Separate Accounts, Death Benefits and Other Insurance Benefit Features (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member] | U.S. [Member]
Changes in the gross U.S. GMDB, International GMDB/GMIB, and UL secondary guarantee benefits
Liability, balance as of January 1	$ 1,104	$ 1,053
Incurred	112	110
Paid	(99)	(95)
Unlock	(102)	(63)
Currency translation adjustment
Liability balance as of June 30	1,015	1,005
Reinsurance recoverable asset, as of January 1	724	686
Incurred	65	65
Paid	(63)	(65)
Unlock	(49)	(27)
Currency translation adjustment
Reinsurance recoverable asset, as of June 30	677	659
GMDB/GMIB [Member] | International [Member]
Changes in the gross U.S. GMDB, International GMDB/GMIB, and UL secondary guarantee benefits
Liability, balance as of January 1	975	696
Incurred	65	61
Paid	(101)	(76)
Unlock	(4)	2
Currency translation adjustment	(35)	2
Liability balance as of June 30	900	685
Reinsurance recoverable asset, as of January 1	40	36
Incurred	5	(3)
Paid	(14)	1
Unlock	18	6
Currency translation adjustment
Reinsurance recoverable asset, as of June 30	49	40
Universal Life [Member] | UL Secondary Guarantees [Member]
Changes in the gross U.S. GMDB, International GMDB/GMIB, and UL secondary guarantee benefits
Liability, balance as of January 1	228	113
Incurred	53	27
Paid
Unlock	8
Currency translation adjustment
Liability balance as of June 30	289	140
Reinsurance recoverable asset, as of January 1	22	30
Incurred	(2)	5
Paid
Unlock
Currency translation adjustment
Reinsurance recoverable asset, as of June 30	$ 20	$ 35