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Insurance Contract Liabilities and Investment Contract Liabilities - Insurance Contract and Other Policy Liabilities (Details) - CAD ($) $ in Millions | Dec. 31, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2019
--- | --- | ---
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | $ 145,773 | $ 131,184
Individual participating life |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 44,146 | 38,621
Individual non-participating life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 43,099 | 39,933
Group life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 16,808 | 16,087
Individual annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 15,906 | 14,871
Group annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 17,774 | 14,382
Insurance contract liabilities before other policy liabilities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 137,733 | 123,894
Other policy liabilities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 8,040 | 7,290
Canada |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 84,227 | 74,310
Canada | Individual participating life |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 25,839 | 23,526
Canada | Individual non-participating life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 15,533 | 13,527
Canada | Group life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 11,167 | 10,493
Canada | Individual annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 10,497 | 9,529
Canada | Group annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 17,670 | 14,276
Canada | Insurance contract liabilities before other policy liabilities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 80,706 | 71,351
Canada | Other policy liabilities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 3,521 | 2,959
SLF U.S. |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 27,798 | 26,739
SLF U.S. | Individual participating life |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 5,374 | 5,611
SLF U.S. | Individual non-participating life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 15,010 | 13,832
SLF U.S. | Group life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 5,578 | 5,541
SLF U.S. | Individual annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 22 | 24
SLF U.S. | Group annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 7 | 7
SLF U.S. | Insurance contract liabilities before other policy liabilities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 25,991 | 25,015
SLF U.S. | Other policy liabilities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 1,807 | 1,724
SLF Asia |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 26,805 | 23,207
SLF Asia | Individual participating life |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 11,981 | 8,497
SLF Asia | Individual non-participating life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 12,183 | 12,188
SLF Asia | Group life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 40 | 39
SLF Asia | Individual annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 5 | (17)
SLF Asia | Group annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 97 | 99
SLF Asia | Insurance contract liabilities before other policy liabilities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 24,306 | 20,806
SLF Asia | Other policy liabilities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 2,499 | 2,401
Corporate |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 6,943 | 6,928
Corporate | Individual participating life |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 952 | 987
Corporate | Individual non-participating life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 373 | 386
Corporate | Group life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 23 | 14
Corporate | Individual annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 5,382 | 5,335
Corporate | Group annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 0 | 0
Corporate | Insurance contract liabilities before other policy liabilities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 6,730 | 6,722
Corporate | Other policy liabilities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 213 | 206
United Kingdom | Corporate | Individual participating life |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 851 | 893
United Kingdom | Corporate | Individual non-participating life and health |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 237 | 238
United Kingdom | Corporate | Individual annuities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | 5,162 | 5,107
United Kingdom | Corporate | Other policy liabilities |  |
Disclosure of types of insurance contracts [line items] |  |
Insurance contract liabilities | $ 163 | $ 156

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