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FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS - Changes in Available-For-Sale Investments and Derivatives Classified as Level 3 (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 3 Months Ended
--- | ---
Mar. 31, 2013 | Mar. 31, 2012
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period | $ 3,197 |  | $ 3,803 |
Realized investment gains (losses) included in earnings | 2 |  | 95 |
Unrealized gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss) | (49) |  | (73) |
Purchases | 0 |  | 0 |
Issuances | 0 |  | 0 |
Sales | (400) |  | (290) |
Settlements | (3) |  | (28) |
Transfers into Level 3 | 125 | [1] | 0 |
Transfers out of Level 3 | (2,616) | [2] | 0 |
Balance, end of period | 256 |  | 3,507 |
Change in unrealized gains (losses) still held | 2 | [3] | 44 |
Fixed Maturities | Mortgage- and asset-backed Securities |  |  |  |
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period | 338 |  | 394 |
Realized investment gains (losses) included in earnings | 0 |  | 0 |
Unrealized gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss) | (21) |  | (23) |
Purchases | 0 |  | 0 |
Issuances | 0 |  | 0 |
Sales | 0 |  | 0 |
Settlements | (3) |  | (4) |
Transfers into Level 3 | 125 | [1] | 0 |
Transfers out of Level 3 | 0 |  | 0 |
Balance, end of period | 439 |  | 367 |
Change in unrealized gains (losses) still held | 0 |  | 0 |
Fixed Maturities | Public Utilities |  |  |  |
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period | 420 |  | 422 |
Realized investment gains (losses) included in earnings | 0 |  | 0 |
Unrealized gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss) | (20) |  | (13) |
Purchases | 0 |  | 0 |
Issuances | 0 |  | 0 |
Sales | (400) |  | 0 |
Settlements | 0 |  | 0 |
Transfers into Level 3 | 0 |  | 0 |
Transfers out of Level 3 | 0 |  | 0 |
Balance, end of period | 0 |  | 409 |
Change in unrealized gains (losses) still held | 0 |  | 0 |
Fixed Maturities | Sovereign and Supranational |  |  |  |
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period | 418 |  | 434 |
Realized investment gains (losses) included in earnings | 0 |  | 0 |
Unrealized gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss) | 0 |  | (16) |
Purchases | 0 |  | 0 |
Issuances | 0 |  | 0 |
Sales | 0 |  | 0 |
Settlements | 0 |  | 0 |
Transfers into Level 3 | 0 |  | 0 |
Transfers out of Level 3 | (418) | [2] | 0 |
Balance, end of period | 0 |  | 418 |
Change in unrealized gains (losses) still held | 0 |  | 0 |
Fixed Maturities | Banks/financial Institutions |  |  |  |
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period | 1,024 |  | 1,074 |
Realized investment gains (losses) included in earnings | 0 |  | 0 |
Unrealized gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss) | (1) |  | 23 |
Purchases | 0 |  | 0 |
Issuances | 0 |  | 0 |
Sales | 0 |  | 0 |
Settlements | 0 |  | 0 |
Transfers into Level 3 | 0 |  | 0 |
Transfers out of Level 3 | (997) | [2] | 0 |
Balance, end of period | 26 |  | 1,097 |
Change in unrealized gains (losses) still held | 0 |  | 0 |
Fixed Maturities | Other Corporate |  |  |  |
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period | 986 |  | 1,105 |
Realized investment gains (losses) included in earnings | 0 |  | 2 |
Unrealized gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss) | 0 |  | (38) |
Purchases | 0 |  | 0 |
Issuances | 0 |  | 0 |
Sales | 0 |  | (34) |
Settlements | 0 |  | 0 |
Transfers into Level 3 | 0 |  | 0 |
Transfers out of Level 3 | (986) | [2] | 0 |
Balance, end of period | 0 |  | 1,035 |
Change in unrealized gains (losses) still held | 0 |  | 0 |
Perpetual Securities | Banks/financial Institutions |  |  |  |
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period | 215 |  | 526 |
Realized investment gains (losses) included in earnings | 0 |  | 49 |
Unrealized gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss) | 0 |  | 6 |
Purchases | 0 |  | 0 |
Issuances | 0 |  | 0 |
Sales | 0 |  | (256) |
Settlements | 0 |  | 0 |
Transfers into Level 3 | 0 |  | 0 |
Transfers out of Level 3 | (215) | [2] | 0 |
Balance, end of period | 0 |  | 325 |
Change in unrealized gains (losses) still held | 0 |  | 0 |
Equity Securities |  |  |  |
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period | 4 |  | 4 |
Realized investment gains (losses) included in earnings | 0 |  | 0 |
Unrealized gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss) | 0 |  | 0 |
Purchases | 0 |  | 0 |
Issuances | 0 |  | 0 |
Sales | 0 |  | 0 |
Settlements | 0 |  | 0 |
Transfers into Level 3 | 0 |  | 0 |
Transfers out of Level 3 | 0 |  | 0 |
Balance, end of period | 4 |  | 4 |
Change in unrealized gains (losses) still held | 0 |  | 0 |
Derivatives | Interest rate swaps |  |  |  |
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period | 29 | [3] | 30 | [3]
