Investments (Details 3) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Balance of Credit Losses Impairment Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income
Beginning balance	$ 303	$ 297	$ 263
Credit losses for which an other-than-temporary impairment was not previously recognized	2	15	15
Credit losses for which an other-than-temporary impairment was previously recognized	32	19	19
Reductions for securities sold during the period (realized)	(161)	(28)
Ending balance	176	303	297
Ameriprise Financial
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Less than twelve months, Number of positions	120	298
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Less than twelve months, Fair value	1,351	3,669
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Less than twelve months, Unrealized losses	(13)	(87)
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Twelve months or longer, Number of positions	153	242
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Twelve months or longer, Fair value	927	1,389
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Twelve months or more, Unrealized losses	(148)	(430)
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Number of positions	273	540
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Fair value	2,278	5,058
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Unrealized losses	(161)	(517)
Corporate debt securities | Ameriprise Financial
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Less than twelve months, Number of positions	76	124
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Less than twelve months, Fair value	801	1,647
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Less than twelve months, Unrealized losses	(6)	(40)
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Twelve months or longer, Number of positions	6	10
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Twelve months or longer, Fair value	70	259
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Twelve months or more, Unrealized losses	(3)	(41)
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Number of positions	82	134
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Fair value	871	1,906
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Unrealized losses	(9)	(81)
Residential mortgage backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Less than twelve months, Number of positions	22	121
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Less than twelve months, Fair value	408	1,424
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Less than twelve months, Unrealized losses	(5)	(39)
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Twelve months or longer, Number of positions	134	169
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Twelve months or longer, Fair value	658	821
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Twelve months or more, Unrealized losses	(107)	(328)
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Number of positions	156	290
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Fair value	1,066	2,245
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Unrealized losses	(112)	(367)
Commercial mortgage backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Less than twelve months, Number of positions		14
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Less than twelve months, Fair value		182
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Less than twelve months, Unrealized losses		(2)
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Twelve months or longer, Number of positions		5
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Twelve months or longer, Fair value		29
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Number of positions		19
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Fair value		211
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Unrealized losses		(2)
Asset backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Less than twelve months, Number of positions	9	33
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Less than twelve months, Fair value	108	388
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Less than twelve months, Unrealized losses	(1)	(5)
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Twelve months or longer, Number of positions	5	5
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Twelve months or longer, Fair value	86	51
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Twelve months or more, Unrealized losses	(3)	(3)
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Number of positions	14	38
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Fair value	194	439
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Unrealized losses	(4)	(8)
State and municipal obligations | Ameriprise Financial
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Less than twelve months, Number of positions	13
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Less than twelve months, Fair value	34
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Less than twelve months, Unrealized losses	(1)
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Twelve months or longer, Number of positions	8	53
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Twelve months or longer, Fair value	113	229
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Twelve months or more, Unrealized losses	(35)	(58)
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Number of positions	21	53
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Fair value	147	229
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Unrealized losses	(36)	(58)
Foreign government bonds and obligations | Ameriprise Financial
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Less than twelve months, Number of positions		6
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Less than twelve months, Fair value		28
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Less than twelve months, Unrealized losses		(1)
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Number of positions		6
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Fair value		28
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Unrealized losses		$ (1)