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Investments (Activity For Accretable Yield on PCI Investments) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Mortgage Loans    
Accretable yield on purchased distressed assets acquired    
Accretable yield, January 1, $ 74us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferNotAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYield
/ us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis
= us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateMember
$ 184us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferNotAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYield
/ us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis
= us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateMember
Accretion recognized in earnings (22)us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferNotAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldAccretion
/ us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis
= us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateMember
(87)us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferNotAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldAccretion
/ us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis
= us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateMember
Disposals 0us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferNotAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldDisposalsOfLoans
/ us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis
= us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateMember
0us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferNotAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldDisposalsOfLoans
/ us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis
= us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateMember
Reclassification (to) from nonaccretable difference (4)us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferNotAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldReclassificationsFromNonaccretableDifference
/ us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis
= us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateMember
(23)us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferNotAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldReclassificationsFromNonaccretableDifference
/ us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis
= us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateMember
Accretable yield, December 31, 48us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferNotAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYield
/ us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis
= us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateMember
74us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferNotAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYield
/ us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis
= us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateMember
Fixed Maturity Securities    
Accretable yield on purchased distressed assets acquired    
Accretable yield, January 1, 2,746us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYield
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
2,665us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYield
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
Accretion recognized in earnings (244)us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldAccretion
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
(260)us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldAccretion
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
Disposals (60)us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldDisposalsOfLoans
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
(152)us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldDisposalsOfLoans
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
Reclassification (to) from nonaccretable difference (541)us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldReclassificationsFromNonaccretableDifference
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
25us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldReclassificationsFromNonaccretableDifference
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
Accretable yield, December 31, 2,143us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYield
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
2,746us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYield
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
Investments purchased | Mortgage Loans    
Accretable yield on purchased distressed assets acquired    
Investments purchased 0us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferNotAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldAdditions
/ met_LoansAcquiredInTransferAxis
= met_InvestmentsPurchasedMember
/ us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis
= us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateMember
0us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferNotAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldAdditions
/ met_LoansAcquiredInTransferAxis
= met_InvestmentsPurchasedMember
/ us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis
= us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateMember
Investments purchased | Fixed Maturity Securities    
Accretable yield on purchased distressed assets acquired    
Investments purchased $ 242us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldAdditions
/ met_LoansAcquiredInTransferAxis
= met_InvestmentsPurchasedMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
$ 468us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldAdditions
/ met_LoansAcquiredInTransferAxis
= met_InvestmentsPurchasedMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember