XML 56 R145.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.19.3.a.u2

Schedule II - Aflac Incorporated (Parent Only) - Supplemental Disclosure of Cash Flow Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017
Shareholder dividend reinvestment |  |  |
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items] |  |  |
Treasury stock issued for shareholder dividend reinvestment | $ 30 | $ 8 | $ 29
Parent Company |  |  |
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items] |  |  |
Interest paid | 189 | 179 | 195
Parent Company | Shareholder dividend reinvestment |  |  |
Condensed Cash Flow Statements, Captions [Line Items] |  |  |
Treasury stock issued for shareholder dividend reinvestment | $ 30 | $ 8 | $ 29

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | srt_CondensedCashFlowStatementsCaptionsLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | srt_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of cash paid for interest, including, but not limited to, capitalized interest and payment to settle zero-coupon bond attributable to accreted interest of debt discount and debt instrument with insignificant coupon interest rate in relation to effective interest rate of borrowing attributable to accreted interest of debt discount; classified as operating and investing activities. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98513485&loc=d3e4297-108586 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_InterestPaid
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The fair value of stock issued in noncash financing activities. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98513485&loc=d3e4304-108586 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98513485&loc=d3e4332-108586 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98513485&loc=d3e4313-108586 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_StockIssued1
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | afl_TreasuryStockActivityByTypeAxis=afl_ShareholderDividendReinvestmentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_ConsolidatedEntitiesAxis=srt_ParentCompanyMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |