Separate Accounts, Death Benefits and Other Insurance Benefit Features (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 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	159	171
Paid	(141)	(156)
Unlock	(198)	171
Currency translation adjustment
Liability balance as of September 30	924	1,239
Reinsurance recoverable asset, as of January 1	724	686
Incurred	90	99
Paid	(90)	(101)
Unlock	(108)	113
Currency translation adjustment
Reinsurance recoverable asset, as of September 30	616	797
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	100	91
Paid	(146)	(116)
Unlock	13	250
Currency translation adjustment	(17)	33
Liability balance as of September 30	925	954
Reinsurance recoverable asset, as of January 1	40	36
Incurred	8	14
Paid	(21)	(21)
Unlock	18	11
Currency translation adjustment		2
Reinsurance recoverable asset, as of September 30	45	42
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	84	29
Paid
Unlock	21	66
Currency translation adjustment
Liability balance as of September 30	333	208
Reinsurance recoverable asset, as of January 1	22	30
Incurred	(2)	(10)
Paid
Unlock
Currency translation adjustment
Reinsurance recoverable asset, as of September 30	$ 20	$ 20