Fair Values of Assets and Liabilities (Details ) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Liabilities:
Cumulative decrease to the embedded derivative liability	$ 506	$ 506
Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	34,590	34,505
Separate account assets	69,303	66,780
Corporate debt securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total assets at fair value	1,455
Residential mortgage backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total assets at fair value	200
Asset backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total assets at fair value	16
GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total assets at fair value	1,406
Recurring | Level 1 | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Cash equivalents	17	20
Total Available-for-Sale securities	24	24
Total trading securities	1	1
Total other assets	387	274
Total assets at fair value	429	319
Liabilities:
Total other liabilities	290	300
Total liabilities at fair value	290	300
Recurring | Level 1 | U.S. government and agencies obligations | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	22	22
Recurring | Level 1 | Common Stocks | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	2	2
Recurring | Level 1 | Equity derivatives | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total other assets	387	274
Liabilities:
Total other liabilities	286	297
Recurring | Level 1 | Foreign exchange contract | Ameriprise Financial
Liabilities:
Total other liabilities	4	3
Recurring | Level 2 | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Cash equivalents	2,335	2,287
Total Available-for-Sale securities	32,584	32,667
Total trading securities	22	30
Separate account assets	69,303	66,780
Total other assets	3,627	3,045
Total assets at fair value	107,946	105,102
Liabilities:
Total future policy benefits and claims	24	5
Customer deposits	8	6
Total other liabilities	2,931	1,985
Total liabilities at fair value	2,963	1,996
Recurring | Level 2 | Corporate debt securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	16,940	16,685
Recurring | Level 2 | Residential mortgage backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	7,012	7,198
Recurring | Level 2 | Commercial mortgage backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	4,373	4,669
Recurring | Level 2 | Asset backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	1,814	1,779
Recurring | Level 2 | State and municipal obligations | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	2,172	2,130
Recurring | Level 2 | U.S. government and agencies obligations | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	46	49
Recurring | Level 2 | Foreign government bonds and obligations | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	216	144
Recurring | Level 2 | Common Stocks | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	3	2
Recurring | Level 2 | Other debt obligations | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	8	11
Recurring | Level 2 | Investments segregated for regulatory purposes | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total assets at fair value	75	293
Recurring | Level 2 | Interest rate derivatives | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total other assets	2,417	1,958
Liabilities:
Total other liabilities	1,589	1,209
Recurring | Level 2 | Equity derivatives | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total other assets	1,207	1,077
Liabilities:
Total other liabilities	1,330	764
Recurring | Level 2 | Credit derivative contract | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total other assets		1
Recurring | Level 2 | Foreign exchange contract | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total other assets	2	7
Liabilities:
Total other liabilities	3	10
Recurring | Level 2 | Commodity derivative contracts | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total other assets	1	2
Recurring | Level 2 | Equity indexed annuity embedded derivatives | Ameriprise Financial
Liabilities:
Total future policy benefits and claims	2	2
Recurring | Level 2 | IUL embedded derivatives | Ameriprise Financial
Liabilities:
Total future policy benefits and claims	22	3
Recurring | Level 2 | Other liabilities | Ameriprise Financial
Liabilities:
Total other liabilities	9	2
Recurring | Level 3 | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	1,982	1,814
Total assets at fair value	1,982	1,814
Liabilities:
Total future policy benefits and claims	1,406	1,585
Total liabilities at fair value	1,406	1,585
Recurring | Level 3 | Corporate debt securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	1,485	1,355
Recurring | Level 3 | Residential mortgage backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	222	198
Recurring | Level 3 | Commercial mortgage backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	69	50
Recurring | Level 3 | Asset backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	201	206
Recurring | Level 3 | Common Stocks | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	5	5
Recurring | Level 3 | GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives | Ameriprise Financial
Liabilities:
Total future policy benefits and claims	1,406	1,585
Recurring | Total | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Cash equivalents	2,352	2,307
Total Available-for-Sale securities	34,590	34,505
Total trading securities	23	31
Separate account assets	69,303	66,780
Total other assets	4,014	3,319
Total assets at fair value	110,357	107,235
Liabilities:
Total future policy benefits and claims	1,430	1,590
Customer deposits	8	6
Total other liabilities	3,221	2,285
Total liabilities at fair value	4,659	3,881
Recurring | Total | Corporate debt securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	18,425	18,040
Recurring | Total | Residential mortgage backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	7,234	7,396
Recurring | Total | Commercial mortgage backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	4,442	4,719
Recurring | Total | Asset backed securities | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	2,015	1,985
Recurring | Total | State and municipal obligations | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	2,172	2,130
Recurring | Total | U.S. government and agencies obligations | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	68	71
Recurring | Total | Foreign government bonds and obligations | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	216	144
Recurring | Total | Common Stocks | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	10	9
Recurring | Total | Other debt obligations | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total Available-for-Sale securities	8	11
Recurring | Total | Investments segregated for regulatory purposes | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total assets at fair value	75	293
Recurring | Total | Interest rate derivatives | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total other assets	2,417	1,958
Liabilities:
Total other liabilities	1,589	1,209
Recurring | Total | Equity derivatives | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total other assets	1,594	1,351
Liabilities:
Total other liabilities	1,616	1,061
Recurring | Total | Credit derivative contract | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total other assets		1
Recurring | Total | Foreign exchange contract | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total other assets	2	7
Liabilities:
Total other liabilities	7	13
Recurring | Total | Commodity derivative contracts | Ameriprise Financial
Assets
Total other assets	1	2
Recurring | Total | Equity indexed annuity embedded derivatives | Ameriprise Financial
Liabilities:
Total future policy benefits and claims	2	2
Recurring | Total | IUL embedded derivatives | Ameriprise Financial
Liabilities:
Total future policy benefits and claims	22	3
Recurring | Total | GMWB and GMAB embedded derivatives | Ameriprise Financial
Liabilities:
Total future policy benefits and claims	1,406	1,585
Recurring | Total | Other liabilities | Ameriprise Financial
Liabilities:
Total other liabilities	$ 9	$ 2