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Condensed Financial Information (Parent Company) (Investment in Subsidiaries - Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]      
Preferred Stock, Value, Issued $ 1us-gaap_PreferredStockValue $ 1us-gaap_PreferredStockValue  
Common Stock, Value, Issued 12us-gaap_CommonStockValue 11us-gaap_CommonStockValue  
Series B Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Shares [Member]      
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]      
Investments in subsidiaries, annual rate 6.50%us-gaap_PreferredStockDividendRatePercentage
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesBPreferredStockMember
   
Parent Company [Member]      
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]      
Investment in subsidiaries 88,152us-gaap_InvestmentsInAndAdvancesToAffiliatesAtFairValue
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
76,871us-gaap_InvestmentsInAndAdvancesToAffiliatesAtFairValue
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
 
Preferred Stock, Value, Issued 1us-gaap_PreferredStockValue
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
1us-gaap_PreferredStockValue
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
 
Common Stock, Value, Issued 12us-gaap_CommonStockValue
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
11us-gaap_CommonStockValue
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
 
Returns of capital from subsidiaries 6,308met_NonCashReturnsOfCapitalFromSubsidiaries
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
0met_NonCashReturnsOfCapitalFromSubsidiaries
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
356met_NonCashReturnsOfCapitalFromSubsidiaries
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Capital contributions to subsidiaries 6,388met_SupplementalCapitalContributionsToSubsidiaries
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
121met_SupplementalCapitalContributionsToSubsidiaries
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
559met_SupplementalCapitalContributionsToSubsidiaries
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Parent Company [Member] | Project Flag [Member]      
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]      
Returns of capital from subsidiaries 5,700met_NonCashReturnsOfCapitalFromSubsidiaries
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_RestructuringPlanAxis
= met_ProjectFlagMember
   
Capital contributions to subsidiaries 5,700met_SupplementalCapitalContributionsToSubsidiaries
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_RestructuringPlanAxis
= met_ProjectFlagMember
   
Parent Company [Member] | Investments in Majority-owned Subsidiaries [Member]      
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]      
Investment in subsidiaries     2,000us-gaap_InvestmentsInAndAdvancesToAffiliatesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_InvestmentsInAndAdvancesToAffiliatesCategorizationAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsInMajorityOwnedSubsidiariesMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
Parent Company [Member] | Investments in Majority-owned Subsidiaries [Member] | Series A Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Shares [Member]      
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]      
Investments in subsidiaries, shares     75,000us-gaap_InvestmentsInAndAdvancesToAffiliatesBalanceShares
/ us-gaap_InvestmentsInAndAdvancesToAffiliatesCategorizationAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsInMajorityOwnedSubsidiariesMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesAPreferredStockMember
Investments in subsidiaries, annual rate     7.69%us-gaap_PreferredStockDividendRatePercentage
/ us-gaap_InvestmentsInAndAdvancesToAffiliatesCategorizationAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsInMajorityOwnedSubsidiariesMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesAPreferredStockMember
Parent Company [Member] | Investments in Majority-owned Subsidiaries [Member] | Series B Non-Cumulative Perpetual Preferred Shares [Member]      
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]      
Investments in subsidiaries, shares     125,000us-gaap_InvestmentsInAndAdvancesToAffiliatesBalanceShares
/ us-gaap_InvestmentsInAndAdvancesToAffiliatesCategorizationAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsInMajorityOwnedSubsidiariesMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesBPreferredStockMember
Investments in subsidiaries, annual rate     7.75%us-gaap_PreferredStockDividendRatePercentage
/ us-gaap_InvestmentsInAndAdvancesToAffiliatesCategorizationAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsInMajorityOwnedSubsidiariesMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_SeriesBPreferredStockMember
Metlife Reinsurance Company of Vermont [Member] | Parent Company [Member] | Investments in Majority-owned Subsidiaries [Member]      
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]      
Investment in subsidiaries 350us-gaap_InvestmentsInAndAdvancesToAffiliatesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= met_MetlifeReinsuranceCompanyOfVermontMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentsInAndAdvancesToAffiliatesCategorizationAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsInMajorityOwnedSubsidiariesMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember
   
MetLife Reinsurance Company of Delaware [Member] | Parent Company [Member] | Investments in Majority-owned Subsidiaries [Member]      
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]      
Investment in subsidiaries $ 95us-gaap_InvestmentsInAndAdvancesToAffiliatesAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= met_MetLifeReinsuranceCompanyofDelawareMember
/ us-gaap_InvestmentsInAndAdvancesToAffiliatesCategorizationAxis
= us-gaap_InvestmentsInMajorityOwnedSubsidiariesMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember