Acquisitions	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Business Combinations [Abstract]
Acquisitions	Acquisitions Fireman's Fund Insurance Company High Net Worth Personal Lines Insurance Business in the U.S. (Fireman's Fund) On April 1, 2015, we acquired the Fireman's Fund Insurance Company high net worth personal lines insurance business in the U.S., which included the renewal rights for new and existing business and reinsurance of all existing reserves for $365 million in cash. We acquired assets with a fair value of $749 million, consisting primarily of cash of $620 million and insurance and reinsurance balances receivable of $128 million. We assumed liabilities with a fair value of $858 million, consisting primarily of unpaid losses and loss expenses of $402 million and unearned premiums of $428 million. This acquisition generated $196 million of goodwill, attributable to expected growth and profitability, all of which is expected to be deductible for income tax purposes, and other intangible assets of $278 million, primarily related to renewal rights, based on ACE’s preliminary purchase price allocation. During the third quarter of 2015, we applied the new measurement-period adjustment guidance and recorded an adjustment to the valuation of our other intangible assets. The acquisition expands our position in the high net worth personal lines insurers in the U.S. The Fireman’s Fund business integrates into our existing high net worth personal lines business, ACE Private Risk Services, which offers a broad range of coverage including homeowners, automobile, umbrella and excess liability, collectibles and yachts. Goodwill and other intangible assets arising from this acquisition are included in our Insurance – North American P&C segment. Large Corporate Account P&C Insurance Business of Itaú Seguros, S.A. (Itaú Seguros) On October 31, 2014, we expanded our presence in Brazil with the acquisition of the large corporate account property and casualty (P&C) insurance business of Itaú Seguros, Brazil's leading carrier for that business, for $606 million in cash. This acquisition generated $445 million of goodwill, attributable to expected growth and profitability, none of which is currently deductible for income tax purposes, and other intangible assets of $60 million, primarily related to renewal rights. Goodwill may become deductible for income tax purposes under Brazilian tax law if this acquired entity is merged with certain ACE legal entities. The Siam Commercial Samaggi Insurance PCL (Samaggi) We and our local partner acquired 60.86 percent of Samaggi, a general insurance company in Thailand, from Siam Commercial Bank on April 28, 2014, and subsequently acquired an additional 32.17 percent ownership, through a mandatory tender offer, which expired on June 17, 2014. The purchase price for 93.03 percent of the company was $176 million in cash. This acquisition expands our presence in Thailand and Southeast Asia. The acquisition generated $46 million of goodwill, attributable to expected growth and profitability, none of which is expected to be deductible for income tax purposes, and other intangible assets of $80 million based on ACE’s purchase price allocation. The other intangible assets primarily relate to a bancassurance agreement. Goodwill and other intangible assets arising from the acquisitions of Itaú Seguros and Samaggi are included in our Insurance – Overseas General segment. The consolidated financial statements include results of acquired businesses from the acquisition dates. To be acquired The Chubb Corporation (Chubb) On June 30, 2015, we entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Chubb, a leading provider of middle-market commercial, specialty, surety, and personal insurance. Under the terms of the merger agreement, when the transaction closes Chubb will be merged with a newly-formed subsidiary of ACE and Chubb shareholders will receive for each share of Chubb stock an aggregate $62.93 in cash and 0.6019 shares of ACE stock. The initial purchase price, estimated at the time that we entered into the definitive agreement, was $28.3 billion based on the closing price of ACE stock on June 30, 2015 of $101.68 per share. Based on the closing price of ACE stock on September 30, 2015 of $103.40 per share, the purchase price would be approximately $28.8 billion in cash and newly issued stock, and the former Chubb shareholders would own approximately 137 million shares, or 30 percent, of the combined company's outstanding shares. The actual purchase price and related goodwill will increase or decrease until the closing date of the acquisition based on the increase or decrease in ACE's stock price. The merger agreement provides that following the close of the transaction (i) the acquired businesses will continue to operate under the Chubb names as they do now; (ii) we will change the name of ACE Limited to assume the Chubb name at our parent company level, and (iii) the combined company will transition to operate under the Chubb name globally. We intend to finance the cash portion of the transaction through a combination of $9 billion sourced from various ACE and Chubb companies plus $5.3 billion of senior notes which were issued in October 2015. Refer to Note 6 for additional information on the senior notes. On September 30, 2015, we received notice from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission that it had granted early termination, effective immediately, of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 (HSR Act) for the pending acquisition of Chubb. The early termination of the waiting period under the HSR Act satisfies one of the conditions to the closing of the transaction, which remains subject to other customary closing conditions, including other regulatory approvals. On October 22, 2015, we received the necessary approvals from shareholders of ACE and Chubb to effect the merger. The transaction is expected to close during the first quarter of 2016.

