XML 47 R117.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.19.3.a.u2

Reinsurance - Schedule of Reinsurance Assets (Details) - CAD ($) | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | $ 4,024,000,000 | $ 4,141,000,000
Reinsurance assets before other policy assets |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 3,395,000,000 | 3,653,000,000
Individual participating life |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 367,000,000 | 210,000,000
Individual non-participating life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 604,000,000 | 928,000,000
Group life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 2,267,000,000 | 2,208,000,000
Individual annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 26,000,000 | 186,000,000
Group annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 131,000,000 | 121,000,000
Other policy liabilities and assets |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 629,000,000 | 488,000,000
Canada |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 246,000,000 | 374,000,000
Canada | Reinsurance assets before other policy assets |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 173,000,000 | 294,000,000
Canada | Individual participating life |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 35,000,000 | 20,000,000
Canada | Individual non-participating life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | (377,000,000) | (205,000,000)
Canada | Group life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 384,000,000 | 358,000,000
Canada | Individual annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 0 | 0
Canada | Group annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 131,000,000 | 121,000,000
Canada | Other policy liabilities and assets |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 73,000,000 | 80,000,000
SLF U.S. |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 3,260,000,000 | 3,241,000,000
SLF U.S. | Reinsurance assets before other policy assets |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 2,804,000,000 | 2,934,000,000
SLF U.S. | Individual participating life |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 10,000,000 | 10,000,000
SLF U.S. | Individual non-participating life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 913,000,000 | 1,076,000,000
SLF U.S. | Group life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 1,881,000,000 | 1,848,000,000
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 | 456,000,000 | 307,000,000
SLF Asia |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 429,000,000 | 260,000,000
SLF Asia | Reinsurance assets before other policy assets |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 372,000,000 | 218,000,000
SLF Asia | Individual participating life |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 322,000,000 | 180,000,000
SLF Asia | Individual non-participating life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 48,000,000 | 36,000,000
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 | 57,000,000 | 42,000,000
Corporate |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 89,000,000 | 266,000,000
Corporate | Reinsurance assets before other policy assets |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 46,000,000 | 207,000,000
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 | 20,000,000 | 21,000,000
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 | 26,000,000 | 186,000,000
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 | 43,000,000 | 59,000,000
United Kingdom | Corporate | Individual non-participating life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 20,000,000 | 21,000,000
United Kingdom | Corporate | Individual annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Total Reinsurance assets | 26,000,000 | 47,000,000
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 2019-01-01 -Paragraph 126 -Subparagraph a -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=36&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_126_a&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2019-03-27 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Name IAS -Number 36 -IssueDate 2019-01-01 -Paragraph 129 -Subparagraph a -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IAS&num=36&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-r&anchor=para_129_a&doctype=Standard -URIDate 2019-03-27 + 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 -Note Expiry date 2021-01-01 -Name IFRS -Number 4 -IssueDate 2019-01-01 -Paragraph 37 -Subparagraph e -URI http://eifrs.ifrs.org/eifrs/xifrs-link?type=IFRS&num=4&code=ifrs-tx-2019-en-b&anchor=para_37_e&doctype=Standard&book=b -URIDate 2019-03-27 + 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: |