| **Claim and Claim Adjustment Expense Reserves (Net prior year claim and allocated claim adjustment expense reserve development for Specialty segment) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions** | 12 Months Ended |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|
||
| Pretax (favorable) unfavorable net prior year claim and allocated claim adjustment expense reserve development, excluding Life & Group                                                | $ (210)         | $ (21) | $ (118) |
| Specialty [Member]                                                                                                                                                                        |            |   |   |
| Medical Professional Liability                                                                                                                                                            | (43)            | 39 | (27) |
| Other Professional Liability and Management Liability                                                                                                                                     | 0               | (87) | (73) |
| Surety                                                                                                                                                                                    | (69)            | (82) | (74) |
| Warranty                                                                                                                                                                                  | (2)             | (2) | (3) |
| Other                                                                                                                                                                                     | (27)            | (4) | (19) |
| Pretax (favorable) unfavorable net prior year claim and allocated claim adjustment expense reserve development, excluding Life & Group                                                | $ (141)         | $ (136) | $ (196) |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Net prior year claim and allocated claim adjustment expense reserve development, Medical Professional Liability
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**cna_NetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentMedicalProfessionalLiability**Namespace Prefix:**cna_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Net prior year claim and allocated claim adjustment expense reserve development, Other
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**cna_NetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentOther**Namespace Prefix:**cna_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Net prior year claim and allocated claim adjustment expense reserve development, Surety
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**cna_NetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentSurety**Namespace Prefix:**cna_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Net prior year claim and allocated claim adjustment expense reserve development, Warranty
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**cna_NetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentWarranty**Namespace Prefix:**cna_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Net prior year claim and allocated claim adjustment expense reserve development, Other Professional Liability and Management Liability
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**cna_NetprioryearclaimandallocatedclaimadjustmentexpensereservedevelopmentOtherProfessionalLiabilityandManagementLiability**Namespace Prefix:**cna_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Pretax (favorable) unfavorable net prior year claim and allocated claim adjustment expense reserve development, excluding Life & Group
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**cna_PretaxFavorableUnfavorableNetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentExcludingLifeGroup**Namespace Prefix:**cna_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                 |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Details**Name:**us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=cna_SpecialtyMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |