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Condensed Financial Information (Parent Company) (Interest Expense) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Interest Expense [Abstract]      
Total interest expense $ 874us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt $ 854us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt $ 871us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
Parent Company [Member]      
Interest Expense [Abstract]      
Total interest expense 1,151us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
1,122us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
985us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Parent Company [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member]      
Interest Expense [Abstract]      
Total interest expense 809us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LongTermDebtMember
790us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LongTermDebtMember
779us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LongTermDebtMember
Parent Company [Member] | Long-term Debt [Member] | Affiliated Entity [Member]      
Interest Expense [Abstract]      
Total interest expense 173us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LongTermDebtMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= us-gaap_AffiliatedEntityMember
163us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LongTermDebtMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= us-gaap_AffiliatedEntityMember
28us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LongTermDebtMember
/ us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis
= us-gaap_AffiliatedEntityMember
Parent Company [Member] | Secured Debt [Member]      
Interest Expense [Abstract]      
Total interest expense 35us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SecuredDebtMember
35us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SecuredDebtMember
42us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SecuredDebtMember
Parent Company [Member] | Junior Subordinated Debt [Member]      
Interest Expense [Abstract]      
Total interest expense 134us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_JuniorSubordinatedDebtMember
134us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_JuniorSubordinatedDebtMember
134us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_JuniorSubordinatedDebtMember
Parent Company [Member] | Stock Purchase Contracts [Member]      
Interest Expense [Abstract]      
Total interest expense $ 0us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= met_StockPurchaseContractsMember
$ 0us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= met_StockPurchaseContractsMember
$ 2us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= met_StockPurchaseContractsMember