Fair Value Measurements (Details 6) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 2011
Other policyholder funds and benefits payable [Member]
Roll Forward of Financial Instruments (Liabilities) Measured at Fair Value on Recurring Basis Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Liabilities), Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis, Beginning Balance	$ (2,618,000,000)	$ (1,653,000,000)
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) included in net income	930,000,000	363,000,000
Settlements	(44,000,000)	(41,000,000)
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) included in OCI	1,000,000
Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Liabilities), Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis, Ending Balance	(1,731,000,000)	(1,331,000,000)
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) included in net income related to financial instruments still held at March 31, 2012	930,000,000	363,000,000
Other policyholder funds and benefits payable [Member] | U.S. [Member] | Guaranteed Minimum Withdrawal Benefit [Member]
Roll Forward of Financial Instruments (Liabilities) Measured at Fair Value on Recurring Basis Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Liabilities), Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis, Beginning Balance	(2,538,000,000)	(1,611,000,000)
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) included in net income	896,000,000	348,000,000
Settlements	(41,000,000)	(38,000,000)
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) included in OCI
Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Liabilities), Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis, Ending Balance	(1,683,000,000)	(1,301,000,000)
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) included in net income related to financial instruments still held at March 31, 2012	896,000,000	348,000,000
Other policyholder funds and benefits payable [Member] | International [Member] | Guaranteed Minimum Withdrawal Benefit [Member]
Roll Forward of Financial Instruments (Liabilities) Measured at Fair Value on Recurring Basis Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Liabilities), Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis, Beginning Balance	(66,000,000)	(36,000,000)
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) included in net income	30,000,000	15,000,000
Settlements	(2,000,000)	(2,000,000)
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) included in OCI	1,000,000
Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Liabilities), Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis, Ending Balance	(37,000,000)	(23,000,000)
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) included in net income related to financial instruments still held at March 31, 2012	30,000,000	15,000,000
Other policyholder funds and benefits payable [Member] | International [Member] | Other Living Benefits [Member]
Roll Forward of Financial Instruments (Liabilities) Measured at Fair Value on Recurring Basis Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Liabilities), Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis, Beginning Balance	(5,000,000)	3,000,000
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) included in net income	5,000,000	1,000,000
Settlements	(1,000,000)	(1,000,000)
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) included in OCI
Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Liabilities), Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis, Ending Balance	(1,000,000)
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) included in net income related to financial instruments still held at March 31, 2012	5,000,000	1,000,000
Other liabilities [Member]
Roll Forward of Financial Instruments (Liabilities) Measured at Fair Value on Recurring Basis Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Liabilities), Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis, Beginning Balance	(9,000,000)	(37,000,000)
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) included in net income	(12,000,000)	(14,000,000)
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) included in OCI
Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Liabilities), Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis, Ending Balance	(21,000,000)	(51,000,000)
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) included in net income related to financial instruments still held at March 31, 2012	(12,000,000)	(14,000,000)
Consumer Notes [Member]
Roll Forward of Financial Instruments (Liabilities) Measured at Fair Value on Recurring Basis Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Liabilities), Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis, Beginning Balance		(5,000,000)
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) included in OCI
Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Liabilities), Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis, Ending Balance	(4,000,000)	(5,000,000)
Equity linked notes [Member] | Other policyholder funds and benefits payable [Member]
Roll Forward of Financial Instruments (Liabilities) Measured at Fair Value on Recurring Basis Using Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Liabilities), Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis, Beginning Balance	(9,000,000)	(9,000,000)
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) included in net income	(1,000,000)	(1,000,000)
Total realized/unrealized gains (losses) included in OCI
Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Liabilities), Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis, Ending Balance	(10,000,000)	(10,000,000)
Changes in unrealized gains (losses) included in net income related to financial instruments still held at March 31, 2012	$ (1,000,000)	$ (1,000,000)