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Derivatives (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]      
Estimated Fair Value Assets $ 13,452us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeAsset $ 8,595us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeAsset  
Estimated Fair Value Liabilities 7,022us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeLiability 6,521us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeLiability  
Maximum Amount of Future Payments under Credit Default Swaps 10,527us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted 9,055us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted  
Estimated Fair Value of Credit Default Swaps 175us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue 165us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue  
Excess securities collateral received on derivatives 87us-gaap_DerivativeCollateralObligationToReturnCash 104us-gaap_DerivativeCollateralObligationToReturnCash  
Securities collateral received which the company is permitted to sell or repledge, amount that has been sold or repledged 0us-gaap_CustomerSecuritiesForWhichEntityHasRightToSellOrRepledgeFairValueOfSecuritiesSoldOrRepledged    
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]      
Net investment gains (losses) (197)us-gaap_GainLossOnInvestments 161us-gaap_GainLossOnInvestments (352)us-gaap_GainLossOnInvestments
Embedded derivatives (321)us-gaap_EmbeddedDerivativeGainLossOnEmbeddedDerivativeNet 5,104us-gaap_EmbeddedDerivativeGainLossOnEmbeddedDerivativeNet 1,239us-gaap_EmbeddedDerivativeGainLossOnEmbeddedDerivativeNet
Derivative Instrument Detail [Abstract]      
Net amounts reclassified into net derivatives gains (losses) on discontinued cash flow hedges (15)us-gaap_GainLossOnDiscontinuationOfCashFlowHedgeDueToForecastedTransactionProbableOfNotOccurringNet (1)us-gaap_GainLossOnDiscontinuationOfCashFlowHedgeDueToForecastedTransactionProbableOfNotOccurringNet 1us-gaap_GainLossOnDiscontinuationOfCashFlowHedgeDueToForecastedTransactionProbableOfNotOccurringNet
Hedging exposure to variability in future cash flows for specific length of time 6 years 7 years  
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Loss 1,800met_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLoss 375met_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLoss  
Deferred net gains (losses) expected to be reclassified to earnings (4)us-gaap_CashFlowHedgeGainLossToBeReclassifiedWithinTwelveMonths    
Amount and Location of Gains (Losses) Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) into Income (Loss) (Effective Portion)   0met_AmountAndLocationOfGainsLossesReclassifiedFromAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossIntoIncomeLossEffectivePortionOnNetInvestmentInForeignOperationHedges 0met_AmountAndLocationOfGainsLossesReclassifiedFromAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossIntoIncomeLossEffectivePortionOnNetInvestmentInForeignOperationHedges
Immateriality of cash flow effectiveness no    
Cumulative foreign currency translation gain (loss) recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) for net investment in foreign operations hedges 940us-gaap_TranslationAdjustmentForNetInvestmentHedgeNetOfTax 233us-gaap_TranslationAdjustmentForNetInvestmentHedgeNetOfTax  
Potential future recoveries available to offset maximum amount of future payments under credit default swaps 75met_CreditDerivativePurchaseProtectionOffset 90met_CreditDerivativePurchaseProtectionOffset  
Excess securities collateral provided on derivatives 192us-gaap_DerivativeCollateralRightToReclaimCash 236us-gaap_DerivativeCollateralRightToReclaimCash  
Change in fair value of derivatives excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness 3us-gaap_GainLossOnComponentsExcludedFromAssessmentOfForeignCurrencyFairValueHedgeEffectiveness (2)us-gaap_GainLossOnComponentsExcludedFromAssessmentOfForeignCurrencyFairValueHedgeEffectiveness (4)us-gaap_GainLossOnComponentsExcludedFromAssessmentOfForeignCurrencyFairValueHedgeEffectiveness
Nonperformance Risk [Member]      
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]      
Embedded derivatives 13us-gaap_EmbeddedDerivativeGainLossOnEmbeddedDerivativeNet
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_NonperformanceRiskMember
(952)us-gaap_EmbeddedDerivativeGainLossOnEmbeddedDerivativeNet
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_NonperformanceRiskMember
(1,700)us-gaap_EmbeddedDerivativeGainLossOnEmbeddedDerivativeNet
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_NonperformanceRiskMember
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments | MetLife Assurance Limited [Member]      
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]      
Net investment gains (losses) (77)us-gaap_GainLossOnInvestments
/ us-gaap_IncomeStatementBalanceSheetAndAdditionalDisclosuresByDisposalGroupsIncludingDiscontinuedOperationsAxis
= met_MetlifeAssuranceLimitedMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedTranslationAdjustmentMember
   
Over the Counter [Member]      
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]      
Derivative Asset, Collateral, Obligation to Return Cash, Offset 4,153us-gaap_DerivativeAssetCollateralObligationToReturnCashOffset
/ us-gaap_TransactionTypeAxis
= met_OverCounterMember
1,679us-gaap_DerivativeAssetCollateralObligationToReturnCashOffset
/ us-gaap_TransactionTypeAxis
= met_OverCounterMember
 
Excess securities collateral received on derivatives 395us-gaap_DerivativeCollateralObligationToReturnSecurities
/ us-gaap_TransactionTypeAxis
= met_OverCounterMember
238us-gaap_DerivativeCollateralObligationToReturnSecurities
/ us-gaap_TransactionTypeAxis
= met_OverCounterMember
 
Excess securities collateral provided on derivatives 117us-gaap_DerivativeCollateralRightToReclaimSecurities
/ us-gaap_TransactionTypeAxis
= met_OverCounterMember
66us-gaap_DerivativeCollateralRightToReclaimSecurities
/ us-gaap_TransactionTypeAxis
= met_OverCounterMember
 
Exchange Traded [Member]      
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]      
Derivative Asset, Collateral, Obligation to Return Cash, Offset 0us-gaap_DerivativeAssetCollateralObligationToReturnCashOffset
/ us-gaap_TransactionTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ExchangeTradedMember
0us-gaap_DerivativeAssetCollateralObligationToReturnCashOffset
/ us-gaap_TransactionTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ExchangeTradedMember
 
Excess securities collateral received on derivatives 199us-gaap_DerivativeCollateralObligationToReturnSecurities
/ us-gaap_TransactionTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ExchangeTradedMember
141us-gaap_DerivativeCollateralObligationToReturnSecurities
/ us-gaap_TransactionTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ExchangeTradedMember
 
Excess securities collateral provided on derivatives 245us-gaap_DerivativeCollateralRightToReclaimSecurities
/ us-gaap_TransactionTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ExchangeTradedMember
81us-gaap_DerivativeCollateralRightToReclaimSecurities
/ us-gaap_TransactionTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ExchangeTradedMember
 
Hedge Funds [Member]      
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]      
Maximum Amount of Future Payments under Credit Default Swaps 15us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_HedgeFundsMember
10us-gaap_CreditDerivativeMaximumExposureUndiscounted
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_HedgeFundsMember
 
Estimated Fair Value of Credit Default Swaps 1us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_HedgeFundsMember
0us-gaap_CreditRiskDerivativeLiabilitiesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_HedgeFundsMember
 
Accrued Liabilities [Member]      
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]      
Estimated Fair Value Assets 255us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeAsset
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesMember
   
Estimated Fair Value Liabilities 60us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeLiability
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesMember
28us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeLiability
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= us-gaap_AccruedLiabilitiesMember
 
Off-Balance Sheet [Member]      
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]      
Excess securities collateral received on derivatives 36us-gaap_DerivativeCollateralObligationToReturnCash
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= met_OffBalanceSheetMember
   
Off-Balance Sheet [Member] | Over the Counter [Member]      
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]      
Derivative Asset, Collateral, Obligation to Return Cash, Offset $ 263us-gaap_DerivativeAssetCollateralObligationToReturnCashOffset
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= met_OffBalanceSheetMember
/ us-gaap_TransactionTypeAxis
= met_OverCounterMember
$ 0us-gaap_DerivativeAssetCollateralObligationToReturnCashOffset
/ us-gaap_BalanceSheetLocationAxis
= met_OffBalanceSheetMember
/ us-gaap_TransactionTypeAxis
= met_OverCounterMember