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Variable Interest Entities (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |
Outstanding Principal Balance of Surplus Note Issued By LRCVV And Held By LFLLCI | $ 573 |
Long-Term Senior Note Issued In Exchange For Corporate Bond Afs Security | 275 |
Outstanding Principal Balance of Long-Term Senior Note Issued In Exchange For Corporate Bond AFS Security | 854 |
Maxiumum Principal Balance of Long Term Senior Note Issued In Exchange For Corporate Bond AFS Security | 1,100 |
Carrying Amounts of our Investments in LPs and LLCs, As Recognized In Other Investments on our Consolidated Balance Sheets | 2,296 | $ 2,230
Limited Partnerships and Limited Liability Companies [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |
Carrying Amounts of our Investments in LPs and LLCs, As Recognized In Other Investments on our Consolidated Balance Sheets | 1,500 | 1,300
Carrying Amount Of Investments In Qualified Affordable Housing Projects | 31 | 37
Income Tax Credits And Other Tax Benefits From Qualified Affordable Housing Projects | 3 | 3
Credit Linked Note Structure April 2007 [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items] |  |
CLN | $ 0 | $ 200

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- Definition The carrying amount of our investments in qualified affordable housing projects which are recognized in other investments on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. + References No definition available. + Details
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Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition Amount of investment in credit-linked note structure. + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | lnc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of long-term senior note issued in exchange for a corporate bond AFS security from a non-affiliated VIE whose primary activities are to acquire, hold, and issue notes and loans, as well as pay and collect interest on the notes and loans. + References No definition available. + Details
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Balance Type: | credit
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- Definition The outstanding principal balance is variable in nature; moving concurrently with any variability in the face amount of the corporate bond AFS security up to this maximum amount. + References No definition available. + Details
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X
- Definition Amount of principal balance outstanding of long-term senior note issued in exchange for a corporate bond AFS security from a non-affiliated VIE whose primary activities are to acquire, hold, and issue notes and loans, as well as pay and collect interest on the notes and loans. + References No definition available. + Details
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X
- Definition Amount of principal balance outstanding of the suplus note held by LFLLCI and issued by LRCVV. + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | lnc_
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Balance Type: | credit
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X
- Definition Amount of affordable housing tax credits and other tax benefits recognized. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -SubTopic 740 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64813897&loc=SL49122993-202985 + Details
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Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Amount of investments classified as other. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.12) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1(f,g)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 + Details
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- 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
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- Details
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- Details
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