Consolidating Financial Statements (details) - Consolidating Balance Sheet (Unaudited) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Consolidating Financial Statements, Captions
Fixed maturities, available for sale, at fair value	$ 65,873	$ 64,232
Equity securities, available for sale, at fair value	629	559
Real estate investments	893	865
Short-term securities	3,641	3,594
Other investments	3,454	3,451
Total investments	74,490	72,701
Cash	220	214	231	200
Investment income accrued	705	768
Premiums receivable	6,040	5,730
Reinsurance recoverables	10,240	11,155
Ceded unearned premiums	987	828
Deferred acquisition costs	1,860	1,786
Deferred taxes		7
Contractholder receivables	4,886	5,186
Goodwill	3,365	3,365
Other intangible assets	393	433
Other assets	2,259	2,402
Total assets	105,445	104,575
Claims and claim adjustment expense reserves	50,258	51,392
Unearned premium reserves	11,624	11,102
Contractholder payables	4,886	5,186
Payables for reinsurance premiums	479	389
Deferred taxes	487
Debt	6,350	6,605
Other liabilities	5,456	5,424
Total liabilities	79,540	80,098
Common stock	21,085	20,732	20,664	20,162
Retained earnings	21,226	19,579	19,127	18,847
Accumulated other comprehensive income	2,536	2,005	2,032	1,255
Treasury stock, at cost	(18,942)	(17,839)	(16,651)	(14,857)
Total shareholders' equity	25,905	24,477	25,172
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	105,445	104,575
Fixed maturities, available for sale, amortized cost	61,003	59,994
Equity securities, available for sale, cost	439	414
Common stock, shares authorized	1,750.0	1,750.0
Common stock, shares issued	382.0	392.8
Common stock, shares outstanding	382.0	392.8	412.8	434.6
Treasury stock, at cost, shares	366.8	349.0
TPC [Member]
Consolidating Financial Statements, Captions
Fixed maturities, available for sale, at fair value	44,883	43,438
Equity securities, available for sale, at fair value	152	146
Real estate investments	33	33
Short-term securities	1,185	879
Other investments	2,374	2,446
Total investments	48,627	46,942
Cash	118	114	106	86
Investment income accrued	481	517
Premiums receivable	4,074	3,865
Reinsurance recoverables	6,695	7,372
Ceded unearned premiums	809	656
Deferred acquisition costs	1,618	1,536
Deferred taxes		(82)
Contractholder receivables	3,573	3,891
Goodwill	2,411	2,411
Other intangible assets	275	297
Other assets	1,886	1,983
Total assets	70,567	69,502
Claims and claim adjustment expense reserves	33,063	33,727
Unearned premium reserves	8,060	7,644
Contractholder payables	3,573	3,891
Payables for reinsurance premiums	244	178
Deferred taxes	427
Debt	1,191	1,190
Other liabilities	3,975	3,910
Total liabilities	50,533	50,540
Additional paid-in capital	11,135	11,135
Retained earnings	6,656	5,900
Accumulated other comprehensive income	2,243	1,927
Total shareholders' equity	20,034	18,962
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	70,567	69,502
Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Consolidating Financial Statements, Captions
Fixed maturities, available for sale, at fair value	20,951	20,761
Equity securities, available for sale, at fair value	372	319
Real estate investments	860	832
Short-term securities	481	376
Other investments	1,079	1,004
Total investments	23,743	23,292
Cash	101	98	120	110
Investment income accrued	223	251
Premiums receivable	1,966	1,865
Reinsurance recoverables	3,545	3,783
Ceded unearned premiums	178	172
Deferred acquisition costs	242	250
Deferred taxes		(47)
Contractholder receivables	1,313	1,295
Goodwill	954	954
Other intangible assets	118	136
Other assets	11	52
Total assets	32,394	32,101
Claims and claim adjustment expense reserves	17,195	17,665
Unearned premium reserves	3,564	3,458
Contractholder payables	1,313	1,295
Payables for reinsurance premiums	235	211
Deferred taxes	157
Other liabilities	804	859
Total liabilities	23,268	23,488
Common stock	390	390
Additional paid-in capital	6,501	6,501
Retained earnings	1,228	882
Accumulated other comprehensive income	1,007	840
Total shareholders' equity	9,126	8,613
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	32,394	32,101
Travelers [Member]
Consolidating Financial Statements, Captions
Fixed maturities, available for sale, at fair value	39	33
Equity securities, available for sale, at fair value	105	94
Short-term securities	1,975	2,339
Other investments	1	1
Total investments	2,120	2,467
Cash	1	2	5	4
Investment income accrued	1
Deferred taxes		136
Investment in subsidiaries	29,150	27,565
Other assets	362	367
Total assets	31,634	30,537
Deferred taxes	(97)
Debt	5,159	5,415
Other liabilities	677	655
Total liabilities	5,739	6,070
Common stock	21,085	20,732
Retained earnings	21,216	19,569
Accumulated other comprehensive income	2,536	2,005
Treasury stock, at cost	(18,942)	(17,839)
Total shareholders' equity	25,895	24,467
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	31,634	30,537
Eliminations [Member]
Consolidating Financial Statements, Captions
Investment in subsidiaries	(29,150)	(27,565)
Total assets	(29,150)	(27,565)
Common stock	(390)	(390)
Additional paid-in capital	(17,636)	(17,636)
Retained earnings	(7,874)	(6,772)
Accumulated other comprehensive income	(3,250)	(2,767)
Total shareholders' equity	(29,150)	(27,565)
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ (29,150)	$ (27,565)