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INVESTMENTS - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 3 Months Ended |
--- | --- | ---
Mar. 31, 2012 investment | Mar. 31, 2011 investment | Dec. 31, 2011
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Reclassified investments from the held-to-maturity portfolio to the available-for-sale portfolio, number of investments | 1 | 8 |
Reclassified investments from the held-to-maturity portfolio to the available-for-sale portfolio, amortized cost | $ 122 | $ 1,600 |
Reclassified investments from the held-to-maturity portfolio to the available-for-sale portfolio, aggregate unrealized gain (loss) | (23) | (270) |
Available-for-sale fixed maturity securities, recognized gains (losses) | (45) | (579) |
Realized pretax investment gains (losses) from sales and redemptions | 78 | (144) |
Number of impaired Tier I securities (in investments) | 2 |  |
Fair value of investments in an unrealized loss position | 30,615 |  | 29,310
Total Unrealized Losses | 2,696 |  | 3,536
Percentage that the lending policy requires that the fair value of the securities and/or unrestricted cash received as collateral be of the fair value of the loaned securities | 102.00% |  |
Republic of Tunisia |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Reclassified investments from the held-to-maturity portfolio to the available-for-sale portfolio, amortized cost |  | 769 |
Portugal and Ireland |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Reclassified investments from the held-to-maturity portfolio to the available-for-sale portfolio, number of investments |  | 4 |
Reclassified investments from the held-to-maturity portfolio to the available-for-sale portfolio, amortized cost |  | 631 |
Perpetual Securities |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Available-for-sale fixed maturity securities, recognized gains (losses) | (75) | 4 |
Perpetual securities, interest coupons that were fixed at issuance subsequently change to a floating short-term interest rate | floating short-term interest rate of 125 to more than 300 basis points above an appropriate market index |  |
Maturity date (in years) | 25 years |  |
Fair value of investments in an unrealized loss position | 2,152 |  | 2,507
Total Unrealized Losses | 318 |  | 633
Perpetual Securities | Lower Limit |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Perpetual securities, floating short-term interest rate basis point above market index | 1.25% |  |
Perpetual Securities | Minimum Upper Limit |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Perpetual securities, floating short-term interest rate basis point above market index | 3.00% |  |
Perpetual Securities | Europe, excluding the United Kingdom |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Geographic concentration of credit risk for issuer of investments owned | 69.00% |  |
Perpetual Securities | United Kingdom |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Geographic concentration of credit risk for issuer of investments owned | 11.00% |  |
Perpetual Securities | Japan |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Geographic concentration of credit risk for issuer of investments owned | 12.00% |  |
Perpetual Securities | Other Countries |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Geographic concentration of credit risk for issuer of investments owned | 8.00% |  |
Investment grade | Perpetual Securities |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Percentage of unrealized losses attributable to securities that were investment grade | 91.00% |  | 73.00%
Banks/financial Institutions |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Fair value of investments in an unrealized loss position | 12,000 |  |
Total Unrealized Losses | 1,500 |  |
Banks/financial Institutions | Europe, excluding the United Kingdom |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Geographic concentration of credit risk for issuer of investments owned | 35.00% |  |
Banks/financial Institutions | United States |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Geographic concentration of credit risk for issuer of investments owned | 23.00% |  |
Banks/financial Institutions | United Kingdom |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Geographic concentration of credit risk for issuer of investments owned | 9.00% |  |
Banks/financial Institutions | Japan |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Geographic concentration of credit risk for issuer of investments owned | 8.00% |  |
Banks/financial Institutions | Other Countries |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Geographic concentration of credit risk for issuer of investments owned | 25.00% |  |
Banks/financial Institutions | Investment grade |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Percentage of unrealized losses attributable to securities that were investment grade | 85.00% |  | 80.00%
Banks/financial Institutions | Below Investment Grade |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Fair value of investments in an unrealized loss position | 629 |  |
Total Unrealized Losses | 227 |  |
Number of Issuers | 3 |  |
Percentage of unrealized losses attributable to a certain number of securities | 99.00% |  |
Number of issuers with average unrealized losses per investment | 1 |  |
Banks/financial Institutions | Below Investment Grade | Upper Limit |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Issuers, average unrealized losses per investment | 3 |  |
Sovereign and Supranational | Investment grade |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Percentage of unrealized losses attributable to securities that were investment grade | 94.00% |  | 100.00%
Public Utilities | Investment grade |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Percentage of unrealized losses attributable to securities that were investment grade | 69.00% |  | 77.00%
Other Corporate | Investment grade |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Percentage of unrealized losses attributable to securities that were investment grade | 75.00% |  | 73.00%
Variable Interest Entity, Not Consolidated |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Number of issuers | 161 |  |
Parent Company | Investment grade |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |
Available-for-sale fixed-maturity securities, amortized cost | 120 |  |
Available-for-sale fixed maturity securities, fair value | $ 136 |  |

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