XML 145 R115.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.10.0.1

Reinsurance - Schedule of Reinsurance Assets (Details) - CAD ($) | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | $ 4,141,000,000 | $ 4,028,000,000
Reinsurance assets before other policy assets |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 3,653,000,000 | 3,503,000,000
Individual participating life |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 210,000,000 | 178,000,000
Individual non-participating life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 928,000,000 | 1,033,000,000
Group life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 2,208,000,000 | 1,970,000,000
Individual annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 186,000,000 | 195,000,000
Group annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 121,000,000 | 127,000,000
Other policy liabilities and assets |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 488,000,000 | 525,000,000
SLF Canada |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 374,000,000 | 687,000,000
SLF Canada | Reinsurance assets before other policy assets |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 294,000,000 | 602,000,000
SLF Canada | Individual participating life |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 20,000,000 | 4,000,000
SLF Canada | Individual non-participating life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | (205,000,000) | 129,000,000
SLF Canada | Group life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 358,000,000 | 342,000,000
SLF Canada | Individual annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 0 | 0
SLF Canada | Group annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 121,000,000 | 127,000,000
SLF Canada | Other policy liabilities and assets |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 80,000,000 | 85,000,000
SLF U.S. |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 3,241,000,000 | 2,755,000,000
SLF U.S. | Reinsurance assets before other policy assets |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 2,934,000,000 | 2,402,000,000
SLF U.S. | Individual participating life |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 10,000,000 | (33,000,000)
SLF U.S. | Individual non-participating life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 1,076,000,000 | 809,000,000
SLF U.S. | Group life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 1,848,000,000 | 1,626,000,000
SLF U.S. | Individual annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 0 | 0
SLF U.S. | Group annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 0 | 0
SLF U.S. | Other policy liabilities and assets |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 307,000,000 | 353,000,000
SLF Asia |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 260,000,000 | 314,000,000
SLF Asia | Reinsurance assets before other policy assets |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 218,000,000 | 282,000,000
SLF Asia | Individual participating life |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 180,000,000 | 207,000,000
SLF Asia | Individual non-participating life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 36,000,000 | 73,000,000
SLF Asia | Group life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 2,000,000 | 2,000,000
SLF Asia | Individual annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 0 | 0
SLF Asia | Group annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 0 | 0
SLF Asia | Other policy liabilities and assets |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 42,000,000 | 32,000,000
Corporate |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 266,000,000 | 272,000,000
Corporate | Reinsurance assets before other policy assets |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 207,000,000 | 217,000,000
Corporate | Individual participating life |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 0 | 0
Corporate | Individual non-participating life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 21,000,000 | 22,000,000
Corporate | Group life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 0 | 0
Corporate | Individual annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 186,000,000 | 195,000,000
Corporate | Group annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 0 | 0
Corporate | Other policy liabilities and assets |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 59,000,000 | 55,000,000
United Kingdom | Corporate | Individual non-participating life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 21,000,000 | 22,000,000
United Kingdom | Corporate | Individual annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 47,000,000 | 58,000,000
Reinsurance Assets |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Impairment loss | $ 0 | $ 0

X
- Definition Line items represent concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes of the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ifrs-full_DisclosureOfTypesOfInsuranceContractsLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | ifrs-full_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The amount of impairment loss recognised in profit or loss. [Refer: Impairment loss; Profit (loss)] + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 36 -IssueDate 2017-01-01 -Paragraph 126 -Subparagraph a -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=36&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_126_a&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2017-03-09 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 36 -IssueDate 2017-01-01 -Paragraph 129 -Subparagraph a -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IAS&num=36&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_129_a&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2017-03-09 + Details
Name: | ifrs-full_ImpairmentLossRecognisedInProfitOrLoss
Namespace Prefix: | ifrs-full_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The amount of a cedant’s net contractual rights under a reinsurance contract. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IFRS -Number 4 -IssueDate 2017-01-01 -Paragraph 37 -Subparagraph e -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/XBRL?type=IFRS&num=4&date=2017-03-01&anchor=para_37_e&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2017-03-09 + Details
Name: | ifrs-full_ReinsuranceAssets
Namespace Prefix: | ifrs-full_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Details
Name: | ifrs-full_TypesOfInsuranceContractsAxis=slf_ReinsuranceAssetsBeforeOtherPolicyAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ifrs-full_TypesOfInsuranceContractsAxis=slf_IndividualParticipatingLifeMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ifrs-full_TypesOfInsuranceContractsAxis=slf_IndividualNonparticipatingLifeAndHealthMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ifrs-full_TypesOfInsuranceContractsAxis=slf_GroupLifeAndHealthMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ifrs-full_TypesOfInsuranceContractsAxis=slf_IndividualAnnuitiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ifrs-full_TypesOfInsuranceContractsAxis=slf_GroupAnnuitiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ifrs-full_TypesOfInsuranceContractsAxis=slf_OtherPolicyAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ifrs-full_SegmentsAxis=slf_SunLifeCanadaMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ifrs-full_SegmentsAxis=slf_SunLifeFinancialUnitedStatesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ifrs-full_SegmentsAxis=slf_SunLifeFinancialAsiaMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ifrs-full_SegmentsAxis=slf_SunLifeFinancialCorporateMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ifrs-full_GeographicalAreasAxis=country_GB
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | ifrs-full_ClassesOfAssetsAxis=slf_ReinsuranceAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |