more	(243)	(92)
Total	$ (457)	$ (126)
Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	345	150
12 months or more | Positions	148	70
Total | Positions	493	220
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 5,522	$ 1,791
12 months or more	1,717	740
Total	7,239	2,531
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(152)	(8)
12 months or more	(78)	(24)
Total	$ (230)	$ (32)
Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	142	102
12 months or more | Positions	175	130
Total | Positions	317	232
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 2,029	$ 1,772
12 months or more	2,132	1,467
Total	4,161	3,239
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(18)	(11)
12 months or more	(60)	(26)
Total	$ (78)	$ (37)
Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	104	67
12 months or more | Positions	112	58
Total | Positions	216	125
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 2,062	$ 1,178
12 months or more	1,806	783
Total	3,868	1,961
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(30)	(12)
12 months or more	(86)	(24)
Total	$ (116)	$ (36)
Asset backed securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	38	36
12 months or more | Positions	35	26
Total | Positions	73	62
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 491	$ 424
12 months or more	396	187
Total	887	611
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(6)	(2)
12 months or more	(5)	(3)
Total	$ (11)	$ (5)
State and municipal obligations [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	81	76
12 months or more | Positions	100	34
Total | Positions	181	110
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 255	$ 141
12 months or more	254	180
Total	509	321
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(4)	(1)
12 months or more	(9)	(10)
Total	$ (13)	$ (11)
Foreign government bonds and obligations [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	17	3
12 months or more | Positions	14	15
Total | Positions	31	18
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 86	$ 6
12 months or more	17	23
Total	103	29
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(4)	0
12 months or more	(5)	(4)
Total	$ (9)	$ (4)
Common stocks [Member]
Number of securities
12 months or more | Positions		4
Total | Positions		4
Fair Value
12 months or more		$ 1
Total		1
Unrealized losses
12 months or more		(1)
Total		$ (1)