Basis of Presentation and Accounting Policies	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Basis of Presentation and Accounting Policies disclosure
Basis of Presentation and Accounting Policies disclosure [Text Block]	1. BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND ACCOUNTING POLICIES Basis of Presentation The interim consolidated financial statements include the accounts of The Travelers Companies, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, the Company). These financial statements are prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and are unaudited. In the opinion of the Company’s management, all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation have been reflected. Certain financial information that is normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP, but that is not required for interim reporting purposes, has been omitted. All material intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. The accompanying interim consolidated financial statements and related notes should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and related notes included in the Company’s 2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K. The preparation of the interim consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the interim consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and claims and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. On November 1, 2013, the Company acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company (Dominion) for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $1.034 billion. Dominion primarily markets personal lines and small commercial insurance business in Canada. At the acquisition date, the Company recorded at fair value $3.91 billion of assets acquired and $2.88 billion of liabilities assumed as part of purchase accounting, including $16 million of identifiable intangible assets and $273 million of goodwill. The operating income and the amount of assets acquired from Dominion were included in the Company’s Financial, Professional & International Insurance segment effective at the acquisition date. Adoption of Accounting Standards Updates Obligations Resulting from Joint and Several Liability Arrangements for Which the Total Amount of the Obligation Is Fixed at the Reporting Date In February 2013, the FASB issued updated guidance to resolve diversity in practice concerning the recognition, measurement, and disclosure of obligations resulting from certain joint and several liability arrangements for which the total amount under the arrangement is fixed at the reporting date. The guidance requires that the reporting entity measure joint and several liability arrangements as the amount the reporting entity agreed to pay on the basis of its arrangement among the co-obligors and any additional amount the reporting entity expects to pay on behalf of its co-obligors. The updated guidance was effective for the quarter ending March 31, 2014. The adoption of this guidance did not have any effect on the Company’s results of operations, financial position or liquidity. Parent’s Accounting for the Cumulative Translation Adjustment upon Derecognition of Certain Subsidiaries or Groups of Assets within a Foreign Entity or of an Investment in a Foreign Entity In March 2013, the FASB issued updated guidance to resolve diversity in practice concerning the release of the cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment into net income when a parent sells a part or all of its investment in a foreign entity or no longer holds a controlling financial interest in a subsidiary or group of assets within a foreign entity. When a company ceases to have a controlling financial interest in a subsidiary within a foreign entity, the company should recognize any related cumulative translation adjustment into net income only if the sale or transfer results in the complete or substantially complete liquidation of the foreign entity in which the subsidiary had resided. Upon the partial sale of an equity method investment that is a foreign entity, the company should release into earnings a pro rata portion of the cumulative translation adjustment. Upon the partial sale of an equity method investment that is not a foreign entity, the company should release into earnings the cumulative translation adjustment if the partial sale represents a complete or substantially complete liquidation of the foreign entity that holds the equity method investment. The updated guidance was effective for the quarter ending March 31, 2014. The adoption of this guidance did not have any effect on the Company’s results of operations, financial position or liquidity. Accounting Standard Not Yet Adopted Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity In April 2014, the FASB issued revised guidance to reduce diversity in practice for reporting discontinued operations. Under the previous guidance, any component of an entity that was a reportable segment, an operating segment, a reporting unit, a subsidiary, or an asset group was eligible for discontinued operations presentation. The revised guidance only allows disposals of components of an entity that represent a strategic shift (e.g., disposal of a major geographical area, a major line of business, a major equity method investment, or other major parts of an entity) and that have a major effect on a reporting entity’s operations and financial results to be reported as discontinued operations. The revised guidance also requires expanded disclosure in the financial statements for discontinued operations as well as for disposals of significant components of an entity that do not qualify for discontinued operations presentation. The updated guidance is effective for the quarter ending March 31, 2015. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s results of operations, financial position or liquidity. Nature of Operations The Company is organized into three reportable business segments: Business Insurance; Financial, Professional & International Insurance; and Personal Insurance. These segments reflect the manner in which the Company’s businesses are currently managed and represent an aggregation of products and services based on type of customer, how the business is marketed and the manner in which risks are underwritten. The specific business segments are as follows: Business Insurance The Business Insurance segment offers a broad array of property and casualty insurance and insurance-related services to its clients primarily in the United States. Business Insurance is organized into the following six groups, which collectively comprise Business Insurance Core operations: Select Accounts; Commercial Accounts; National Accounts; Industry-Focused Underwriting; Target Risk Underwriting; and Specialized Distribution. Business Insurance also includes the Special Liability Group (which manages the Company’s asbestos and environmental liabilities) and the assumed reinsurance and certain other runoff operations, which collectively are referred to as Business Insurance Other. Financial, Professional & International Insurance The Financial, Professional & International Insurance segment includes surety and financial liability coverages, which primarily use credit-based underwriting processes, as well as property and casualty products that are primarily marketed on a domestic basis in Canada, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, and on an international basis through Lloyd’s. The segment includes the Bond & Financial Products group as well as the International group. The International group includes Dominion, which the Company acquired in November 2013 and which writes personal lines and small commercial insurance business in Canada. In addition, the Company owns 49.5% of the common stock of J. Malucelli Participações em Seguros e Resseguros S.A. (JMalucelli), its joint venture in Brazil. JMalucelli primarily writes surety business in Brazil, as well as other property and casualty insurance business in Brazil. The Company’s investment in JMalucelli is accounted for using the equity method and is included in “other investments” on the consolidated balance sheet. Personal Insurance The Personal Insurance segment writes a broad range of property and casualty insurance covering individuals’ personal risks. The primary products of automobile and homeowners insurance are complemented by a broad suite of related coverages.

1. BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Presentation

The interim consolidated financial statements include the accounts of The Travelers Companies, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, the Company). These financial statements are prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and are unaudited. In the opinion of the Company’s management, all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation have been reflected. Certain financial information that is normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP, but that is not required for interim reporting purposes, has been omitted. All material intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. The accompanying interim consolidated financial statements and related notes should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and related notes included in the Company’s 2013 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The preparation of the interim consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the interim consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and claims and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

On November 1, 2013, the Company acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares of The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company (Dominion) for an aggregate purchase price of approximately $1.034 billion. Dominion primarily markets personal lines and small commercial insurance business in Canada. At the acquisition date, the Company recorded at fair value $3.91 billion of assets acquired and $2.88 billion of liabilities assumed as part of purchase accounting, including $16 million of identifiable intangible assets and $273 million of goodwill. The operating income and the amount of assets acquired from Dominion were included in the Company’s Financial, Professional & International Insurance segment effective at the acquisition date.

Adoption of Accounting Standards Updates

Obligations Resulting from Joint and Several Liability Arrangements for Which the Total Amount of the Obligation Is Fixed at the Reporting Date

In February 2013, the FASB issued updated guidance to resolve diversity in practice concerning the recognition, measurement, and disclosure of obligations resulting from certain joint and several liability arrangements for which the total amount under the arrangement is fixed at the reporting date. The guidance requires that the reporting entity measure joint and several liability arrangements as the amount the reporting entity agreed to pay on the basis of its arrangement among the co-obligors and any additional amount the reporting entity expects to pay on behalf of its co-obligors. The updated guidance was effective for the quarter ending March 31, 2014. The adoption of this guidance did not have any effect on the Company’s results of operations, financial position or liquidity.

Parent’s Accounting for the Cumulative Translation Adjustment upon Derecognition of Certain Subsidiaries or Groups of Assets within a Foreign Entity or of an Investment in a Foreign Entity

In March 2013, the FASB issued updated guidance to resolve diversity in practice concerning the release of the cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment into net income when a parent sells a part or all of its investment in a foreign entity or no longer holds a controlling financial interest in a subsidiary or group of assets within a foreign entity. When a company ceases to have a controlling financial interest in a subsidiary within a foreign entity, the company should recognize any related cumulative translation adjustment into net income only if the sale or transfer results in the complete or substantially complete liquidation of the foreign entity in which the subsidiary had resided. Upon the partial sale of an equity method investment that is a foreign entity, the company should release into earnings a pro rata portion of the cumulative translation adjustment. Upon the partial sale of an equity method investment that is not a foreign entity, the company should release into earnings the cumulative translation adjustment if the partial sale represents a complete or substantially complete liquidation of the foreign entity that holds the equity method investment. The updated guidance was effective for the quarter ending March 31, 2014. The adoption of this guidance did not have any effect on the Company’s results of operations, financial position or liquidity.

Accounting Standard Not Yet Adopted

Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity

In April 2014, the FASB issued revised guidance to reduce diversity in practice for reporting discontinued operations. Under the previous guidance, any component of an entity that was a reportable segment, an operating segment, a reporting unit, a subsidiary, or an asset group was eligible for discontinued operations presentation. The revised guidance only allows disposals of components of an entity that represent a strategic shift (e.g., disposal of a major geographical area, a major line of business, a major equity method investment, or other major parts of an entity) and that have a major effect on a reporting entity’s operations and financial results to be reported as discontinued operations. The revised guidance also requires expanded disclosure in the financial statements for discontinued operations as well as for disposals of significant components of an entity that do not qualify for discontinued operations presentation. The updated guidance is effective for the quarter ending March 31, 2015. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s results of operations, financial position or liquidity.

Nature of Operations

The Company is organized into three reportable business segments: Business Insurance; Financial, Professional & International Insurance; and Personal Insurance. These segments reflect the manner in which the Company’s businesses are currently managed and represent an aggregation of products and services based on type of customer, how the business is marketed and the manner in which risks are underwritten. The specific business segments are as follows:

Business Insurance

The Business Insurance segment offers a broad array of property and casualty insurance and insurance-related services to its clients primarily in the United States. Business Insurance is organized into the following six groups, which collectively comprise Business Insurance Core operations: Select Accounts; Commercial Accounts; National Accounts; Industry-Focused Underwriting; Target Risk Underwriting; and Specialized Distribution.

Business Insurance also includes the Special Liability Group (which manages the Company’s asbestos and environmental liabilities) and the assumed reinsurance and certain other runoff operations, which collectively are referred to as Business Insurance Other.

Financial, Professional & International Insurance

The Financial, Professional & International Insurance segment includes surety and financial liability coverages, which primarily use credit-based underwriting processes, as well as property and casualty products that are primarily marketed on a domestic basis in Canada, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, and on an international basis through Lloyd’s. The segment includes the Bond & Financial Products group as well as the International group. The International group includes Dominion, which the Company acquired in November 2013 and which writes personal lines and small commercial insurance business in Canada.

In addition, the Company owns 49.5% of the common stock of J. Malucelli Participações em Seguros e Resseguros S.A. (JMalucelli), its joint venture in Brazil. JMalucelli primarily writes surety business in Brazil, as well as other property and casualty insurance business in Brazil. The Company’s investment in JMalucelli is accounted for using the equity method and is included in “other investments” on the consolidated balance sheet.

Personal Insurance

The Personal Insurance segment writes a broad range of property and casualty insurance covering individuals’ personal risks. The primary products of automobile and homeowners insurance are complemented by a broad suite of related coverages.