XML 56 R44.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.8.0.1

INVESTMENTS - Fair Value and Gross Unrealized Losses for Securities That Have Been in Continuous Unrealized Loss Position (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items] |  |
Total Fair Value | $ 18,466 | $ 20,275
Total Unrealized Losses | 1,093 | 1,156
Less than 12 months Fair Value | 11,031 | 14,743
Less than 12 months Unrealized Losses | 529 | 621
12 months or longer Fair Value | 7,435 | 5,532
12 months or longer Unrealized Losses | 564 | 535
Fixed maturities |  |
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items] |  |
Total Fair Value | 17,996 | 19,536
Total Unrealized Losses | 1,053 | 1,099
Less than 12 months Fair Value | 10,914 | 14,398
Less than 12 months Unrealized Losses | 523 | 612
12 months or longer Fair Value | 7,082 | 5,138
12 months or longer Unrealized Losses | 530 | 487
Perpetual securities |  |
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items] |  |
Total Fair Value | 340 | 479
Total Unrealized Losses | 32 | 49
Less than 12 months Fair Value | 0 | 85
Less than 12 months Unrealized Losses | 0 | 1
12 months or longer Fair Value | 340 | 394
12 months or longer Unrealized Losses | 32 | 48
Equity securities |  |
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items] |  |
Total Fair Value | 130 | 260
Total Unrealized Losses | 8 | 8
Less than 12 months Fair Value | 117 | 260
Less than 12 months Unrealized Losses | 6 | 8
12 months or longer Fair Value | 13 | 0
12 months or longer Unrealized Losses | 2 | 0
Yen-denominated | Fixed maturities | Japan government and agencies |  |
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items] |  |
Total Fair Value | 6,404 | 3,958
Total Unrealized Losses | 423 | 160
Less than 12 months Fair Value | 6,208 | 3,958
Less than 12 months Unrealized Losses | 399 | 160
12 months or longer Fair Value | 196 | 0
12 months or longer Unrealized Losses | 24 | 0
Yen-denominated | Fixed maturities | Municipalities |  |
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items] |  |
Total Fair Value | 152 | 105
Total Unrealized Losses | 15 | 8
Less than 12 months Fair Value | 62 | 105
Less than 12 months Unrealized Losses | 3 | 8
12 months or longer Fair Value | 90 | 0
12 months or longer Unrealized Losses | 12 | 0
Yen-denominated | Fixed maturities | Mortgage- and asset-backed securities |  |
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items] |  |
Total Fair Value |  | 713
Total Unrealized Losses |  | 8
Less than 12 months Fair Value |  | 713
Less than 12 months Unrealized Losses |  | 8
12 months or longer Fair Value |  | 0
12 months or longer Unrealized Losses |  | 0
Yen-denominated | Fixed maturities | Public utilities |  |
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items] |  |
Total Fair Value | 95 | 635
Total Unrealized Losses | 7 | 26
Less than 12 months Fair Value | 69 | 347
Less than 12 months Unrealized Losses | 6 | 14
12 months or longer Fair Value | 26 | 288
12 months or longer Unrealized Losses | 1 | 12
Yen-denominated | Fixed maturities | Sovereign and supranational |  |
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items] |  |
Total Fair Value | 352 | 244
Total Unrealized Losses | 3 | 13
Less than 12 months Fair Value | 352 | 38
Less than 12 months Unrealized Losses | 3 | 5
12 months or longer Fair Value | 0 | 206
12 months or longer Unrealized Losses | 0 | 8
Yen-denominated | Fixed maturities | Banks/financial institutions |  |
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items] |  |
Total Fair Value | 1,616 | 1,521
Total Unrealized Losses | 77 | 100
Less than 12 months Fair Value | 637 | 636
Less than 12 months Unrealized Losses | 29 | 19
12 months or longer Fair Value | 979 | 885
12 months or longer Unrealized Losses | 48 | 81
Yen-denominated | Fixed maturities | Other corporate |  |
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items] |  |
Total Fair Value | 424 | 321
Total Unrealized Losses | 25 | 10
Less than 12 months Fair Value | 386 | 321
Less than 12 months Unrealized Losses | 24 | 10
12 months or longer Fair Value | 38 | 0
12 months or longer Unrealized Losses | 1 | 0
Yen-denominated | Perpetual securities |  |
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items] |  |
Total Fair Value | 340 | 479
Total Unrealized Losses | 32 | 49
Less than 12 months Fair Value | 0 | 85
Less than 12 months Unrealized Losses | 0 | 1
12 months or longer Fair Value | 340 | 394
12 months or longer Unrealized Losses | 32 | 48
Yen-denominated | Equity securities |  |
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items] |  |
Total Fair Value | 72 | 49
Total Unrealized Losses | 2 | 2
Less than 12 months Fair Value | 67 | 49
Less than 12 months Unrealized Losses | 1 | 2
12 months or longer Fair Value | 5 | 0
12 months or longer Unrealized Losses | 1 | 0
Dollar-denominated | Fixed maturities | Municipalities |  |
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items] |  |
Total Fair Value |  | 44
Total Unrealized Losses |  | 8
Less than 12 months Fair Value |  | 0
Less than 12 months Unrealized Losses |  | 0
