Investments (Details 3) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011 Ameriprise Financial Corporate debt securities Positions	Dec. 31, 2010 Ameriprise Financial Corporate debt securities Positions	Sep. 30, 2011 Ameriprise Financial Residential mortgage backed securities Positions	Dec. 31, 2010 Ameriprise Financial Residential mortgage backed securities Positions	Sep. 30, 2011 Ameriprise Financial Commercial mortgage backed securities Positions	Dec. 31, 2010 Ameriprise Financial Commercial mortgage backed securities Positions	Sep. 30, 2011 Ameriprise Financial Asset backed securities Positions	Dec. 31, 2010 Ameriprise Financial Asset backed securities Positions	Sep. 30, 2011 Ameriprise Financial State and municipal obligations Positions	Dec. 31, 2010 Ameriprise Financial State and municipal obligations Positions	Sep. 30, 2011 Ameriprise Financial Foreign government bonds and obligations Positions	Sep. 30, 2011 Ameriprise Financial Common Stocks Positions	Sep. 30, 2011 Ameriprise Financial Positions	Dec. 31, 2010 Ameriprise Financial Positions
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Less than twelve months, Number of positions					149	115	102	108	35	30	38	29	28	206	4	7	363	488
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Less than twelve months, Fair value					$ 1,701	$ 1,859	$ 1,204	$ 782	$ 474	$ 498	$ 396	$ 354	$ 59	$ 696	$ 21	$ 2	$ 3,857	$ 4,189
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Less than twelve months, Unrealized losses					(64)	(46)	(31)	(12)	(4)	(7)	(11)	(8)	(2)	(31)	(1)	(1)	(114)	(104)
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Twelve months or longer, Number of positions					7	13	134	133	3	1	30	25	57	60			231	232
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Twelve months or longer, Fair value					95	157	701	712	31	23	146	123	241	232			1,214	1,247
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Twelve months or more, Unrealized losses					(17)	(12)	(283)	(311)		(1)	(31)	(32)	(61)	(74)			(392)	(430)
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Number of positions					156	128	236	241	38	31	68	54	85	266	4	7	594	720
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Fair value					1,796	2,016	1,905	1,494	505	521	542	477	300	928	21	2	5,071	5,436
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Unrealized losses					(81)	(58)	(314)	(323)	(4)	(8)	(42)	(40)	(63)	(105)	(1)	(1)	(506)	(534)
Balance of Credit Losses Impairment Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income
Beginning balance	299	291	297	263
Credit losses for which other-than-temporary impairment was not previously recognized	1		14	15
Credit losses for which other-than-temporary impairment was previously recognized	4	2	9	15
Reductions for securities sold during the period (realized)			(16)
Ending balance	$ 304	$ 293	$ 304	$ 293