Separate Accounts, Death Benefits and Other Insurance Benefit Features (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 31, 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	56	57
Paid	(50)	(51)
Unlock	(134)	(55)
Currency translation adjustment
Liability balance as of March 31	976	1,004
Reinsurance recoverable asset, as of January 1	724	686
Incurred	35	34
Paid	(33)	(35)
Unlock	(72)	(29)
Currency translation adjustment
Reinsurance recoverable asset, as of March 31	654	656
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	33	31
Paid	(53)	(40)
Unlock	(139)	(17)
Currency translation adjustment	(61)	(14)
Liability balance as of March 31	755	656
Reinsurance recoverable asset, as of January 1	40	36
Incurred	2	1
Paid	(7)
Unlock	13	4
Currency translation adjustment	(3)	(1)
Reinsurance recoverable asset, as of March 31	45	40
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	24	13
Paid
Unlock	11
Currency translation adjustment
Liability balance as of March 31	263	126
Reinsurance recoverable asset, as of January 1	22	30
Incurred	(3)	2
Paid
Unlock
Currency translation adjustment	0
Reinsurance recoverable asset, as of March 31	$ 19	$ 32