v3.2.0.727
Information Provided In Connection With Outstanding Debt Of Subsidiaries (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Detail) - USD ($)
$ in Millions
Jun. 30, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Jun. 30, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
 [4]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]        
Investments $ 63,265 $ 62,904    
Cash 790 [1],[2] 655 [1],[3] $ 594 [4] $ 579
Insurance and reinsurance balances receivable 5,757 5,426    
Reinsurance recoverable on losses and loss expenses 11,775 11,992    
Reinsurance recoverable on policy benefits 203 217    
Value of business acquired 434 466    
Goodwill and other intangible assets 5,969 5,724    
Investments in subsidiaries 0 0    
Due from subsidiaries and affiliates, net 0 0    
Other assets 11,647 10,864    
Total assets 99,840 98,248    
Unpaid losses and loss expenses 38,230 38,315    
Unearned premiums 8,879 8,222    
Future policy benefits 4,835 4,754    
Due to subsidiaries and affiliates, net 0 0    
Short-term debt 2,102 2,552    
Affiliated notional cash pooling programs 0 0    
Long-term debt 4,157 3,357    
Trust preferred securities 309 309    
Other liabilities 11,773 11,152    
Total liabilities 70,285 68,661    
Total shareholders' equity 29,555 29,587 30,325  
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity 99,840 98,248    
ACE Limited (Parent Guarantor)        
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]        
Investments 32 30    
Cash 1 [1],[2] 0 [1],[3] 44 [4] 0
Insurance and reinsurance balances receivable 0 0    
Reinsurance recoverable on losses and loss expenses 0 0    
Reinsurance recoverable on policy benefits 0 0    
Value of business acquired 0 0    
Goodwill and other intangible assets 0 0    
Investments in subsidiaries 29,806 29,497    
Due from subsidiaries and affiliates, net 370 583    
Other assets 5 4    
Total assets 30,214 30,114    
Unpaid losses and loss expenses 0 0    
Unearned premiums   0    
Future policy benefits 0 0    
Due to subsidiaries and affiliates, net 0 0    
Short-term debt 0 0    
Affiliated notional cash pooling programs 386 [2] 246 [3]    
Long-term debt 0 0    
Trust preferred securities 0 0    
Other liabilities 273 281    
Total liabilities 659 527    
Total shareholders' equity 29,555 29,587    
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity 30,214 30,114    
ACE INA Holdings Inc (Subsidiary Issuer)        
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]        
Investments 35 225    
Cash 3 [1],[2] 1 [1],[3] 1 [4] 16
Insurance and reinsurance balances receivable 0 0    
Reinsurance recoverable on losses and loss expenses 0 0    
Reinsurance recoverable on policy benefits 0 0    
Value of business acquired 0 0    
Goodwill and other intangible assets 0 0    
Investments in subsidiaries 18,747 18,762    
Due from subsidiaries and affiliates, net 0 0    
Other assets 381 295    
Total assets 19,166 19,283    
Unpaid losses and loss expenses 0 0    
Unearned premiums   0    
Future policy benefits 0 0    
Due to subsidiaries and affiliates, net 245 422    
Short-term debt 700 1,150    
Affiliated notional cash pooling programs 37 [2] 309 [3]    
Long-term debt 4,145 3,345    
Trust preferred securities 309 309    
Other liabilities 1,499 1,404    
Total liabilities 6,935 6,939    
Total shareholders' equity 12,231 12,344    
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity 19,166 19,283    
Other ACE Limited Subsidiaries        
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]        
Investments 63,198 62,649    
Cash 1,209 [1],[2] 1,209 [1],[3] 1,026 [4] 748
Insurance and reinsurance balances receivable 6,726 6,178    
Reinsurance recoverable on losses and loss expenses 20,619 20,992    
Reinsurance recoverable on policy benefits 1,192 1,194    
Value of business acquired 434 466    
Goodwill and other intangible assets 5,969 5,724    
Investments in subsidiaries 0 0    
Due from subsidiaries and affiliates, net 0 0    
Other assets 15,026 14,196    
Total assets 114,373 112,608    
Unpaid losses and loss expenses 46,596 46,770    
Unearned premiums 10,718 9,958    
Future policy benefits 5,824 5,731    
Due to subsidiaries and affiliates, net 125 161    
Short-term debt 1,402 1,402    
Affiliated notional cash pooling programs 0 [2] 0 [3]    
Long-term debt 12 12    
Trust preferred securities 0 0    
Other liabilities 13,374 12,659    
Total liabilities 78,051 76,693    
Total shareholders' equity 36,322 35,915    
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity 114,373 112,608    
Consolidating Adjustments and Eliminations        
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]        
Investments 0 0    
Cash (423) [1],[2] (555) [1],[3] $ (477) [4] $ (185)
Insurance and reinsurance balances receivable (969) (752)    
Reinsurance recoverable on losses and loss expenses (8,844) (9,000)    
Reinsurance recoverable on policy benefits (989) (977)    
Value of business acquired 0 0    
Goodwill and other intangible assets 0 0    
Investments in subsidiaries (48,553) (48,259)    
Due from subsidiaries and affiliates, net (370) (583)    
Other assets (3,765) (3,631)    
Total assets (63,913) (63,757)    
Unpaid losses and loss expenses (8,366) (8,455)    
Unearned premiums (1,839) (1,736)    
Future policy benefits (989) (977)    
Due to subsidiaries and affiliates, net (370) (583)    
Short-term debt 0 0    
Affiliated notional cash pooling programs (423) [2] (555) [3]    
Long-term debt 0 0    
Trust preferred securities 0 0    
Other liabilities (3,373) (3,192)    
Total liabilities (15,360) (15,498)    
Total shareholders' equity (48,553) (48,259)    
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $ (63,913) $ (63,757)    
[1] ACE maintains two notional multicurrency cash pools (Pools) with a third-party bank. Various ACE entities participate in one or the other of the Pools, pursuant to which credit and debit balances in individual ACE accounts are translated daily into a single currency and pooled on a notional basis. Individual ACE entities are permitted to overdraw on their individual accounts provided the overall Pool balances do not fall below zero. At June 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014, the cash balance of one or more entities was negative; however, the overall Pool balances were positive.
[2] ACE maintains two notional multicurrency cash pools (Pools) with a third-party bank. Various ACE entities participate in one or the other of the Pools, pursuant to which credit and debit balances in individual ACE accounts are translated daily into a single currency and pooled on a notional basis. Individual ACE entities are permitted to overdraw on their individual accounts provided the overall Pool balances do not fall below zero. At June 30, 2015, the cash balance of one or more entities was negative; however, the overall Pool balances were positive.
[3] ACE maintains two notional multicurrency cash pools (Pools) with a third-party bank. Various ACE entities participate in one or the other of the Pools, pursuant to which credit and debit balances in individual ACE accounts are translated daily into a single currency and pooled on a notional basis. Individual ACE entities are permitted to overdraw on their individual accounts provided the overall Pool balances do not fall below zero. At December 31, 2014, the cash balance of one or more entities was negative; however, the overall Pool balances were positive.
[4] ACE maintains two notional multicurrency cash pools (Pools) with a third-party bank. Various ACE entities participate in one or the other of the Pools, pursuant to which credit and debit balances in individual ACE accounts are translated daily into a single currency and pooled on a notional basis. Individual ACE entities are permitted to overdraw on their individual accounts provided the overall Pool balances do not fall below zero. At June 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013, the cash balance of one or more entities was negative; however, the overall Pool balances were positive.