SCHEDULE II - CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF REGISTRANT (Details 2) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Assets
Fixed income securities, at fair value (amortized cost $210 and $255)	$ 60,910	$ 77,017
Short-term investments, at fair value (amortized cost $565 and $133)	2,393	2,336
Cash	675	806	776	562
Total assets	123,520	126,947	125,193
Liabilities
Long-term debt	6,201	6,057
Deferred income taxes	635	597
Total liabilities	102,040	106,367
Equity
Common stock, $.01 par value, 2.0 billion shares authorized and 900 million issued, 449 million and 479 million shares outstanding	9	9
Additional capital paid-in	3,143	3,162
Retained income	35,580	33,783
Deferred ESOP expense	(31)	(41)
Treasury stock, at cost (451 million and 421 million shares)	(19,047)	(17,508)
Accumulated other comprehensive income:
Unrealized net capital gains and losses	1,646	2,834
Unrealized foreign currency translation adjustments	38	70
Unrecognized pension and other postretirement benefit cost	(638)	(1,729)
Total accumulated other comprehensive income	1,046	1,175
Total shareholders' equity	21,480	20,580
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	123,520	126,947
Additional balance sheet disclosures:
Short-term, at fair value, amortized cost (in dollars)	2,393	2,336
Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 1	$ 1
Preferred stock, shares authorized	25,000,000	25,000,000
Preferred stock, shares issued	32,300	0
Preferred stock, shares outstanding	32,300	0
Preferred stock, shares aggregate liquidation preference (in dollars)	807.5	807.5
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common stock, shares authorized	2,000,000,000	2,000,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	900,000,000	900,000,000
Common stock, shares outstanding	449,000,000	479,000,000
Treasury stock, shares	451,000,000	421,000,000
Synthetic lease obligations
Liabilities
Long-term debt	44	44
Allstate Corporation
Assets
Investments in subsidiaries	26,813	27,403
Fixed income securities, at fair value (amortized cost $210 and $255)	213	259
Short-term investments, at fair value (amortized cost $565 and $133)	565	133
Cash	105	4	5
Receivable from subsidiaries	311	307
Prepaid pension benefit asset	401
Deferred income taxes		496
Other assets	110	271
Total assets	28,518	28,873
Liabilities
Long-term debt	6,157	6,012
Pension and other postretirement benefit obligations	358	1,936
Deferred compensation	255	227
Dividends payable to shareholders	131	5
Deferred income taxes	38
Other liabilities	99	113
Total liabilities	7,038	8,293
Equity
Preferred stock and additional capital paid-in, $1 par value, 25 million shares authorized, 32.3 thousand shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2013 and none issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2012, $807.5 aggregate liquidation preference	780
Common stock, $.01 par value, 2.0 billion shares authorized and 900 million issued, 449 million and 479 million shares outstanding	9	9
Additional capital paid-in	3,143	3,162
Retained income	35,580	33,783
Deferred ESOP expense	(31)	(41)
Treasury stock, at cost (451 million and 421 million shares)	(19,047)	(17,508)
Accumulated other comprehensive income:
Unrealized net capital gains and losses	1,646	2,834
Unrealized foreign currency translation adjustments	38	70
Unrecognized pension and other postretirement benefit cost	(638)	(1,729)
Total accumulated other comprehensive income	1,046	1,175
Total shareholders' equity	21,480	20,580
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	28,518	28,873
Additional balance sheet disclosures:
Fixed income securities, at fair value, amortized cost (in dollars)	210	255
Short-term, at fair value, amortized cost (in dollars)	565	133
Preferred stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 1	$ 1
Preferred stock, shares authorized	25,000,000	25,000,000
Preferred stock, shares issued	32,300	0
Preferred stock, shares outstanding	32,300	0
Preferred stock, shares aggregate liquidation preference (in dollars)	$ 807.5	$ 807.5
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common stock, shares authorized	2,000,000,000	2,000,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	900,000,000	900,000,000
Common stock, shares outstanding	449,000,000	479,000,000
Treasury stock, shares	451,000,000	421,000,000