Investments (EITF info) (Details 5) - Ameriprise Financial [Member] $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($) Positions	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) Positions
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	192	727
12 months or more | Positions	578	584
Total | Positions	770	1,311
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 2,734	$ 10,445
12 months or more	7,487	6,322
Total	10,221	16,767
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(22)	(214)
12 months or more	(137)	(243)
Total	$ (159)	$ (457)
Corporate debt securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	65	345
12 months or more | Positions	181	148
Total | Positions	246	493
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 568	$ 5,522
12 months or more	2,438	1,717
Total	3,006	7,239
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(12)	(152)
12 months or more	(48)	(78)
Total	$ (60)	$ (230)
Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	73	142
12 months or more | Positions	194	175
Total | Positions	267	317
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 905	$ 2,029
12 months or more	2,415	2,132
Total	3,320	4,161
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(4)	(18)
12 months or more	(39)	(60)
Total	$ (43)	$ (78)
Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	33	104
12 months or more | Positions	118	112
Total | Positions	151	216
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 924	$ 2,062
12 months or more	2,001	1,806
Total	2,925	3,868
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(3)	(30)
12 months or more	(38)	(86)
Total	$ (41)	$ (116)
Asset backed securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	18	38
12 months or more | Positions	36	35
Total | Positions	54	73
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 294	$ 491
12 months or more	433	396
Total	727	887
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(2)	(6)
12 months or more	(2)	(5)
Total	$ (4)	$ (11)
State and municipal obligations [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	1	81
12 months or more | Positions	27	100
Total | Positions	28	181
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 40	$ 255
12 months or more	152	254
Total	192	509
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(1)	(4)
12 months or more	(4)	(9)
Total	$ (5)	$ (13)
Foreign government bonds and obligations [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	2	17
12 months or more | Positions	22	14
Total | Positions	24	31
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 3	$ 86
12 months or more	48	17
Total	51	103
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	0	(4)
12 months or more	(6)	(5)
Total	$ (6)	$ (9)