Investments (Details 3) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011	Mar. 31, 2012 Ameriprise Financial Positions	Dec. 31, 2011 Ameriprise Financial Positions	Mar. 31, 2012 Corporate debt securities Ameriprise Financial Positions	Dec. 31, 2011 Corporate debt securities Ameriprise Financial Positions	Mar. 31, 2012 Residential mortgage backed securities Ameriprise Financial Positions	Dec. 31, 2011 Residential mortgage backed securities Ameriprise Financial Positions	Mar. 31, 2012 Commercial mortgage backed securities Ameriprise Financial Positions	Dec. 31, 2011 Commercial mortgage backed securities Ameriprise Financial Positions	Mar. 31, 2012 Asset backed securities Ameriprise Financial Positions	Dec. 31, 2011 Asset backed securities Ameriprise Financial Positions	Mar. 31, 2012 State and municipal obligations Ameriprise Financial Positions	Dec. 31, 2011 State and municipal obligations Ameriprise Financial Positions	Dec. 31, 2011 Foreign government bonds and obligations Ameriprise Financial Positions
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Less than twelve months, Number of positions			220	298	75	124	79	105	13	14	33	49	20		6
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Less than twelve months, Fair value			$ 2,560	$ 3,669	$ 869	$ 1,647	$ 1,144	$ 1,269	$ 127	$ 182	$ 376	$ 543	$ 44		$ 28
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Less than twelve months, Unrealized losses			(49)	(87)	(18)	(40)	(22)	(33)	(1)	(2)	(7)	(11)	(1)		(1)
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Twelve months or longer, Number of positions			222	242	9	10	151	141	2	5	34	33	26	53
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Twelve months or longer, Fair value			1,425	1,389	276	259	796	717	20	29	158	155	175	229
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Twelve months or more, Unrealized losses			(352)	(430)	(13)	(41)	(257)	(298)			(32)	(33)	(50)	(58)
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Number of positions			442	540	84	134	230	246	15	19	67	82	46	53	6
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Fair value			3,985	5,058	1,145	1,906	1,940	1,986	147	211	534	698	219	229	28
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Unrealized losses			(401)	(517)	(31)	(81)	(279)	(331)	(1)	(2)	(39)	(44)	(51)	(58)	(1)
Balance of Credit Losses Impairment Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income
Beginning balance	303	297
Credit losses for which other-than-temporary impairment was previously recognized	5	2
Reductions for securities sold during the period (realized)	(2)	(16)
Ending balance	$ 306	$ 283