Segment Information Level 4 (Details) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Deferred Policy Acquisition Cost, Amortization Expense										$ 1,571	$ 1,593	$ 1,615
Earned premiums and fee income										$ 15,416	15,332	15,336
Number of Reportable Segments										6
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Premiums Earned, Net										$ 13,577	13,336	13,231
Insurance Commissions and Fees										1,839	1,996	2,105
Total net investment income										3,030	3,154	3,264
Net realized capital losses										(156)	16	1,798
Other revenues										87	112	275
Segments, Geographical Areas [Abstract]
Revenues		$ 4,513	$ 4,562	$ 4,685	$ 4,617	$ 4,617	$ 4,769	$ 4,616	$ 4,612	18,377	18,614	20,673
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		421	$ 381	$ 413	$ 467	382	$ 388	$ (467)	$ 495	1,682	798	176
Segment Reporting Information, Income (Loss) before Income Taxes [Abstract]
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)										305	350	246
Assets by Segment [Abstract]
Assets		228,348				245,013				228,348	245,013
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and present value of future profits										(1,502)	(1,729)	(2,701)
Available-for-sale Securities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Total net investment income										3,030	3,153	3,263
Equity Securities [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Total net investment income										0	1	1
Property & Casualty Commercial [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Deferred Policy Acquisition Cost, Amortization Expense										951	919	905
Earned premiums and fee income										6,511	6,289	6,203
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest										1,003	983	870
Segment Reporting Information, Income (Loss) before Income Taxes [Abstract]
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)										409	385	320
Assets by Segment [Abstract]
Assets		28,388				28,451				28,388	28,451
Property and Casualty, Personal Insurance Product Line [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Deferred Policy Acquisition Cost, Amortization Expense										359	348	332
Earned premiums and fee income	[1]									3,873	3,806	3,660
Segment Information (Textual) [Abstract]
AARP earned premiums										3,200	3,000	2,900
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest										187	207	229
Segment Reporting Information, Income (Loss) before Income Taxes [Abstract]
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)										82	92	100
Assets by Segment [Abstract]
Assets		6,147				5,983				6,147	5,983
Group Benefits [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Deferred Policy Acquisition Cost, Amortization Expense										31	32	33
Segment Reporting Information, Income (Loss) before Income Taxes [Abstract]
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)										63	63	63
Assets by Segment [Abstract]
Assets		9,666				9,686				9,666	9,686
Mutual Funds [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Deferred Policy Acquisition Cost, Amortization Expense										22	28	39
Earned premiums and fee income										723	723	668
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest										86	87	76
Segment Reporting Information, Income (Loss) before Income Taxes [Abstract]
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)										48	49	42
Assets by Segment [Abstract]
Assets		449				443				449	443
Talcott Resolution [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Earned premiums and fee income										1,133	1,407	1,463
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest										430	(187)	(634)
Talcott Resolution [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Deferred Policy Acquisition Cost, Amortization Expense										139	402	485
Segment Reporting Information, Income (Loss) before Income Taxes [Abstract]
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)										(17)	16	(7)
Assets by Segment [Abstract]
Assets		175,319				191,801				175,319	191,801
Corporate [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Insurance Commissions and Fees										8	11	11
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest										(158)	(375)	(555)
Segment Reporting Information, Income (Loss) before Income Taxes [Abstract]
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)										(233)	(204)	(252)
Assets by Segment [Abstract]
Assets	[2]	3,817				4,321				3,817	4,321
Other Insurance Product Line [Member]
Segment Reporting Information, Revenue for Reportable Segment [Abstract]
Premiums Earned, Net										32	1	1
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest										(53)	(108)	(2)
Segment Reporting Information, Income (Loss) before Income Taxes [Abstract]
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)										(47)	(51)	(20)
Assets by Segment [Abstract]
Assets		$ 4,562				$ 4,328				4,562	4,328
Group Insurance Policies [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Earned premiums and fee income										3,136	3,095	3,330
Segment Reporting Information, Profit (Loss) [Abstract]
Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest										187	191	192
Fixed Equity and other mutual fund investments [Member] | Mutual Funds [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Earned premiums and fee income										607	586	520
Homeowners [Member] | Property and Casualty, Personal Insurance Product Line [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Earned premiums and fee income										1,202	1,193	1,138
Automobiles Consumer [Member] | Property and Casualty, Personal Insurance Product Line [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Earned premiums and fee income										2,671	2,613	2,522
Surety Product Line [Member] | Property & Casualty Commercial [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Earned premiums and fee income										218	210	201
Liability [Member] | Property & Casualty Commercial [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Earned premiums and fee income										567	582	566
Package Business [Member] | Property & Casualty Commercial [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Earned premiums and fee income										1,203	1,163	1,139
Automobiles Commercial [Member] | Property & Casualty Commercial [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Earned premiums and fee income										614	591	579
Accident and Health Insurance Product Line [Member] | Property & Casualty Commercial [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Earned premiums and fee income										3,051	2,971	2,975
Accident and Health Insurance Product Line [Member] | Group Insurance Policies [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Earned premiums and fee income										1,479	1,450	1,452
Property Insurance Product Line [Member] | Property & Casualty Commercial [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Earned premiums and fee income										637	559	521
Other Insurance Product Line [Member] | Group Insurance Policies [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Earned premiums and fee income										180	167	161
Life Insurance Product Line [Member] | Group Insurance Policies [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Earned premiums and fee income										1,477	1,478	1,717
Investments Product Line [Member] | Mutual Funds [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Earned premiums and fee income										116	137	148
Professional Liability [Member] | Property & Casualty Commercial [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Earned premiums and fee income										221	213	222
Continuing Operations [Member]
Assets by Segment [Abstract]
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and present value of future profits										$ (1,502)	$ (1,729)	$ (1,794)

[1] For 2015, 2014 and 2013, AARP members accounted for earned premiums of $3.2 billion, $3.0 billion and $2.9 billion, respectively.

[2] Text selection found with no content.