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Investments (Narrative) (Details) $ in Millions | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) item | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) item
Investment [Line Items] |  |
Increase (decrease) in gross AFS securities unrealized losses | $ (634) |
Number of partnerships in alternative investment portfolio | item | 216 | 206
Alternative investments as a percentage of overall invested assets | 1.00% | 1.00%
Fair value of collateral received that we are permitted to sell or re-pledge | $ 175 |
Securities that have been re-pledged | 53 |
Investment commitments | 1,600 |
Investment commitments for limited partnerships | 801 |
Investment commitments for mortgage loans on real estate | 328 |
Investment commitments for private placements | 475 |
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation [Member] |  |
Investment [Line Items] |  |
Fair value | $ 1,300 | $ 1,500
Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation [Member] | Invested Assets [Member] |  |
Investment [Line Items] |  |
Concentration risk, percentage | 1.00% | 1.00%
Federal National Mortgage Association [Member] |  |
Investment [Line Items] |  |
Fair value | $ 1,000 | $ 1,100
Federal National Mortgage Association [Member] | Invested Assets [Member] |  |
Investment [Line Items] |  |
Concentration risk, percentage | 1.00% | 1.00%
Consumer Non-Cyclical Industry [Member] |  |
Investment [Line Items] |  |
Fair value | $ 14,900 | $ 13,700
Consumer Non-Cyclical Industry [Member] | Invested Assets [Member] |  |
Investment [Line Items] |  |
Concentration risk, percentage | 13.00% | 13.00%
Utilities Industry [Member] |  |
Investment [Line Items] |  |
Fair value | $ 14,000 | $ 13,200
Utilities Industry [Member] | Invested Assets [Member] |  |
Investment [Line Items] |  |
Concentration risk, percentage | 13.00% | 12.00%
Mortgage Loans On Real Estate [Member] | Geographic Concentration Risk [Member] | California [Member] |  |
Investment [Line Items] |  |
Concentration risk, percentage | 21.00% | 20.00%
Mortgage Loans On Real Estate [Member] | Geographic Concentration Risk [Member] | Texas [Member] |  |
Investment [Line Items] |  |
Concentration risk, percentage | 11.00% | 11.00%
Corporate bonds [Member] |  |
Investment [Line Items] |  |
Percentage of fair value rated as investment grade | 96.00% | 95.00%
Amortized cost of portfolio rated below investment grade | $ 3,300 | $ 3,800
Fair value of portfolio rated below investment grade | $ 3,300 | $ 3,700
ABS [Member] |  |
Investment [Line Items] |  |
Percentage of fair value rated as investment grade | 96.00% | 96.00%
Amortized cost of portfolio rated below investment grade | $ 86 | $ 91
Fair value of portfolio rated below investment grade | $ 73 | $ 75
MBS [Member] |  |
Investment [Line Items] |  |
Projected default rate on existing delinquencies on MBS (low end of range) | 10.00% | 10.00%
Projected default rate on existing delinquencies on MBS (high end of range) | 100.00% | 100.00%
Severity of second lien loans | 100.00% | 100.00%
Severity of first lien loans | 30.00% | 30.00%

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- Definition Line items represent reporting 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 Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Article 12 -Section 12 -Sentence Column A + Details
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