XML 43 R62.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9
Investments (Fixed Maturity and Equity Securities Available-For-Sale - Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Summary of Certain Fixed Maturity Securities      
Gross Unrealized OTTI Loss $ 84met_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentsOnDebtSecuritiesTransferredToOtherComprehensiveIncomeLoss $ 112met_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentsOnDebtSecuritiesTransferredToOtherComprehensiveIncomeLoss $ 218met_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentsOnDebtSecuritiesTransferredToOtherComprehensiveIncomeLoss
Available-for-sale Securities, Debt Securities 366,275us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities 365,425us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities  
CMBS (1)      
Summary of Certain Fixed Maturity Securities      
Gross Unrealized OTTI Loss (1)met_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentsOnDebtSecuritiesTransferredToOtherComprehensiveIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
(1)met_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentsOnDebtSecuritiesTransferredToOtherComprehensiveIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
 
Available-for-sale Securities, Debt Securities 13,311us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
14,332us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
 
Gross Unrealized Gain 605met_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainAccumulatedInvestments
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
615met_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainAccumulatedInvestments
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CommercialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
 
Foreign corporate      
Summary of Certain Fixed Maturity Securities      
Gross Unrealized OTTI Loss 7met_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentsOnDebtSecuritiesTransferredToOtherComprehensiveIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
7met_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentsOnDebtSecuritiesTransferredToOtherComprehensiveIncomeLoss
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
 
Available-for-sale Securities, Debt Securities 60,494us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
61,675us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
 
Gross Unrealized Gain 4,781met_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainAccumulatedInvestments
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
4,651met_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainAccumulatedInvestments
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
 
Non-income producing fixed maturity securities [Member]      
Summary of Certain Fixed Maturity Securities      
Available-for-sale Securities, Debt Securities 78us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
64us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
 
Gross Unrealized Gain $ 31met_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainAccumulatedInvestments
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
$ 28met_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedGainAccumulatedInvestments
/ us-gaap_InternalCreditAssessmentAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember