| **Claim and Claim Adjustment Expense Reserves (Net prior year claim and allocated claim adjustment expense reserve development for Commercial segment) (Details) (USD $)In Millions, unless otherwise specified** | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                         |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
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| Pretax (favorable) unfavorable net prior year claim and allocated claim adjustment expense reserve development, excluding Life & Group                                                                        | $ (21)cna_PretaxFavorableUnfavorableNetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentExcludingLifeGroup                                                             | $ (118)cna_PretaxFavorableUnfavorableNetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentExcludingLifeGroup | $ (205)cna_PretaxFavorableUnfavorableNetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentExcludingLifeGroup |
| Commercial [Member]                                                                                                                                                                                               |                                                                                                                                                                                    |   |   |
| Commercial Auto                                                                                                                                                                                                   | 31cna_NetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentCommercialAuto/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= cna_CommercialMember                                  | 18cna_NetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentCommercialAuto/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= cna_CommercialMember | 25cna_NetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentCommercialAuto/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= cna_CommercialMember |
| General Liability                                                                                                                                                                                                 | 45cna_NetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentGeneralLiability/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= cna_CommercialMember                                | 64cna_NetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentGeneralLiability/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= cna_CommercialMember | (66)cna_NetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentGeneralLiability/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= cna_CommercialMember |
| Workers' Compensation                                                                                                                                                                                             | 139cna_NetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentWorkersCompensation/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= cna_CommercialMember                            | 91cna_NetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentWorkersCompensation/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= cna_CommercialMember | 15cna_NetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentWorkersCompensation/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= cna_CommercialMember |
| Property and Other                                                                                                                                                                                                | (39)cna_NetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentPropertyAndOther/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= cna_CommercialMember                              | (51)cna_NetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentPropertyAndOther/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= cna_CommercialMember | 1cna_NetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentPropertyAndOther/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= cna_CommercialMember |
| Pretax (favorable) unfavorable net prior year claim and allocated claim adjustment expense reserve development, excluding Life & Group                                                                        | $ 176cna_PretaxFavorableUnfavorableNetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentExcludingLifeGroup/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= cna_CommercialMember | $ 122cna_PretaxFavorableUnfavorableNetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentExcludingLifeGroup/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= cna_CommercialMember | $ (25)cna_PretaxFavorableUnfavorableNetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentExcludingLifeGroup/ us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis= cna_CommercialMember |

| X                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        |
|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| - Definition
Net prior year claim and allocated claim adjustment expense reserve development, Commercial Auto
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**cna_NetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentCommercialAuto**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, General Liability
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**cna_NetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentGeneralLiability**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, Property and Other
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**cna_NetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentPropertyAndOther**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, Workers' Compensation
+ References
No definition available.
+ Details**Name:**cna_NetPriorYearClaimAndAllocatedClaimAdjustmentExpenseReserveDevelopmentWorkersCompensation**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_CommercialMember**Namespace Prefix:****Data Type:**na**Balance Type:****Period Type:** |