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Investments (Mortgage Loans and Valuation Allowance by Portfolio Segment) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]    
Unpaid Principal Balance $ 126us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithRelatedAllowanceUnpaidPrincipalBalance $ 294us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithRelatedAllowanceUnpaidPrincipalBalance
Recorded Investment 123us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithRelatedAllowanceRecordedInvestment 288us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithRelatedAllowanceRecordedInvestment
Valuation Allowances 26us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableRelatedAllowance 66us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableRelatedAllowance
Unpaid Principal Balance 155us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithNoRelatedAllowanceUnpaidPrincipalBalance 339us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithNoRelatedAllowanceUnpaidPrincipalBalance
Recorded Investment 150us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithNoRelatedAllowanceRecordedInvestment 334us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithNoRelatedAllowanceRecordedInvestment
Recorded Investment 247us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableRecordedInvestment 556us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableRecordedInvestment
Evaluated collectively for credit losses 59,562us-gaap_FinancingReceivableCollectivelyEvaluatedForImpairment 55,467us-gaap_FinancingReceivableCollectivelyEvaluatedForImpairment
Non-specifically identified credit losses 279us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossesCollectivelyEvaluatedForImpairment 256us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossesCollectivelyEvaluatedForImpairment
Average Recorded Investment 458us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableAverageRecordedInvestment 693us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableAverageRecordedInvestment
Commercial    
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]    
Unpaid Principal Balance 75us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithRelatedAllowanceUnpaidPrincipalBalance
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialLoanMember
214us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithRelatedAllowanceUnpaidPrincipalBalance
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialLoanMember
Recorded Investment 75us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithRelatedAllowanceRecordedInvestment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialLoanMember
210us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithRelatedAllowanceRecordedInvestment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialLoanMember
Valuation Allowances 24us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableRelatedAllowance
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialLoanMember
58us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableRelatedAllowance
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialLoanMember
Unpaid Principal Balance 101us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithNoRelatedAllowanceUnpaidPrincipalBalance
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialLoanMember
299us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithNoRelatedAllowanceUnpaidPrincipalBalance
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialLoanMember
Recorded Investment 100us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithNoRelatedAllowanceRecordedInvestment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialLoanMember
296us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithNoRelatedAllowanceRecordedInvestment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialLoanMember
Recorded Investment 151us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableRecordedInvestment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialLoanMember
448us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableRecordedInvestment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialLoanMember
Evaluated collectively for credit losses 40,913us-gaap_FinancingReceivableCollectivelyEvaluatedForImpairment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialLoanMember
40,420us-gaap_FinancingReceivableCollectivelyEvaluatedForImpairment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialLoanMember
Non-specifically identified credit losses 200us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossesCollectivelyEvaluatedForImpairment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialLoanMember
200us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossesCollectivelyEvaluatedForImpairment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialLoanMember
Average Recorded Investment 359us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableAverageRecordedInvestment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialLoanMember
526us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableAverageRecordedInvestment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialLoanMember
Agricultural    
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]    
Unpaid Principal Balance 51us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithRelatedAllowanceUnpaidPrincipalBalance
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= met_AgriculturalPortfolioSegmentMember
68us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithRelatedAllowanceUnpaidPrincipalBalance
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= met_AgriculturalPortfolioSegmentMember
Recorded Investment 48us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithRelatedAllowanceRecordedInvestment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= met_AgriculturalPortfolioSegmentMember
66us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithRelatedAllowanceRecordedInvestment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= met_AgriculturalPortfolioSegmentMember
Valuation Allowances 2us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableRelatedAllowance
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= met_AgriculturalPortfolioSegmentMember
7us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableRelatedAllowance
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= met_AgriculturalPortfolioSegmentMember
Unpaid Principal Balance 14us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithNoRelatedAllowanceUnpaidPrincipalBalance
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= met_AgriculturalPortfolioSegmentMember
35us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithNoRelatedAllowanceUnpaidPrincipalBalance
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= met_AgriculturalPortfolioSegmentMember
Recorded Investment 13us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithNoRelatedAllowanceRecordedInvestment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= met_AgriculturalPortfolioSegmentMember
34us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithNoRelatedAllowanceRecordedInvestment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= met_AgriculturalPortfolioSegmentMember
Recorded Investment 59us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableRecordedInvestment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= met_AgriculturalPortfolioSegmentMember
93us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableRecordedInvestment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= met_AgriculturalPortfolioSegmentMember
Evaluated collectively for credit losses 12,317us-gaap_FinancingReceivableCollectivelyEvaluatedForImpairment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= met_AgriculturalPortfolioSegmentMember
12,291us-gaap_FinancingReceivableCollectivelyEvaluatedForImpairment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= met_AgriculturalPortfolioSegmentMember
Non-specifically identified credit losses 37us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossesCollectivelyEvaluatedForImpairment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= met_AgriculturalPortfolioSegmentMember
37us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossesCollectivelyEvaluatedForImpairment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= met_AgriculturalPortfolioSegmentMember
Average Recorded Investment 80us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableAverageRecordedInvestment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= met_AgriculturalPortfolioSegmentMember
153us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableAverageRecordedInvestment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= met_AgriculturalPortfolioSegmentMember
Residential    
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items]    
Unpaid Principal Balance 0us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithRelatedAllowanceUnpaidPrincipalBalance
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ResidentialPortfolioSegmentMember
12us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithRelatedAllowanceUnpaidPrincipalBalance
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ResidentialPortfolioSegmentMember
Recorded Investment 0us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithRelatedAllowanceRecordedInvestment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ResidentialPortfolioSegmentMember
12us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithRelatedAllowanceRecordedInvestment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ResidentialPortfolioSegmentMember
Valuation Allowances 0us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableRelatedAllowance
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ResidentialPortfolioSegmentMember
1us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableRelatedAllowance
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ResidentialPortfolioSegmentMember
Unpaid Principal Balance 40us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithNoRelatedAllowanceUnpaidPrincipalBalance
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ResidentialPortfolioSegmentMember
5us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithNoRelatedAllowanceUnpaidPrincipalBalance
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ResidentialPortfolioSegmentMember
Recorded Investment 37us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithNoRelatedAllowanceRecordedInvestment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ResidentialPortfolioSegmentMember
4us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithNoRelatedAllowanceRecordedInvestment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ResidentialPortfolioSegmentMember
Recorded Investment 37us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableRecordedInvestment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ResidentialPortfolioSegmentMember
15us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableRecordedInvestment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ResidentialPortfolioSegmentMember
Evaluated collectively for credit losses 6,332us-gaap_FinancingReceivableCollectivelyEvaluatedForImpairment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ResidentialPortfolioSegmentMember
2,756us-gaap_FinancingReceivableCollectivelyEvaluatedForImpairment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ResidentialPortfolioSegmentMember
Non-specifically identified credit losses 42us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossesCollectivelyEvaluatedForImpairment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ResidentialPortfolioSegmentMember
19us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossesCollectivelyEvaluatedForImpairment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ResidentialPortfolioSegmentMember
Average Recorded Investment $ 19us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableAverageRecordedInvestment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ResidentialPortfolioSegmentMember
$ 14us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableAverageRecordedInvestment
/ us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLoanTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ResidentialPortfolioSegmentMember