Investments (Details 3) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012 Ameriprise Financial Positions	Dec. 31, 2011 Ameriprise Financial Positions	Jun. 30, 2012 Corporate debt securities Ameriprise Financial Positions	Dec. 31, 2011 Corporate debt securities Ameriprise Financial Positions	Jun. 30, 2012 Residential mortgage backed securities Ameriprise Financial Positions	Dec. 31, 2011 Residential mortgage backed securities Ameriprise Financial Positions	Jun. 30, 2012 Commercial mortgage backed securities Ameriprise Financial Positions	Dec. 31, 2011 Commercial mortgage backed securities Ameriprise Financial Positions	Jun. 30, 2012 Asset backed securities Ameriprise Financial Positions	Dec. 31, 2011 Asset backed securities Ameriprise Financial Positions	Jun. 30, 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					149	298	51	124	55	105	13	14	21	49	9		6
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Less than twelve months, Fair value					$ 1,511	$ 3,669	$ 528	$ 1,647	$ 630	$ 1,269	$ 104	$ 182	$ 219	$ 543	$ 30		$ 28
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Less than twelve months, Unrealized losses					(28)	(87)	(14)	(40)	(10)	(33)	(1)	(2)	(3)	(11)			(1)
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Twelve months or longer, Number of positions					240	242	15	10	165	141	2	5	38	33	20	53
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Twelve months or longer, Fair value					1,732	1,389	332	259	1,010	717	39	29	191	155	160	229
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Twelve months or more, Unrealized losses					(358)	(430)	(27)	(41)	(252)	(298)			(32)	(33)	(47)	(58)
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Qualitative disclosure, Number of positions					389	540	66	134	220	246	15	19	59	82	29	53	6
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Fair value					3,243	5,058	860	1,906	1,640	1,986	143	211	410	698	190	229	28
Available-for-sale securities, Continuous unrealized loss position, Unrealized losses					(386)	(517)	(41)	(81)	(262)	(331)	(1)	(2)	(35)	(44)	(47)	(58)	(1)
Balance of Credit Losses Impairment Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income
Beginning balance	306	283	303	297
Credit losses for which other-than-temporary impairment was not previously recognized	1	13	1	13
Credit losses for which other-than-temporary impairment was previously recognized	8	3	13	5
Reductions for securities sold during the period (realized)	(21)		(23)	(16)
Ending balance	$ 294	$ 299	$ 294	$ 299