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Intangible Assets (Roll-forward of Goodwill, by Business Segment) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Apr. 02, 2013
May 02, 2013
Oct. 31, 2014
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Balance at beginning of period $ 4,603us-gaap_Goodwill $ 4,319us-gaap_Goodwill      
Purchase price allocation adjustment 4us-gaap_GoodwillPurchaseAccountingAdjustments        
Foreign exchange revaluation and other (198)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments (134)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments      
Balance at end of period 4,904us-gaap_Goodwill 4,603us-gaap_Goodwill      
Insurance - North American P&C          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Balance at beginning of period 1,215us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceNorthAmericanPcMember
1,219us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceNorthAmericanPcMember
     
Purchase price allocation adjustment 0us-gaap_GoodwillPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceNorthAmericanPcMember
       
Foreign exchange revaluation and other (4)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceNorthAmericanPcMember
(4)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceNorthAmericanPcMember
     
Balance at end of period 1,211us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceNorthAmericanPcMember
1,215us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceNorthAmericanPcMember
     
Insurance - North American Agriculture          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Balance at beginning of period 134us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceNorthAmericanAgricultureMember
134us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceNorthAmericanAgricultureMember
     
Purchase price allocation adjustment 0us-gaap_GoodwillPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceNorthAmericanAgricultureMember
       
Foreign exchange revaluation and other 0us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceNorthAmericanAgricultureMember
0us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceNorthAmericanAgricultureMember
     
Balance at end of period 134us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceNorthAmericanAgricultureMember
134us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceNorthAmericanAgricultureMember
     
Insurance - Overseas General          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Balance at beginning of period 2,054us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceOverseasGeneralMember
1,764us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceOverseasGeneralMember
     
Purchase price allocation adjustment 4us-gaap_GoodwillPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceOverseasGeneralMember
       
Foreign exchange revaluation and other (187)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceOverseasGeneralMember
(128)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceOverseasGeneralMember
     
Balance at end of period 2,366us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceOverseasGeneralMember
2,054us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceOverseasGeneralMember
     
Global Reinsurance          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Balance at beginning of period 365us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentGlobalReMember
365us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentGlobalReMember
     
Purchase price allocation adjustment 0us-gaap_GoodwillPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentGlobalReMember
       
Foreign exchange revaluation and other 0us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentGlobalReMember
0us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentGlobalReMember
     
Balance at end of period 365us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentGlobalReMember
365us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentGlobalReMember
     
Life          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Balance at beginning of period 835us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentLifeMember
837us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentLifeMember
     
Purchase price allocation adjustment 0us-gaap_GoodwillPurchaseAccountingAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentLifeMember
       
Foreign exchange revaluation and other (7)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentLifeMember
(2)us-gaap_GoodwillTranslationAdjustments
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentLifeMember
     
Balance at end of period 828us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentLifeMember
835us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentLifeMember
     
Fianzas Monterrey          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Balance at beginning of period     137us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_FianzasMonterreyMember
   
Acquisition   135us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_FianzasMonterreyMember
     
Balance at end of period     137us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_FianzasMonterreyMember
   
Fianzas Monterrey | Insurance - North American P&C          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Acquisition   0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_FianzasMonterreyMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceNorthAmericanPcMember
     
Fianzas Monterrey | Insurance - North American Agriculture          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Acquisition   0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_FianzasMonterreyMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceNorthAmericanAgricultureMember
     
Fianzas Monterrey | Insurance - Overseas General          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Acquisition   135us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_FianzasMonterreyMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceOverseasGeneralMember
     
Fianzas Monterrey | Global Reinsurance          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Acquisition   0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_FianzasMonterreyMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentGlobalReMember
     
Fianzas Monterrey | Life          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Acquisition   0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_FianzasMonterreyMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentLifeMember
     
ABA Seguros          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Balance at beginning of period       285us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_AbaSegurosMember
 
Acquisition   283us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_AbaSegurosMember
     
Balance at end of period       285us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_AbaSegurosMember
 
ABA Seguros | Insurance - North American P&C          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Acquisition   0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_AbaSegurosMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceNorthAmericanPcMember
     
ABA Seguros | Insurance - North American Agriculture          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Acquisition   0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_AbaSegurosMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceNorthAmericanAgricultureMember
     
ABA Seguros | Insurance - Overseas General          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Acquisition   283us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_AbaSegurosMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceOverseasGeneralMember
     
ABA Seguros | Global Reinsurance          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Acquisition   0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_AbaSegurosMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentGlobalReMember
     
ABA Seguros | Life          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Acquisition   0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_AbaSegurosMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentLifeMember
     
The Siam Commercial Samaggi Insurance PCL [Member]          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Acquisition 46us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_TheSiamCommercialSamaggiInsurancePCLMember
       
The Siam Commercial Samaggi Insurance PCL [Member] | Insurance - North American P&C          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Acquisition 0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_TheSiamCommercialSamaggiInsurancePCLMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceNorthAmericanPcMember
       
The Siam Commercial Samaggi Insurance PCL [Member] | Insurance - North American Agriculture          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Acquisition 0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_TheSiamCommercialSamaggiInsurancePCLMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceNorthAmericanAgricultureMember
       
The Siam Commercial Samaggi Insurance PCL [Member] | Insurance - Overseas General          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Acquisition 46us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_TheSiamCommercialSamaggiInsurancePCLMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceOverseasGeneralMember
       
Large Corporate Property And Casualty Business Of Itau Seguros [Member]          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Balance at beginning of period         449us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_LargeCorporatePropertyAndCasualtyBusinessOfItauSegurosMember
Acquisition 449us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_LargeCorporatePropertyAndCasualtyBusinessOfItauSegurosMember
       
Balance at end of period         449us-gaap_Goodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_LargeCorporatePropertyAndCasualtyBusinessOfItauSegurosMember
Large Corporate Property And Casualty Business Of Itau Seguros [Member] | Insurance - North American P&C          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Acquisition 0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_LargeCorporatePropertyAndCasualtyBusinessOfItauSegurosMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceNorthAmericanPcMember
       
Large Corporate Property And Casualty Business Of Itau Seguros [Member] | Insurance - Overseas General          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Acquisition 449us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_LargeCorporatePropertyAndCasualtyBusinessOfItauSegurosMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentInsuranceOverseasGeneralMember
       
Large Corporate Property And Casualty Business Of Itau Seguros [Member] | Global Reinsurance          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Acquisition 0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_LargeCorporatePropertyAndCasualtyBusinessOfItauSegurosMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentGlobalReMember
       
Large Corporate Property And Casualty Business Of Itau Seguros [Member] | Life          
Goodwill [Roll Forward]          
Acquisition $ 0us-gaap_GoodwillAcquiredDuringPeriod
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= ace_LargeCorporatePropertyAndCasualtyBusinessOfItauSegurosMember
/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis
= ace_SegmentLifeMember