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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%

X

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-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
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