Investments (Details 14) - Mortgage loans, non-impaired - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Net carrying value of impaired mortgage loans
Impaired mortgage loans with a valuation allowance					$ 6	$ 6
Impaired mortgage loans without a valuation allowance					0	0
Total impaired mortgage loans					6	6
Valuation allowance on impaired mortgage loans	$ 3	$ 7	$ 3	$ 8	$ 3	$ 3
Average carrying value and interest income recognized on impaired mortgage loans
Average impaired mortgage loans			6	12
Rollforward of the valuation allowance on impaired mortgage loans
Beginning balance	3	7	3	8
Charge offs	0	0	0	(1)
Ending balance	$ 3	$ 7	$ 3	$ 7

A valuation allowance for financing receivables that are expected to be uncollectible.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 11B
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66008989&loc=SL6953423-111524

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- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount of direct write-downs of financing receivables charged against the allowance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 11B
-Subparagraph (c)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66008989&loc=SL6953423-111524

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- Definition

Average amount of investment of impaired financing receivables with related allowance for credit losses and without a related allowance for credit losses.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66008989&loc=d3e5212-111524

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 17
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66008989&loc=d3e5258-111524

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- References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount of investment of impaired financing receivables with related allowance for credit losses and without a related allowance for credit losses.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 14A
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66008989&loc=SL6953550-111524

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- References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount of investment in impaired financing receivables for which there is no related allowance for credit losses.

+ References

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- Definition

Amount of investment in impaired financing receivables for which there is a related allowance for credit losses.

+ References

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