Consolidated Balance Sheet (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Assets:
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 1,343	$ 1,639
Investments:
Fixed maturities, available for sale at fair value (amortized cost — $29,074 and $25,366)	30,734	26,456
Fixed maturities, trading at fair value	266us-gaap_TradingSecuritiesDebt	305us-gaap_TradingSecuritiesDebt
Equity securities, available for sale at fair value (cost — $1,283 and $931)	1,501	1,123
Equity securities, trading at fair value	195us-gaap_TradingSecuritiesEquity	56us-gaap_TradingSecuritiesEquity
Mortgage loans	1,117	781
Policy loans	228us-gaap_LoansInsurancePolicy	238us-gaap_LoansInsurancePolicy
Real estate and other investments	826afg_RealEstateAndOtherInvestments	715afg_RealEstateAndOtherInvestments
Total cash and investments	36,210us-gaap_InvestmentsAndCash	31,313us-gaap_InvestmentsAndCash
Recoverables from reinsurers	3,238us-gaap_ReinsuranceRecoverables	3,157us-gaap_ReinsuranceRecoverables
Prepaid reinsurance premiums	469us-gaap_PrepaidReinsurancePremiums	408us-gaap_PrepaidReinsurancePremiums
Agents’ balances and premiums receivable	889	739
Deferred policy acquisition costs	821	975
Assets of managed investment entities	3,108	2,888
Other receivables	910us-gaap_OtherReceivables	854us-gaap_OtherReceivables
Variable annuity assets (separate accounts)	662us-gaap_SeparateAccountAssets	665us-gaap_SeparateAccountAssets
Other assets	1,027us-gaap_OtherAssets	903us-gaap_OtherAssets
Goodwill	201us-gaap_Goodwill	185us-gaap_Goodwill
Total assets	47,535us-gaap_Assets	42,087us-gaap_Assets
Liabilities and Equity:
Unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses	7,872	6,410
Unearned premiums	1,956us-gaap_UnearnedPremiums	1,757us-gaap_UnearnedPremiums
Annuity benefits accumulated	23,764	20,944
Life, accident and health reserves	2,175afg_LifeAccidentAndHealthReserves	2,008afg_LifeAccidentAndHealthReserves
Payable to reinsurers	645us-gaap_ReinsurancePayable	508us-gaap_ReinsurancePayable
Liabilities of managed investment entities	2,819	2,567
Long-term debt	1,061us-gaap_LongTermDebt	913us-gaap_LongTermDebt
Variable annuity liabilities (separate accounts)	662us-gaap_SeparateAccountsLiability	665us-gaap_SeparateAccountsLiability
Other liabilities	1,527us-gaap_OtherLiabilities	1,546us-gaap_OtherLiabilities
Total liabilities	42,481us-gaap_Liabilities	37,318us-gaap_Liabilities
Shareholders’ equity:
Common Stock, no par value — 200,000,000 shares authorized — 87,708,793 and 89,513,386 shares outstanding	88us-gaap_CommonStockValue	90us-gaap_CommonStockValue
Capital surplus	1,152	1,123
Retained earnings:
Appropriated — managed investment entities	(2)us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAppropriated	49us-gaap_RetainedEarningsAppropriated
Unappropriated	2,914us-gaap_RetainedEarningsUnappropriated	2,777us-gaap_RetainedEarningsUnappropriated
Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax	727	560
Total shareholders’ equity	4,879us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	4,599us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
Noncontrolling interests	175us-gaap_MinorityInterest	170us-gaap_MinorityInterest
Total equity	5,054	4,769
Total liabilities and equity	$ 47,535	$ 42,087

The sum of the known and estimated amounts payable as of the balance sheet date to traditional life insurance policyholders, and under disability and accident insurance contracts, that relate to insured events which can be viewed as either (a) the present value of future benefits to be paid to or on behalf of policyholders and expenses less the present value of future net premiums payable under the insurance contracts or (b) the accumulated amount of net premiums already collected less the accumulated amount of benefits and expenses already paid to or on behalf of policyholders. This sum also includes amounts payable to universal life insurance policyholders for which the liability is equal to the account value.

No definition available.