Discontinued Operations and Business Dispositions Level 4 (Details) - USD ($)		3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2015		Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012	Jan. 02, 2013
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Separate Accounts, Liability		$ 120,123,000,000	[1]				$ 134,702,000,000				$ 120,123,000,000	[1]	$ 134,702,000,000
Asset Impairment Charges											17,000,000		42,000,000		$ 20,000,000
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal											28,000,000		23,000,000		(1,574,000,000)
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		0		$ 9,000,000	$ 0	$ 0	37,000,000	$ 0	$ (617,000,000)	$ 29,000,000	9,000,000		(551,000,000)		(1,049,000,000)
Other Liabilities		6,597,000,000					6,251,000,000				6,597,000,000		6,251,000,000
Short-term Debt		275,000,000					456,000,000				275,000,000		456,000,000
Other Policyholder Funds		31,670,000,000					32,532,000,000				31,670,000,000		32,532,000,000
Liability for Future Policy Benefits and Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense		41,572,000,000					41,444,000,000				41,572,000,000		41,444,000,000
Other Assets		1,829,000,000					1,236,000,000				1,829,000,000		1,236,000,000
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net		974,000,000					831,000,000				974,000,000		831,000,000
Reinsurance Recoverables		23,189,000,000					22,920,000,000				23,189,000,000		22,920,000,000
Liabilities		210,706,000,000					226,293,000,000				210,706,000,000		226,293,000,000
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)											305,000,000		350,000,000		246,000,000
Revenue [Abstract]
Premiums Earned, Net											13,577,000,000		13,336,000,000		13,231,000,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Net Investment Income, Securities Available-for-sale and Other											3,030,000,000		3,154,000,000		3,264,000,000
Net realized capital gains (losses)											156,000,000		(16,000,000)		(1,798,000,000)
Benefits, losses and expenses
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation Benefits, Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses, Returns Credited on International Variable Annuities											10,775,000,000		10,805,000,000		11,048,000,000
Amortization of DAC											1,502,000,000		1,729,000,000		2,701,000,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity Securities		1,121,000,000					1,047,000,000				1,121,000,000		1,047,000,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Debt Securities		59,196,000,000					59,384,000,000				59,196,000,000		59,384,000,000
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate, Commercial and Consumer, Net		5,624,000,000					5,556,000,000				5,624,000,000		5,556,000,000
Loans, Gross, Insurance Policy		1,447,000,000					1,431,000,000				1,447,000,000		1,431,000,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Income Statement Disclosures [Abstract]
Income (loss) from operations of discontinued operations, net of tax													71,000,000		(947,000,000)
Net realized capital gain (loss) on disposal, net of tax									659,000,000		6,000,000		(653,000,000)		(102,000,000)	[2]
Hartford Life International Limited [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Consideration															285,000,000
Discontinued Operation, Tax Effect of Gain (Loss) from Disposal of Discontinued Operation															219,000,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Income Statement Disclosures [Abstract]
Net realized capital gain (loss) on disposal, net of tax													(622,000,000)	[2]	102,000,000
Retirement Plans [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Other Assets																		$ 200,000,000
Separate Accounts, Liability																		26,300,000,000
Policyholder Funds																		9,200,000,000
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal															24,000,000
Fees and Commissions															355,000,000
Reinsurance Recoverables		8,600,000,000					8,600,000,000				8,600,000,000		8,600,000,000
Hartford Life Insurance K.K. [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Discontinued Operation, Tax Effect of Gain (Loss) from Disposal of Discontinued Operation													265,000,000
Individual Life [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Loss in Period															191,000,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Other Liabilities															1,500,000,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Other Assets																		1,800,000,000
Separate Accounts, Liability															5,300,000,000
Policyholder Funds															8,700,000,000
Premium Deficiency																	$ 191,000,000
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal															0		533,000,000
Fees and Commissions															615,000,000
Reinsurance Recoverables		10,800,000,000					10,400,000,000				10,800,000,000		10,400,000,000
Retirement Plans and Individual Life Businesses [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal															71
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets [Abstract]
Available for sale securities, Fair Value	[3]																	15,349,000,000
Retirement [Member]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity Securities	[4]																	37,000,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Debt Securities	[5]																	16,000,000
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate, Commercial and Consumer, Net																		1,364,000,000
Loans, Gross, Insurance Policy																		582,000,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets																		17,348,000,000
Equity Securities [Member]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity Securities		839,000,000					699,000,000				839,000,000		699,000,000
Hartford Life Insurance K.K. [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Other Liabilities									102,000,000
Short-term Debt									247,000,000
Other Policyholder Funds									2,265,000,000
Liability for Future Policy Benefits and Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense									320,000,000
Other Assets									988,000,000
Property, Plant and Equipment, Net									18,000,000
