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Debt (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended |  | 12 Months Ended |  | 12 Months Ended | 0 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |  |  | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2011 days | Dec. 31, 2010 | Dec. 31, 2011 Cutwater-ISC [Member] | Dec. 31, 2010 Cutwater-ISC [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Triple-A-One Funding, LLC [Member] | Dec. 31, 2010 Triple-A-One Funding, LLC [Member] | Jan. 16, 2008 14% Surplus Notes Due 2033 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 14% Surplus Notes Due 2033 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Investment Agreement Obligations [Member] | Dec. 31, 2010 Investment Agreement Obligations [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Medium-Term Notes [Member] | Dec. 31, 2010 Medium-Term Notes [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Non Variable Interest Entities [Member] 14% Surplus Notes Due 2033 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2010 Non Variable Interest Entities [Member] 14% Surplus Notes Due 2033 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Variable Interest Entities [Member] | Dec. 31, 2010 Variable Interest Entities [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Aggregate principal amount in excess of stated amount | $ 10,000,000 | $ 10,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term debt, interest rate |  |  |  |  |  |  | 14.00% | 14.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Long-term debt, maturity date |  |  |  |  |  |  | Jan. 15, 2033 | Jan. 15, 2033 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest rate terms |  |  |  |  | one-month LIBOR plus 0.75% | one-month LIBOR plus 0.75% | interest rate of 14% until January 15, 2013 and thereafter at an interest rate of three-month LIBOR plus 11.26%. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Surplus notes outstanding |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,000,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  | 940,000,000 | [1] | 945,000,000 | [1] |  |
Surplus notes purchased at par value | 5,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Surplus notes, cost of par value, percentage | 55.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Surplus notes repurchased at outstanding par value | 47,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Surplus notes, weighted average price per unit | $ 77.08 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Annual interest rates, minimum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% |  |  |  |  | 0.64% | 0.52%
Annual interest rates, maximum |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 7.38% | 7.38% | 8.68% | 8.37% |  |  |  |  | 1.78% | 1.76%
Weighted average interest rate |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4.31% | 3.73% | 3.19% | 3.17% |  |  |  |  | 1.41% | 1.37%
Outstanding letters of credit |  |  | 10,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of pooled investment programs |  |  | 2 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Maximum amount of future payments under commitments |  |  | 3,300,000,000 | 4,200,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Triple-A One commercial paper maturity, days | 270 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Covering of the face amount of commercial paper outstanding, percentage |  |  |  |  | 100.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Repaid value in full and borrowings under liquidity facilities |  |  |  |  | $ 360,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Expected debt facilities fully repaid |  |  |  |  | 2037 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
[1] | Callable on January 15, 2013 and every fifth anniversary thereafter at 100.00.

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