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Derivatives (Credit Derivatives) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Credit Derivatives [Line Items]    
Estimated Fair Value of Credit Default Swaps $ 175us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue $ 165us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
Maximum Amount of Future Payments under Credit Default Swaps 10,527us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted 9,055us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
Weighted Average Years to Maturity 3 years 11 months 3 years 4 months 24 days
Aaa/Aa/A    
Credit Derivatives [Line Items]    
Estimated Fair Value of Credit Default Swaps 20us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_AaaAaMember
36us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_AaaAaMember
Maximum Amount of Future Payments under Credit Default Swaps 2,377us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_AaaAaMember
3,284us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_AaaAaMember
Weighted Average Years to Maturity 2 years 7 months 1 year 7 months 6 days
Aaa/Aa/A | Single name credit default swaps (corporate)    
Credit Derivatives [Line Items]    
Estimated Fair Value of Credit Default Swaps 10us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditDefaultSwapMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_AaaAaMember
10us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditDefaultSwapMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_AaaAaMember
Maximum Amount of Future Payments under Credit Default Swaps 677us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditDefaultSwapMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_AaaAaMember
545us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditDefaultSwapMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_AaaAaMember
Weighted Average Years to Maturity 2 years 5 months 2 years 7 months 6 days
Aaa/Aa/A | Credit default swaps referencing indices    
Credit Derivatives [Line Items]    
Estimated Fair Value of Credit Default Swaps 10us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditIndexProductMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_AaaAaMember
26us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditIndexProductMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_AaaAaMember
Maximum Amount of Future Payments under Credit Default Swaps 1,700us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditIndexProductMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_AaaAaMember
2,739us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditIndexProductMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_AaaAaMember
Weighted Average Years to Maturity 2 years 7 months 1 year 6 months 0 days
Baa    
Credit Derivatives [Line Items]    
Estimated Fair Value of Credit Default Swaps 117us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BaaMember
97us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BaaMember
Maximum Amount of Future Payments under Credit Default Swaps 7,365us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BaaMember
5,391us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BaaMember
Weighted Average Years to Maturity 4 years 3 months 4 years 4 months 0 days
Baa | Single name credit default swaps (corporate)    
Credit Derivatives [Line Items]    
Estimated Fair Value of Credit Default Swaps 23us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditDefaultSwapMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BaaMember
24us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditDefaultSwapMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BaaMember
Maximum Amount of Future Payments under Credit Default Swaps 1,591us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditDefaultSwapMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BaaMember
1,320us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditDefaultSwapMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BaaMember
Weighted Average Years to Maturity 2 years 9 months 3 years 1 month 0 days
Baa | Credit default swaps referencing indices    
Credit Derivatives [Line Items]    
Estimated Fair Value of Credit Default Swaps 94us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditIndexProductMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BaaMember
73us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditIndexProductMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BaaMember
Maximum Amount of Future Payments under Credit Default Swaps 5,774us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditIndexProductMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BaaMember
4,071us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditIndexProductMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BaaMember
Weighted Average Years to Maturity 4 years 8 months 4 years 8 months 12 days
Ba    
Credit Derivatives [Line Items]    
Estimated Fair Value of Credit Default Swaps (1)us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BaMember
0us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BaMember
Maximum Amount of Future Payments under Credit Default Swaps 160us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BaMember
5us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BaMember
Weighted Average Years to Maturity 2 years 5 months 3 years 9 months 0 days
Ba | Single name credit default swaps (corporate)    
Credit Derivatives [Line Items]    
Estimated Fair Value of Credit Default Swaps 0us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditDefaultSwapMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BaMember
0us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditDefaultSwapMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BaMember
Maximum Amount of Future Payments under Credit Default Swaps 60us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditDefaultSwapMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BaMember
5us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditDefaultSwapMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BaMember
Weighted Average Years to Maturity 3 years 3 years 9 months 0 days
Ba | Credit default swaps referencing indices    
Credit Derivatives [Line Items]    
Estimated Fair Value of Credit Default Swaps (1)us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditIndexProductMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BaMember
0us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditIndexProductMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BaMember
Maximum Amount of Future Payments under Credit Default Swaps 100us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditIndexProductMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BaMember
0us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditIndexProductMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BaMember
Weighted Average Years to Maturity 2 years 0 years
B [Member]    
Credit Derivatives [Line Items]    
Estimated Fair Value of Credit Default Swaps 39us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BMember
32us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BMember
Maximum Amount of Future Payments under Credit Default Swaps 625us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BMember
375us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BMember
Weighted Average Years to Maturity 4 years 11 months 4 years 10 months 24 days
B [Member] | Single name credit default swaps (corporate)    
Credit Derivatives [Line Items]    
Estimated Fair Value of Credit Default Swaps 0us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditDefaultSwapMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BMember
0us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditDefaultSwapMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BMember
Maximum Amount of Future Payments under Credit Default Swaps 0us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditDefaultSwapMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BMember
0us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditDefaultSwapMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BMember
Weighted Average Years to Maturity 0 years 0 years
B [Member] | Credit default swaps referencing indices    
Credit Derivatives [Line Items]    
Estimated Fair Value of Credit Default Swaps 39us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditIndexProductMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BMember
32us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditIndexProductMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BMember
Maximum Amount of Future Payments under Credit Default Swaps $ 625us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditIndexProductMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BMember
$ 375us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_CreditDerivativesByContractTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CreditIndexProductMember
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_BMember
Weighted Average Years to Maturity 4 years 11 months 4 years 10 months 24 days