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Investments (Credit Quality of Agricultural and Residential Mortgage Loans) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Agricultural Mortgage Loans - by Credit Quality Indicator:    
Recorded investment in Mortgage Loan $ 12,333us-gaap_LoansReceivableCommercialAgricultural $ 12,378us-gaap_LoansReceivableCommercialAgricultural
% of Total 100.00%met_LoansReceivableCommercialAgriculturalMortgagePercentage 100.00%met_LoansReceivableCommercialAgriculturalMortgagePercentage
Residential Mortgage Loans - by Credit Quality Indicator:    
Recorded investment in Mortgage Loan 7,626us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableConsumerMortgage 6,369us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableConsumerMortgage
% of Total 100.00%met_LoansAndLeasesReceivableConsumerMortgagePercentage 100.00%met_LoansAndLeasesReceivableConsumerMortgagePercentage
Less than 65%    
Agricultural Mortgage Loans - by Credit Quality Indicator:    
Recorded investment in Mortgage Loan 11,498us-gaap_LoansReceivableCommercialAgricultural
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_MortgageLoansByCreditQualityIndicatorRangeOneMember		 11,743us-gaap_LoansReceivableCommercialAgricultural
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_MortgageLoansByCreditQualityIndicatorRangeOneMember
% of Total 93.20%met_LoansReceivableCommercialAgriculturalMortgagePercentage
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_MortgageLoansByCreditQualityIndicatorRangeOneMember		 94.90%met_LoansReceivableCommercialAgriculturalMortgagePercentage
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_MortgageLoansByCreditQualityIndicatorRangeOneMember
65% to 75%    
Agricultural Mortgage Loans - by Credit Quality Indicator:    
Recorded investment in Mortgage Loan 703us-gaap_LoansReceivableCommercialAgricultural
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_MortgageLoansByCreditQualityIndicatorRangeTwoMember		 533us-gaap_LoansReceivableCommercialAgricultural
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_MortgageLoansByCreditQualityIndicatorRangeTwoMember
% of Total 5.70%met_LoansReceivableCommercialAgriculturalMortgagePercentage
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_MortgageLoansByCreditQualityIndicatorRangeTwoMember		 4.30%met_LoansReceivableCommercialAgriculturalMortgagePercentage
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_MortgageLoansByCreditQualityIndicatorRangeTwoMember
76% to 80%    
Agricultural Mortgage Loans - by Credit Quality Indicator:    
Recorded investment in Mortgage Loan 50us-gaap_LoansReceivableCommercialAgricultural
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_MortgageLoansByCreditQualityIndicatorRangeThreeMember		 17us-gaap_LoansReceivableCommercialAgricultural
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_MortgageLoansByCreditQualityIndicatorRangeThreeMember
% of Total 0.40%met_LoansReceivableCommercialAgriculturalMortgagePercentage
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_MortgageLoansByCreditQualityIndicatorRangeThreeMember		 0.10%met_LoansReceivableCommercialAgriculturalMortgagePercentage
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_MortgageLoansByCreditQualityIndicatorRangeThreeMember
Greater than 80%    
Agricultural Mortgage Loans - by Credit Quality Indicator:    
Recorded investment in Mortgage Loan 82us-gaap_LoansReceivableCommercialAgricultural
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_MortgageLoansByCreditQualityIndicatorRangeFourMember		 85us-gaap_LoansReceivableCommercialAgricultural
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_MortgageLoansByCreditQualityIndicatorRangeFourMember
% of Total 0.70%met_LoansReceivableCommercialAgriculturalMortgagePercentage
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_MortgageLoansByCreditQualityIndicatorRangeFourMember		 0.70%met_LoansReceivableCommercialAgriculturalMortgagePercentage
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= met_MortgageLoansByCreditQualityIndicatorRangeFourMember
Performing    
Residential Mortgage Loans - by Credit Quality Indicator:    
Recorded investment in Mortgage Loan 7,429us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableConsumerMortgage
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= us-gaap_PerformingFinancingReceivableMember		 6,196us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableConsumerMortgage
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= us-gaap_PerformingFinancingReceivableMember
% of Total 97.40%met_LoansAndLeasesReceivableConsumerMortgagePercentage
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= us-gaap_PerformingFinancingReceivableMember		 97.30%met_LoansAndLeasesReceivableConsumerMortgagePercentage
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= us-gaap_PerformingFinancingReceivableMember
Nonperforming    
Residential Mortgage Loans - by Credit Quality Indicator:    
Recorded investment in Mortgage Loan $ 197us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableConsumerMortgage
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= us-gaap_NonperformingFinancingReceivableMember		 $ 173us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableConsumerMortgage
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= us-gaap_NonperformingFinancingReceivableMember
% of Total 2.60%met_LoansAndLeasesReceivableConsumerMortgagePercentage
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= us-gaap_NonperformingFinancingReceivableMember		 2.70%met_LoansAndLeasesReceivableConsumerMortgagePercentage
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= us-gaap_NonperformingFinancingReceivableMember