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Guarantees (Tables) | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2012
Guarantees (Tables) [Abstract] |
Information related to guarantees | The following table provides information related to such guarantees as of March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011:
|  | Maximum potential |  |
|  | undiscounted future |  |  |  |  |  |
|  | payments(a) |  | Related liability(b)
|  | (Billions) |  | (Millions)
Type of Guarantee |  | 2012 |  | 2011 |  | 2012 |  | 2011
Card and travel operations(c) |  | $ | 45 |  | $ | 51 |  | $ | 98 |  | $ | 96
Other(d) |  |  | 1 |  |  | 1 |  |  | 99 |  |  | 98
Total |  | $ | 46 |  | $ | 52 |  | $ | 197 |  | $ | 194
(a) Represents the notional amounts that could be lost under the guarantees and indemnifications if there were a total default by the guaranteed parties. The Merchant Protection guarantee is calculated using management's best estimate of maximum exposure based on all eligible claims as measured against annual billed business volumes. The Company mitigates this risk by withholding settlement from the merchant or obtaining deposits and other guarantees from merchants considered higher risk due to various factors. The amounts being held by the Company are not significant when compared to the maximum potential undiscounted future payments. (b) Included as part of other liabilities on the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheets. (c) Includes Return Protection, Account Protection and Merchant Protection, all of which the Company offers directly to cardmembers. (d) P rimarily includes guarantees related to the Company's business dispositions an d real estate.

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- Definition Represents table summarizing the maximum amount of undiscounted future payments and the amount of related liability associated with the Company's guarantees. + References No definition available. + Details
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