Realized investment gains (losses) included in earnings | (4) | [3] | (2) | [3]
Unrealized gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss) | 0 | [3] | 0 | [3]
Purchases | 0 | [3] | 0 | [3]
Issuances | 0 | [3] | 0 | [3]
Sales | 0 | [3] | 0 | [3]
Settlements | 0 | [3] | 0 | [3]
Transfers into Level 3 | 0 | [3] | 0 | [3]
Transfers out of Level 3 | 0 | [3] | 0 | [3]
Balance, end of period | 25 | [3] | 28 | [3]
Change in unrealized gains (losses) still held | (4) | [3] | (2) | [3]
Derivatives | Foreign currency swaps |  |  |  |
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period | (172) | [3] | (56) | [3]
Realized investment gains (losses) included in earnings | (5) | [3] | 13 | [3]
Unrealized gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss) | (7) | [3] | (12) | [3]
Purchases | 0 | [3] | 0 | [3]
Issuances | 0 | [3] | 0 | [3]
Sales | 0 | [3] | 0 | [3]
Settlements | 0 | [3] | (24) | [3]
Transfers into Level 3 | 0 | [3] | 0 | [3]
Transfers out of Level 3 | 0 | [3] | 0 | [3]
Balance, end of period | (184) | [3] | (79) | [3]
Change in unrealized gains (losses) still held | (5) | [3] | 13 | [3]
Derivatives | Credit default swaps |  |  |  |
Fair Value, Assets Measured on Recurring Basis, Unobservable Input Reconciliation, Calculation [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Balance, beginning of period | (65) | [3] | (130) | [3]
Realized investment gains (losses) included in earnings | 11 | [3] | 33 | [3]
Unrealized gains (losses) included in other comprehensive income (loss) | 0 | [3] | 0 | [3]
Purchases | 0 | [3] | 0 | [3]
Issuances | 0 | [3] | 0 | [3]
Sales | 0 | [3] | 0 | [3]
Settlements | 0 | [3] | 0 | [3]
Transfers into Level 3 | 0 | [3] | 0 | [3]
Transfers out of Level 3 | 0 | [3] | 0 | [3]
Balance, end of period | (54) | [3] | (97) | [3]
Change in unrealized gains (losses) still held | $ 11 | [3] | $ 33 | [3]
[1] | Due to a lack of visibility to observe significant inputs to price
[2] | A result of changing our pricing methodology to a valuation method that uses observable market data as significant inputs to estimate fair value
[3] | Derivative assets and liabilities are presented net

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- Definition Amount of gain (loss) recognized in earnings, arising from assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis using unobservable inputs (level 3). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7578670&loc=d3e19207-110258 + Details
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- Definition Amount of gain (loss) recognized in other comprehensive income, arising from assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis using unobservable inputs (level 3). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c)(1a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7578670&loc=d3e19207-110258 + Details
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- Definition Issues that have taken place during the period in relation to assets measured at fair value and categorized within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7578670&loc=d3e19207-110258 + Details
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- Definition Purchases that have taken place during the period in relation to assets measured at fair value and categorized within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7578670&loc=d3e19207-110258 + Details
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- Definition Settlements that have taken place during the period in relation to assets measured at fair value and categorized within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7578670&loc=d3e19207-110258 + Details
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- Definition Transfers into assets measured at fair value and categorized within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy that have taken place during the period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7578670&loc=d3e19207-110258 + Details
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- Definition Transfers out of assets measured at fair value and categorized within Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy that have taken place during the period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7578670&loc=d3e19207-110258 + Details
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- Definition This element represents an asset measured at fair value using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) which is required for reconciliation purposes of beginning and ending balances. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 820 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7578670&loc=d3e19207-110258 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 157 -Paragraph 32 -Subparagraph c -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. + Details
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