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FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) | Mar. 31, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2011
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Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Line Items] |  |
Securities held to maturity, fixed maturities, fair value | $ 48,444,000,000 | $ 46,383,000,000
Interest Rates |  |
Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Line Items] |  |
Magnitude of movement | 0.50% |
Credit Spreads |  |
Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Line Items] |  |
Magnitude of movement | 0.50% |
Interest Rate Volatility |  |
Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Line Items] |  |
Magnitude of movement | 50.00% |
Fair Value Based on Discounted Cash Flow Pricing Model |  |
Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Line Items] |  |
Fair values of available-for-sale fixed maturity and perpetual securities valued by our DCF pricing model | 18,200,000,000 |
Securities held to maturity, fixed maturities, fair value | $ 23,900,000,000 |
Available-for-sale Securities | Level 2 |  |
Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Line Items] |  |
Percentage of fair value of investments valued by obtaining quoted market prices from investment custodian | 51.00% |
Percentage of holdings valued by obtaining quoted market prices from investment custodian | 77.00% |
Percentage of fair value of investments using DCF pricing model | 42.00% |
Percentage of holdings of investments using discounted cash flow pricing model | 10.00% |
Percentage of fair value of investments using other pricing services | 7.00% |
Percentage of holdings of investments using other pricing services | 13.00% |
Held-to-maturity Securities | Level 2 |  |
Fair Value, Measurement Inputs, Disclosure [Line Items] |  |
Percentage of fair value of investments valued by obtaining quoted market prices from investment custodian | 3.00% |
Percentage of holdings valued by obtaining quoted market prices from investment custodian | 7.00% |
Percentage of fair value of investments using DCF pricing model | 95.00% |
Percentage of holdings of investments using discounted cash flow pricing model | 85.00% |
Percentage of fair value of investments using other pricing services | 2.00% |
Percentage of holdings of investments using other pricing services | 8.00% |

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- Definition This item represents the aggregate fair value of investments in debt securities as of the balance sheet date and which are categorized as held-to-maturity. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 115 -Paragraph 19 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 115 -Paragraph 137 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6872113&loc=d3e27232-111563 + Details
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