Fair Value Measurements Level 4 Financial Instruments Not Carried at Fair Value (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets		$ 231,453	$ 245,013
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure		182,893	199,248
Liabilities		213,249	226,293
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure		4,282	4,724
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure		99,032	101,735
Investment Contracts [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Financial Liabilities Fair Value Disclosure		851
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Embedded Derivative Financial Instruments [Member] | Other Liabilities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Liabilities	[1],[2]	40	68
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Other Policyholder Funds and Benefits Payable [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Liabilities	[3]	6,768	7,304
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Liabilities	[4]	4,426	5,009
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Junior Subordinated Debt [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Liabilities	[4]	1,100	1,100
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Investment Contracts [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Liabilities	[2]		763
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Policy Loans [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets		1,428	1,431
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Mortgages [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets		5,552	5,556
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Embedded Derivative Financial Instruments [Member] | Other Liabilities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Financial Liabilities Fair Value Disclosure	[1],[2]	40	68
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Other Policyholder Funds and Benefits Payable [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Financial Liabilities Fair Value Disclosure	[3]	7,000	7,522
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Senior Notes [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Financial Liabilities Fair Value Disclosure	[4]	5,064	5,837
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Junior Subordinated Debt [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Financial Liabilities Fair Value Disclosure	[4]	1,289	1,291
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Investment Contracts [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Financial Liabilities Fair Value Disclosure	[2]		851
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Policy Loans [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure		1,428	1,431
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] | Mortgages [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Assets, Fair Value Disclosure		5,749	$ 5,840
JAPAN | Hartford Life Insurance K.K. [Member] | Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Investment Contracts [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Liabilities		$ 783

[1] Excludes amounts carried at fair value and included in preceding disclosures.

[2] Included in other liabilities in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

[3] Excludes guarantees on variable annuities, group accident and health and universal life insurance contracts, including corporate owned life insurance.

[4] Included in long-term debt in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, except for current maturities, which are included in short-term debt.