XML 246 R200.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9
Income Tax (Net Operating and Capital Loss Carryforwards for Tax Purposes) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Capital Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Capital loss carryforwards $ 1,733us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount $ 1,653us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount
Foreign Tax Authority [Member]    
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Net Operating Loss Carryforwards 1,030us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember
 
Capital Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Capital loss carryforwards 923us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember
 
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | 2015-2019    
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Net Operating Loss Carryforwards 202us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember
/ met_OperatingLossCarryforwardsExpirationDateAxis
= met_ExpirationPeriodForNetOperatingLossCarryforwardsFirstFourYearsMember
 
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | 2020-2024    
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Net Operating Loss Carryforwards 10us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember
/ met_OperatingLossCarryforwardsExpirationDateAxis
= met_ExpirationPeriodForNetOperatingLossCarryforwardsSecondFourYearsMember
 
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | 2025-2029    
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Net Operating Loss Carryforwards 19us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember
/ met_OperatingLossCarryforwardsExpirationDateAxis
= met_ExpirationPeriodForNetOperatingLossCarryforwardsThirdFourYearsMember
 
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | 2030-2034    
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Net Operating Loss Carryforwards 0us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember
/ met_OperatingLossCarryforwardsExpirationDateAxis
= met_ExpirationPeriodForNetOperatingLossCarryforwardsFourthFourYearsMember
 
Foreign Tax Authority [Member] | Indefinite    
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Net Operating Loss Carryforwards 799us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember
/ met_OperatingLossCarryforwardsExpirationDateAxis
= met_ExpirationPeriodForNetOperatingLossCarryforwardsIndefiniteNumberOfYearsMember
 
Domestic Country [Member]    
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Net Operating Loss Carryforwards 3,266us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember
 
Domestic Country [Member] | Capital Loss Carryforwards    
Capital Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Capital loss carryforwards 42us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember
/ us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLossCarryforwardMember
 
Domestic Country [Member] | 2015-2019 | Capital Loss Carryforwards    
Capital Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Capital loss carryforwards 42us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount
/ met_CapitalLossCarryforwardExpirationDateAxis
= met_ExpirationPeriodForCapitalLossCarryforwardsFirstFourYearsMember
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember
/ us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLossCarryforwardMember
 
Domestic Country [Member] | 2020-2024 | Capital Loss Carryforwards    
Capital Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Capital loss carryforwards 0us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount
/ met_CapitalLossCarryforwardExpirationDateAxis
= met_ExpirationPeriodForCapitalLossCarryforwardsSecondFourYearsMember
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember
/ us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLossCarryforwardMember
 
Domestic Country [Member] | 2025-2029 | Capital Loss Carryforwards    
Capital Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Capital loss carryforwards 0us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount
/ met_CapitalLossCarryforwardExpirationDateAxis
= met_ExpirationPeriodForCapitalLossCarryforwardsThirdFourYearsMember
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember
/ us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLossCarryforwardMember
 
Domestic Country [Member] | 2030-2034 | Capital Loss Carryforwards    
Capital Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Capital loss carryforwards 0us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount
/ met_CapitalLossCarryforwardExpirationDateAxis
= met_ExpirationPeriodForCapitalLossCarryforwardsFourthFourYearsMember
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember
/ us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLossCarryforwardMember
 
Domestic Country [Member] | Indefinite | Capital Loss Carryforwards    
Capital Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Capital loss carryforwards 0us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount
/ met_CapitalLossCarryforwardExpirationDateAxis
= met_ExpirationPeriodForCapitalLossCarryforwardsIndefiniteNumberOfYearsMember
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember
/ us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAxis
= us-gaap_CapitalLossCarryforwardMember
 
Domestic Country [Member] | 2015-2019    
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Net Operating Loss Carryforwards 0us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember
/ met_OperatingLossCarryforwardsExpirationDateAxis
= met_ExpirationPeriodForNetOperatingLossCarryforwardsFirstFourYearsMember
 
Domestic Country [Member] | 2020-2024    
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Net Operating Loss Carryforwards 1us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember
/ met_OperatingLossCarryforwardsExpirationDateAxis
= met_ExpirationPeriodForNetOperatingLossCarryforwardsSecondFourYearsMember
 
Domestic Country [Member] | 2025-2029    
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Net Operating Loss Carryforwards 488us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember
/ met_OperatingLossCarryforwardsExpirationDateAxis
= met_ExpirationPeriodForNetOperatingLossCarryforwardsThirdFourYearsMember
 
Domestic Country [Member] | 2030-2034    
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Net Operating Loss Carryforwards 2,777us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember
/ met_OperatingLossCarryforwardsExpirationDateAxis
= met_ExpirationPeriodForNetOperatingLossCarryforwardsFourthFourYearsMember
 
Domestic Country [Member] | Indefinite    
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Net Operating Loss Carryforwards 0us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember
/ met_OperatingLossCarryforwardsExpirationDateAxis
= met_ExpirationPeriodForNetOperatingLossCarryforwardsIndefiniteNumberOfYearsMember
 
State Country [Member]    
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Net Operating Loss Carryforwards 139us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember
 
State Country [Member] | 2015-2019    
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Net Operating Loss Carryforwards 32us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember
/ met_OperatingLossCarryforwardsExpirationDateAxis
= met_ExpirationPeriodForNetOperatingLossCarryforwardsFirstFourYearsMember
 
State Country [Member] | 2020-2024    
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Net Operating Loss Carryforwards 46us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember
/ met_OperatingLossCarryforwardsExpirationDateAxis
= met_ExpirationPeriodForNetOperatingLossCarryforwardsSecondFourYearsMember
 
State Country [Member] | 2025-2029    
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Net Operating Loss Carryforwards 54us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember
/ met_OperatingLossCarryforwardsExpirationDateAxis
= met_ExpirationPeriodForNetOperatingLossCarryforwardsThirdFourYearsMember
 
State Country [Member] | 2030-2034    
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Net Operating Loss Carryforwards 7us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember
/ met_OperatingLossCarryforwardsExpirationDateAxis
= met_ExpirationPeriodForNetOperatingLossCarryforwardsFourthFourYearsMember
 
State Country [Member] | Indefinite    
Operating Loss Carryforwards [Line Items]    
Net Operating Loss Carryforwards $ 0us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember
/ met_OperatingLossCarryforwardsExpirationDateAxis
= met_ExpirationPeriodForNetOperatingLossCarryforwardsIndefiniteNumberOfYearsMember