Future Policy Benefits and Claims and Separate Account Liabilities (Details) (Ameriprise Financial, USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Future policy benefits and claims	$ 31,723	$ 30,208
Fixed annuities
Future policy benefits and claims	16,401	16,520
Equity indexed annuity accumulated host values
Future policy benefits and claims	58	100
Equity indexed annuity embedded derivatives
Future policy benefits and claims	2	3
Variable annuity fixed sub-accounts
Future policy benefits and claims	4,852	4,868
Variable annuity guaranteed minimum withdrawal benefits ("GMWB")
Future policy benefits and claims	1,377	337
Variable annuity guaranteed minimum accumulation benefits ("GMAB")
Future policy benefits and claims	237	104
Other variable annuity guarantees
Future policy benefits and claims	14	13
Total annuities
Future policy benefits and claims	22,941	21,945
Variable universal life ("VUL")/ universal life ("UL") insurance
Future policy benefits and claims	2,662	2,588
IUL accumulated host values
Future policy benefits and claims	4
IUL embedded derivatives
Future policy benefits and claims	3
VUL/UL insurance additional liabilities
Future policy benefits and claims	220	143
Other life, disability income and long term care insurance
Future policy benefits and claims	5,352	5,004
Auto, home and other insurance
Future policy benefits and claims	420	394
Policy claims and other policyholders' funds
Future policy benefits and claims	$ 121	$ 134