12 months or longer Fair Value |  | 44
12 months or longer Unrealized Losses |  | 8
Dollar-denominated | Fixed maturities | Public utilities |  |
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items] |  |
Total Fair Value | 879 | 1,265
Total Unrealized Losses | 34 | 60
Less than 12 months Fair Value | 252 | 790
Less than 12 months Unrealized Losses | 4 | 32
12 months or longer Fair Value | 627 | 475
12 months or longer Unrealized Losses | 30 | 28
Dollar-denominated | Fixed maturities | Banks/financial institutions |  |
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items] |  |
Total Fair Value | 188 | 268
Total Unrealized Losses | 7 | 16
Less than 12 months Fair Value | 145 | 238
Less than 12 months Unrealized Losses | 3 | 10
12 months or longer Fair Value | 43 | 30
12 months or longer Unrealized Losses | 4 | 6
Dollar-denominated | Fixed maturities | Other corporate |  |
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items] |  |
Total Fair Value | 7,886 | 10,462
Total Unrealized Losses | 462 | 690
Less than 12 months Fair Value | 2,803 | 7,252
Less than 12 months Unrealized Losses | 52 | 346
12 months or longer Fair Value | 5,083 | 3,210
12 months or longer Unrealized Losses | 410 | 344
Dollar-denominated | Equity securities |  |
Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items] |  |
Total Fair Value | 58 | 211
Total Unrealized Losses | 6 | 6
Less than 12 months Fair Value | 50 | 211
Less than 12 months Unrealized Losses | 5 | 6
12 months or longer Fair Value | 8 | 0
12 months or longer Unrealized Losses | $ 1 | $ 0

X
- Definition Investments, Unrealized Loss Position [Line Items] + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | afl_InvestmentsUnrealizedLossPositionLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | afl_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition This item represents the excess of [amortized] cost over fair value of securities that have been in a loss position for twelve months or longer for those securities which are categorized as available-for sale or held-to-maturity . + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | afl_SecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPosition12MonthsOrLongerAggregateLosses
Namespace Prefix: | afl_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition This item represents the excess of [amortized] cost over fair value of securities in a loss position and which are categorized as available-for-sale or held-to-maturity. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | afl_SecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionAggregateLosses
Namespace Prefix: | afl_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition This item represents the fair value of securities in an unrealized loss position which are categorized as available-for-sale or held-to-maturity. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | afl_SecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionFairValue
Namespace Prefix: | afl_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition This item represents the fair value of securities categorized as available-for-sale or held-to-maturity that have been in a continuous unrealized loss position for less than twelve months. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | afl_SecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessThanTwelveMonthsFairValue
Namespace Prefix: | afl_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition This item represents the excess of [amortized] cost over fair value of securities that have been in a loss position for less than twelve months for those securities which are categorized as available-for-sale or held-to-maturity . + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | afl_SecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionLessthan12monthsAggregateLosses
Namespace Prefix: | afl_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition This item represents the fair value of securities categorized as available-for-sale or held-to-maturity that have been in a continuous unrealized loss position for twelve months or longer. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | afl_SecuritiesContinuousUnrealizedLossPositionTwelveMonthsOrLongerFairValue
Namespace Prefix: | afl_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_FixedMaturitiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=afl_PerpetualSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_CurrencyAxis=currency_JPY
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_ForeignGovernmentDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_MunicipalBondsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_AssetBackedSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_PublicUtilityBondsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_SovereignDebtMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=afl_BanksAndFinancialInstitutionsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_CurrencyAxis=currency_USD
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |