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Reinsurance (Effects of Reinsurance on Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Assets      
Premiums and Other Receivables, Net $ 22,244us-gaap_PremiumsAndOtherReceivablesNet $ 21,859us-gaap_PremiumsAndOtherReceivablesNet  
Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs and Value of Business Acquired 24,442us-gaap_DeferredPolicyAcquisitionCostsAndValueOfBusinessAcquired 26,706us-gaap_DeferredPolicyAcquisitionCostsAndValueOfBusinessAcquired 24,761us-gaap_DeferredPolicyAcquisitionCostsAndValueOfBusinessAcquired
Total assets 46,686met_ReinsuranceAssets 48,565met_ReinsuranceAssets  
Liabilities      
Future policy benefits (includes $579 and $516, respectively, relating to variable interest entities) 189,586us-gaap_LiabilityForFuturePolicyBenefits 187,942us-gaap_LiabilityForFuturePolicyBenefits  
Policyholder account balances 209,294us-gaap_PolicyholderContractDeposits 212,885us-gaap_PolicyholderContractDeposits 225,821us-gaap_PolicyholderContractDeposits
Other policy-related balances (includes $198 and $123, respectively, relating to variable interest entities) 14,422met_OtherPolicyRelatedBalances 15,214met_OtherPolicyRelatedBalances  
Other Liabilities 24,437us-gaap_OtherLiabilities 23,168us-gaap_OtherLiabilities  
Total liabilities 437,739met_ReinsuranceLiabilities 439,209met_ReinsuranceLiabilities  
Direct      
Assets      
Premiums and Other Receivables, Net 6,111us-gaap_PremiumsAndOtherReceivablesNet
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_DirectReinsuranceMember		 6,248us-gaap_PremiumsAndOtherReceivablesNet
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_DirectReinsuranceMember		  
Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs and Value of Business Acquired 24,807us-gaap_DeferredPolicyAcquisitionCostsAndValueOfBusinessAcquired
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_DirectReinsuranceMember		 26,954us-gaap_DeferredPolicyAcquisitionCostsAndValueOfBusinessAcquired
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_DirectReinsuranceMember		  
Total assets 30,918met_ReinsuranceAssets
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_DirectReinsuranceMember		 33,202met_ReinsuranceAssets
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_DirectReinsuranceMember		  
Liabilities      
Future policy benefits (includes $579 and $516, respectively, relating to variable interest entities) 187,562us-gaap_LiabilityForFuturePolicyBenefits
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_DirectReinsuranceMember		 185,908us-gaap_LiabilityForFuturePolicyBenefits
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_DirectReinsuranceMember		  
Policyholder account balances 208,307us-gaap_PolicyholderContractDeposits
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_DirectReinsuranceMember		 211,610us-gaap_PolicyholderContractDeposits
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_DirectReinsuranceMember		  
Other policy-related balances (includes $198 and $123, respectively, relating to variable interest entities) 14,131met_OtherPolicyRelatedBalances
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_DirectReinsuranceMember		 14,838met_OtherPolicyRelatedBalances
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_DirectReinsuranceMember		  
Other Liabilities 20,752us-gaap_OtherLiabilities
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_DirectReinsuranceMember		 19,591us-gaap_OtherLiabilities
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_DirectReinsuranceMember		  
Total liabilities 430,752met_ReinsuranceLiabilities
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_DirectReinsuranceMember		 431,947met_ReinsuranceLiabilities
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_DirectReinsuranceMember		  
Assumed      
Assets      
Premiums and Other Receivables, Net 491us-gaap_PremiumsAndOtherReceivablesNet
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_AssumedReinsuranceMember		 593us-gaap_PremiumsAndOtherReceivablesNet
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_AssumedReinsuranceMember		  
Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs and Value of Business Acquired 112us-gaap_DeferredPolicyAcquisitionCostsAndValueOfBusinessAcquired
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_AssumedReinsuranceMember		 104us-gaap_DeferredPolicyAcquisitionCostsAndValueOfBusinessAcquired
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_AssumedReinsuranceMember		  
Total assets 603met_ReinsuranceAssets
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_AssumedReinsuranceMember		 697met_ReinsuranceAssets
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_AssumedReinsuranceMember		  
Liabilities      
Future policy benefits (includes $579 and $516, respectively, relating to variable interest entities) 2,024us-gaap_LiabilityForFuturePolicyBenefits
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_AssumedReinsuranceMember		 2,034us-gaap_LiabilityForFuturePolicyBenefits
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_AssumedReinsuranceMember		  
Policyholder account balances 989us-gaap_PolicyholderContractDeposits
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_AssumedReinsuranceMember		 1,277us-gaap_PolicyholderContractDeposits
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_AssumedReinsuranceMember		  
Other policy-related balances (includes $198 and $123, respectively, relating to variable interest entities) 285met_OtherPolicyRelatedBalances
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_AssumedReinsuranceMember		 353met_OtherPolicyRelatedBalances
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_AssumedReinsuranceMember		  
Other Liabilities 481us-gaap_OtherLiabilities
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_AssumedReinsuranceMember		 533us-gaap_OtherLiabilities
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_AssumedReinsuranceMember		  
Total liabilities 3,779met_ReinsuranceLiabilities
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_AssumedReinsuranceMember		 4,197met_ReinsuranceLiabilities
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_AssumedReinsuranceMember		  
Ceded      
Assets      
Premiums and Other Receivables, Net 15,642us-gaap_PremiumsAndOtherReceivablesNet
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_CededReinsuranceMember		 15,018us-gaap_PremiumsAndOtherReceivablesNet
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_CededReinsuranceMember		  
Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs and Value of Business Acquired (477)us-gaap_DeferredPolicyAcquisitionCostsAndValueOfBusinessAcquired
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_CededReinsuranceMember		 (352)us-gaap_DeferredPolicyAcquisitionCostsAndValueOfBusinessAcquired
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_CededReinsuranceMember		  
Total assets 15,165met_ReinsuranceAssets
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_CededReinsuranceMember		 14,666met_ReinsuranceAssets
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_CededReinsuranceMember		  
Liabilities      
Future policy benefits (includes $579 and $516, respectively, relating to variable interest entities) 0us-gaap_LiabilityForFuturePolicyBenefits
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_CededReinsuranceMember		 0us-gaap_LiabilityForFuturePolicyBenefits
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_CededReinsuranceMember		  
Policyholder account balances (2)us-gaap_PolicyholderContractDeposits
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_CededReinsuranceMember		 (2)us-gaap_PolicyholderContractDeposits
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_CededReinsuranceMember		  
Other policy-related balances (includes $198 and $123, respectively, relating to variable interest entities) 6met_OtherPolicyRelatedBalances
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_CededReinsuranceMember		 23met_OtherPolicyRelatedBalances
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_CededReinsuranceMember		  
Other Liabilities 3,204us-gaap_OtherLiabilities
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_CededReinsuranceMember		 3,044us-gaap_OtherLiabilities
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_CededReinsuranceMember		  
Total liabilities $ 3,208met_ReinsuranceLiabilities
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_CededReinsuranceMember		 $ 3,065met_ReinsuranceLiabilities
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePremiumsForInsuranceCompaniesByProductSegmentAxis
= met_CededReinsuranceMember