Reinsurance Recoverables									46,000,000
Investments and Cash									18,733,000,000
Hartford Life Insurance K.K. [Member] | International Annuity [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Other Policyholder Funds									16,465,000,000
Reinsurance Loss on Dispositions [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal											28,000,000		23,000,000		(1,574,000,000)
Reinsurance Loss on Dispositions [Member] | Retirement Plans [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal															634,000,000
Reinsurance Loss on Dispositions [Member] | Individual Life [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal															940,000,000
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal											0		0		1,575,000,000
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Member] | Retirement Plans [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal															634,000,000
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Member] | Individual Life [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Not Discontinued Operation, Gain (Loss) on Disposal															940,000,000
Mass Mutual [Member] | Retirement Plans [Member]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets [Abstract]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets																		9,300,000,000
Prudential [Member] | Individual Life [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Assets supporting the modified coinsurance agreement, not transferred to prudential																		1,400,000,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets [Abstract]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets																		8,000,000,000
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets [Abstract]
Available for sale securities, Fair Value																		14,700,000,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity Securities		154,000,000					163,000,000				154,000,000		163,000,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Debt Securities		55,143,000,000					55,803,000,000				55,143,000,000		55,803,000,000
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member] | JAPAN | Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Investment Contracts [Member] | Hartford Life Insurance K.K. [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Liabilities		619,000,000									619,000,000
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets [Abstract]
Available for sale securities, Fair Value																		$ 670,000,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity Securities		93,000,000					98,000,000				93,000,000		98,000,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Debt Securities		3,313,000,000					3,475,000,000				3,313,000,000		3,475,000,000
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] | Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Investment Contracts [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Liabilities	[6]	$ 619,000,000					$ 763,000,000				$ 619,000,000		763,000,000
Goodwill [Member] | Individual Life [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Asset Impairment Charges																	$ 342,000,000
Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale [Member]
Revenue [Abstract]
Premiums Earned, Net													(1,000,000)		(1,000,000)
Fee income and other													239,000,000		713,000,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Net Investment Income, Securities Available-for-sale and Other													152,000,000		6,296,000,000
Net realized capital gains (losses)													157,000,000		1,340,000,000
Total revenues													233,000,000		5,668,000,000
Benefits, losses and expenses
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation Benefits, Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses, Returns Credited on International Variable Annuities													7,000,000		(98,000,000)
Amortization of DAC													0		907,000,000
Insurance operating costs and other expenses													23,000,000		127,000,000
Total benefits, losses and expenses													164,000,000		7,136,000,000
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Income Statement Disclosures [Abstract]
Income (loss) before income taxes													69,000,000		(1,468,000,000)
Income tax benefit													(2,000,000)		(521,000,000)
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent													(551,000,000)		(1,049,000,000)
Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale [Member] | International Annuity [Member]
Benefits, losses and expenses
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation Benefits, Losses and Loss Adjustment Expenses, Returns Credited on International Variable Annuities													134,000,000		6,200,000,000
Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale [Member] | Available-for-sale Securities [Member]
Revenue [Abstract]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Net Investment Income, Securities Available-for-sale and Other													18,000,000		96,000,000
Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale [Member] | Equity Securities [Member] | Trading Securities [Member]
Revenue [Abstract]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Net Investment Income, Securities Available-for-sale and Other													$ 134,000,000		$ 6,200,000,000
Discontinued Operations, Disposed of by Sale [Member] | Hartford Life Insurance K.K. [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Consideration									$ 963,000,000

[1] AV includes the contract holder’s investment in the separate account and the general account.

[2] Includes income tax benefits of $265 on the sale of HLIKK and $219 on the sale of HLIL for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

[3] Includes $14.7 billion and $670 of securities in level 2 and 3 of the fair value hierarchy, respectively

[4] All equity securities transferred are included in level 2 of the fair value hierarchy.

[5] All FVO securities transferred are included in level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.

[6] [4]Included in other liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.