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Equity (Common Stock - Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended 1 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Oct. 31, 2014
Sep. 30, 2013
Oct. 31, 2012
Oct. 07, 2014
Sep. 11, 2013
Oct. 10, 2012
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                  
Common Stock, Shares, Issued 1,153,998,144us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued 1,125,224,024us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued              
Proceeds from issuance of common stock $ 1,000,000,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock $ 1,000,000,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock $ 1,000,000,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock            
Cost of shares issued 267,000,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueShareBasedCompensation 305,000,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueShareBasedCompensation 229,000,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueShareBasedCompensation            
Class of Stock Disclosures [Abstract]                  
Stock Repurchase Program, Authorized Amount 1,000,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1                
Repurchase amount outstanding 1,300,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramRemainingAuthorizedRepurchaseAmount1                
Repurchase Shares 18,876,363us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired 0us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired 0us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired            
Treasury Stock, Value, Acquired, Cost Method 1,000,000,000us-gaap_TreasuryStockValueAcquiredCostMethod                
Common Class A [Member]                  
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                  
Common Stock, Shares, Issued 22,907,960us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassAMember
          22,907,960us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassAMember
22,679,955us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassAMember
28,231,956us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassAMember
Proceeds from issuance of common stock       1,000,000,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassAMember
1,000,000,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassAMember
1,000,000,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonClassAMember
     
October 2012 Common Stock Issuance [Member]                  
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                  
Proceeds from issuance of common stock 1,000,000,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= met_CommonStockIssuanceThreeMember
1,000,000,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= met_CommonStockIssuanceThreeMember
1,000,000,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfCommonStock
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= met_CommonStockIssuanceThreeMember
           
Common Shares Issued For Stock Options [Member]                  
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                  
Common stock, shares issued 5,866,160us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= met_CommonSharesIssuedForStockOptionsMember
7,663,446us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= met_CommonSharesIssuedForStockOptionsMember
5,497,752us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesNewIssues
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= met_CommonSharesIssuedForStockOptionsMember
           
Cost of shares issued $ 220,000,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueShareBasedCompensation
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= met_CommonSharesIssuedForStockOptionsMember
$ 250,000,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueShareBasedCompensation
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= met_CommonSharesIssuedForStockOptionsMember
$ 171,000,000us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodValueShareBasedCompensation
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= met_CommonSharesIssuedForStockOptionsMember
           
Treasury Shares Issued For Stock Options [Member]                  
Business Acquisition [Line Items]                  
Issued Treasury Stock 0us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesTreasuryStockReissued
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= met_TreasurySharesIssuedForStockOptionsMember
0us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesTreasuryStockReissued
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= met_TreasurySharesIssuedForStockOptionsMember
0us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesTreasuryStockReissued
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= met_TreasurySharesIssuedForStockOptionsMember