| **Benefit Plans (Schedule of Amounts Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions** | 12 Months Ended |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------|
||
| **Retirement Benefits [Abstract]**                                                                                 |            |   |   |
| Amounts arising during the period                                                                                  | $ (12)          | $ 262 | $ (67) |
| Settlement                                                                                                         | 0               | 1 | 3 |
| Reclassification adjustment relating to prior service credit                                                       | 0               | 0 | 0 |
| Reclassification adjustment relating to actuarial loss                                                             | 30              | 46 | 45 |
| Total increase (decrease) in Other comprehensive income                                                            | $ 18            | $ 309 | $ (19) |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Settlements, before Tax
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**cna_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossPensionandOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansSettlementsbeforeTax**Namespace Prefix:**cna_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_CompensationAndRetirementDisclosureAbstract**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:stringItemType**Balance Type:**na**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount, before tax, of reclassification adjustment from accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss for prior service cost (credit) of defined benefit plan.
+ References
Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 17A -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126968391&loc=SL34724391-108580Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (i) -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123447040&loc=d3e1928-114920Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 15 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126968391&loc=d3e689-108580Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 11 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126968391&loc=d3e637-108580
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossAmortizationAdjustmentFromAOCIPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansForNetPriorServiceCostCreditBeforeTax**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount, before tax, after reclassification adjustment, of (increase) decrease in accumulated other comprehensive income for defined benefit plan.
+ References
Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 10A -Subparagraph (i-k) -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126968391&loc=SL7669646-108580Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (i) -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123447040&loc=d3e1928-114920Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 11 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126968391&loc=d3e637-108580Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 55 -Paragraph 17 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123450688&loc=d3e4179-114921
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansAdjustmentBeforeTax**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount, before tax, of gain (loss) for (increase) decrease in value of benefit obligation for change in actuarial assumptions and increase (decrease) in value of plan assets from experience different from that assumed of defined benefit plan, that has not been recognized in net periodic benefit (cost) credit.
+ References
Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 10A -Subparagraph (i) -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126968391&loc=SL7669646-108580Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 11 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126968391&loc=d3e637-108580Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (i) -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123447040&loc=d3e1928-114920
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansNetUnamortizedGainLossArisingDuringPeriodBeforeTax**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**credit**Period Type:**duration |
| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Amount, before tax, of reclassification adjustment from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) for gain (loss) of defined benefit plan.
+ References
Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 11 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126968391&loc=d3e637-108580Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 715 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (i) -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123447040&loc=d3e1928-114920Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 15 -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126968391&loc=d3e689-108580Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 17A -URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126968391&loc=SL34724391-108580
+ Details**Name:**us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossReclassificationAdjustmentFromAOCIPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansForNetGainLossBeforeTax**Namespace Prefix:**us-gaap_**Data Type:**xbrli:monetaryItemType**Balance Type:**debit**Period Type:**duration |