Basis of Presentation and Accounting Policies (Details Textual) (USD $)	0 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 28, 2012	Sep. 05, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Reinsurance, Effect on Operations	615	400
HIG_Adj to Reinsurance, Effect on Operations		$ 51
Document Period End Date			Sep. 30, 2012
Additional Basis of Presentation and Accounting Policies (Textual) [Abstract]
Total stockholders' equity			23,370,000,000	21,362,000,000	21,486,000,000	18,700,000,000
hig_TaxBenefitAsResultOfSettlementWithIncomeTaxAuthority				52,000,000
Basis of Presentation and Accounting Policies (Textual) [Abstract]
Unrecognized tax benefits			48,000,000
Valuation Allowance			67,000,000		84,000,000
Deferred income taxes, net			1,248,000,000		2,131,000,000
Ordinary deferred tax assets			2,700,000,000
Net deferred tax liability			1,500,000,000
Capital deferred tax assets			1,500,000,000
Gross deferred tax assets realized capital losses			665,000,000
Gross deferred tax liabilities unrealized capital gains			2,100,000,000
hig_ValuationAllowanceReleasedAssociatedWithInvestmentRealizedCapitalLoss				86,000,000
hig_PercentageOfValuationAllowanceReleasedAssociatedWithInvestmentRealizedCapitalLosses				100.00%
Scenario, Previously Reported [Member]
Additional Basis of Presentation and Accounting Policies (Textual) [Abstract]
Total stockholders' equity					22,910,000,000	20,300,000,000
Restatement Adjustment [Member]
Additional Basis of Presentation and Accounting Policies (Textual) [Abstract]
Total stockholders' equity					$ (1,424,000,000)	$ 1,600,000,000