Acquisitions

Fireman's Fund Insurance Company High Net Worth Personal Lines Insurance Business in the U.S. (Fireman's Fund)

On April 1, 2015, we acquired the Fireman's Fund Insurance Company high net worth personal lines insurance business in the U.S., which included the renewal rights for new and existing business and reinsurance of all existing reserves for $365 million in cash. We acquired assets with a fair value of $749 million, consisting primarily of cash of $620 million and insurance and reinsurance balances receivable of $128 million. We assumed liabilities with a fair value of $858 million, consisting primarily of unpaid losses and loss expenses of $402 million and unearned premiums of $428 million. This acquisition generated $196 million of goodwill, attributable to expected growth and profitability, all of which is expected to be deductible for income tax purposes, and other intangible assets of $278 million, primarily related to renewal rights, based on ACE’s preliminary purchase price allocation. During the third quarter of 2015, we applied the new measurement-period adjustment guidance and recorded an adjustment to the valuation of our other intangible assets. The acquisition expands our position in the high net worth personal lines insurers in the U.S. The Fireman’s Fund business integrates into our existing high net worth personal lines business, ACE Private Risk Services, which offers a broad range of coverage including homeowners, automobile, umbrella and excess liability, collectibles and yachts. Goodwill and other intangible assets arising from this acquisition are included in our Insurance – North American P&C segment.

Large Corporate Account P&C Insurance Business of Itaú Seguros, S.A. (Itaú Seguros)

On October 31, 2014, we expanded our presence in Brazil with the acquisition of the large corporate account property and casualty (P&C) insurance business of Itaú Seguros, Brazil's leading carrier for that business, for $606 million in cash. This acquisition generated $445 million of goodwill, attributable to expected growth and profitability, none of which is currently deductible for income tax purposes, and other intangible assets of $60 million, primarily related to renewal rights. Goodwill may become deductible for income tax purposes under Brazilian tax law if this acquired entity is merged with certain ACE legal entities.

The Siam Commercial Samaggi Insurance PCL (Samaggi)

We and our local partner acquired 60.86 percent of Samaggi, a general insurance company in Thailand, from Siam Commercial Bank on April 28, 2014, and subsequently acquired an additional 32.17 percent ownership, through a mandatory tender offer, which expired on June 17, 2014. The purchase price for 93.03 percent of the company was $176 million in cash. This acquisition expands our presence in Thailand and Southeast Asia.

The acquisition generated $46 million of goodwill, attributable to expected growth and profitability, none of which is expected to be deductible for income tax purposes, and other intangible assets of $80 million based on ACE’s purchase price allocation. The other intangible assets primarily relate to a bancassurance agreement.

Goodwill and other intangible assets arising from the acquisitions of Itaú Seguros and Samaggi are included in our Insurance – Overseas General segment.

The consolidated financial statements include results of acquired businesses from the acquisition dates.

To be acquired

The Chubb Corporation (Chubb)

On June 30, 2015, we entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Chubb, a leading provider of middle-market commercial, specialty, surety, and personal insurance. Under the terms of the merger agreement, when the transaction closes Chubb will be merged with a newly-formed subsidiary of ACE and Chubb shareholders will receive for each share of Chubb stock an aggregate $62.93 in cash and 0.6019 shares of ACE stock. The initial purchase price, estimated at the time that we entered into the definitive agreement, was $28.3 billion based on the closing price of ACE stock on June 30, 2015 of $101.68 per share. Based on the closing price of ACE stock on September 30, 2015 of $103.40 per share, the purchase price would be approximately $28.8 billion in cash and newly issued stock, and the former Chubb shareholders would own approximately 137 million shares, or 30 percent, of the combined company's outstanding shares. The actual purchase price and related goodwill will increase or decrease until the closing date of the acquisition based on the increase or decrease in ACE's stock price.

The merger agreement provides that following the close of the transaction (i) the acquired businesses will continue to operate under the Chubb names as they do now; (ii) we will change the name of ACE Limited to assume the Chubb name at our parent company level, and (iii) the combined company will transition to operate under the Chubb name globally.

We intend to finance the cash portion of the transaction through a combination of $9 billion sourced from various ACE and Chubb companies plus $5.3 billion of senior notes which were issued in October 2015. Refer to Note 6 for additional information on the senior notes. On September 30, 2015, we received notice from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission that it had granted early termination, effective immediately, of the applicable waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 (HSR Act) for the pending acquisition of Chubb. The early termination of the waiting period under the HSR Act satisfies one of the conditions to the closing of the transaction, which remains subject to other customary closing conditions, including other regulatory approvals. On October 22, 2015, we received the necessary approvals from shareholders of ACE and Chubb to effect the merger. The transaction is expected to close during the first quarter of 2016.