Derivative Financial Instruments (Details 2) (USD $) In Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Derivative Financial Instruments
Cash flow hedge losses to be reclassified from AOCI during the next twelve months	$ 2		$ 2
Gain (loss) recognized in OCI on derivatives during the period	20	(19)	7	9
Loss recognized in OCI on derivatives during the term of the hedging relationship	(15)	(17)	(15)	(17)
(Loss) gain reclassified from AOCI into income (net investment income)	(1)			1
Gain (loss) reclassified from AOCI into income (realized capital gains and losses)				2
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives in fair value accounting hedging relationships, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(1)	(21)	(47)	(161)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(295)	(260)	(323)	(702)
Total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(296)	(281)	(370)	(863)
Foreign currency and interest rate contracts
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives in fair value accounting hedging relationships, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives		25	(32)	(16)
Foreign currency and interest rate contracts | Realized capital gains and losses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives in fair value accounting hedging relationships, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives				(1)
Foreign currency and interest rate contracts | Interest credited to contractholder funds
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives in fair value accounting hedging relationships, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives		25	(32)	(15)
Interest rate contracts
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives in fair value accounting hedging relationships, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(1)	(46)	(15)	(145)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(202)	(183)	(306)	(621)
Interest rate contracts | Net investment income.
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives in fair value accounting hedging relationships, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(1)	(57)	(2)	(170)
Interest rate contracts | Realized capital gains and losses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives in fair value accounting hedging relationships, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives		2	(8)	4
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(202)	(183)	(306)	(621)
Interest rate contracts | Interest credited to contractholder funds
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives in fair value accounting hedging relationships, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives		9	(5)	21
Foreign currency contracts
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(10)	(37)	(13)	(23)
Foreign currency contracts | Realized capital gains and losses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(9)	(41)	(14)	(21)
Foreign currency contracts | Operating costs and expenses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(1)	4	1	(2)
Equity and index contracts
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(92)	(32)	(58)	(33)
Equity and index contracts | Realized capital gains and losses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	1	(115)	(18)	(72)
Equity and index contracts | Interest credited to contractholder funds
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(71)	70	(25)	34
Equity and index contracts | Operating costs and expenses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(22)	13	(15)	5
Embedded derivative financial instruments
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(18)	(13)	11	(30)
Embedded derivative financial instruments | Realized capital gains and losses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(50)	48	(45)	(71)
Embedded derivative financial instruments | Life and annuity contract benefits
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(55)	(22)	(18)	(30)
Embedded derivative financial instruments | Interest credited to contractholder funds
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	87	(39)	74	71
Credit default swaps
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	26	5	37	2
Credit default swaps | Realized capital gains and losses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	26	5	37	2
Other contracts
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	1		6	3
Other contracts | Realized capital gains and losses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives		(1)
Other contracts | Interest credited to contractholder funds
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	1	1	6	3
Net investment income.
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives in fair value accounting hedging relationships, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(1)	(57)	(2)	(170)
Total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(1)	(57)	(2)	(170)
Realized capital gains and losses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives in fair value accounting hedging relationships, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives		2	(8)	3
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(234)	(287)	(346)	(783)
Total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(234)	(285)	(354)	(780)
Life and annuity contract benefits
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(55)	(22)	(18)	(30)
Total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(55)	(22)	(18)	(30)
Interest credited to contractholder funds
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives in fair value accounting hedging relationships, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives		34	(37)	6
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	17	32	55	108
Total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	17	66	18	114
Operating costs and expenses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(23)	17	(14)	3
Total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	$ (23)	$ 17	$ (14)	$ 3