Investments (EITF info) (Details 5) - Ameriprise Financial [Member] $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2019 USD ($) Positions	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) Positions
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	144	727
12 months or more | Positions	296	584
Total | Positions	440	1,311
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 2,785	$ 10,445
12 months or more	3,197	6,322
Total	5,982	16,767
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(7)	(214)
12 months or more	(56)	(243)
Total	$ (63)	$ (457)
Corporate debt securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	17	345
12 months or more | Positions	79	148
Total | Positions	96	493
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 69	$ 5,522
12 months or more	946	1,717
Total	1,015	7,239
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(1)	(152)
12 months or more	(28)	(78)
Total	$ (29)	$ (230)
Residential mortgage backed securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	84	142
12 months or more | Positions	128	175
Total | Positions	212	317
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 1,742	$ 2,029
12 months or more	1,440	2,132
Total	3,182	4,161
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(4)	(18)
12 months or more	(13)	(60)
Total	$ (17)	$ (78)
Commercial mortgage backed securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	25	104
12 months or more | Positions	45	112
Total | Positions	70	216
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 642	$ 2,062
12 months or more	519	1,806
Total	1,161	3,868
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	(2)	(30)
12 months or more	(6)	(86)
Total	$ (8)	$ (116)
Asset backed securities [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	15	38
12 months or more | Positions	19	35
Total | Positions	34	73
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 306	$ 491
12 months or more	152	396
Total	458	887
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	0	(6)
12 months or more	(1)	(5)
Total	$ (1)	$ (11)
State and municipal obligations [Member]
Number of securities
Less than 12 months | Positions	1	81
12 months or more | Positions	11	100
Total | Positions	12	181
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 16	$ 255
12 months or more	109	254
Total	125	509
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	0	(4)
12 months or more	(5)	(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	14	14
Total | Positions	16	31
Fair Value
Less than 12 months	$ 10	$ 86
12 months or more	31	17
Total	41	103
Unrealized losses
Less than 12 months	0	(4)
12 months or more	(3)	(5)
Total	$ (3)	$ (9)