Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Assets
Amortized cost of fixed maturity securities available-for-sale	$ 328,833	$ 334,780
Fixed maturity securities relating to variable interest entities	351,353	365,425
Cost of equity securities available-for-sale	3,117	3,076
Actively traded securities	603	704
Fair value option and trading securities relating to variable interest entities	16,460	16,689
Mortgage loans valuation allowances	325	305
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate	64,010	60,118
Policy loans	11,575	11,618
Real estate and real estate joint ventures relating to variable interest entities	10,207	10,525
Real estate held-for-sale	898	172
Other limited partnership interests relating to variable interest entities	8,099	8,085
Short-term investments	14,594	8,621
Other invested assets relating to variable interest entities	20,409	21,283
Cash and cash equivalents relating to variable interest entities	8,074	10,808
Accrued investment income relating to variable interest entities	3,990	4,120
Premiums, reinsurance and other receivables relating to variable interest entities	24,872	22,244
Deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired relating to variable interest entities	24,379	24,442
Other assets relating to variable interest entities	7,589	7,862
Separate account assets	319,477	316,994
Liabilities
Future policy benefits relating to variable interest entities	188,928	189,586
Policyholder account balances	204,262	209,294
Other policy-related balances relating to variable interest entities	14,393	14,422
Long-term debt, at estimated fair value, relating to variable interest entities	16,770	16,286
Other liabilities relating to variable interest entities	27,741	24,437
Separate account liabilities	$ 319,477	$ 316,994
MetLife, Inc.’s stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Preferred stock, shares authorized	200,000,000	200,000,000
Preferred stock, shares issued	25,500,000	84,000,000
Preferred stock, shares outstanding	25,500,000	84,000,000
Preferred stock, aggregate liquidation preference	$ 2,100	$ 2,100
Common stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common stock, shares authorized	3,000,000,000	3,000,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	1,159,001,121	1,153,998,144
Common stock, shares outstanding	1,116,754,686	1,131,927,894
Treasury stock, shares	42,246,435	22,070,250
Residential mortgage loans — FVO
Assets
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate	$ 345	$ 308
Variable interest entities
Assets
Fixed maturity securities relating to variable interest entities	4,335	4,266
Fair value option and trading securities relating to variable interest entities	14	60
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate	266	280
Policy loans	3	3
Real estate and real estate joint ventures relating to variable interest entities	0	8
Other limited partnership interests relating to variable interest entities	27	34
Short-term investments	27	20
Other invested assets relating to variable interest entities	55	56
Cash and cash equivalents relating to variable interest entities	42	57
Accrued investment income relating to variable interest entities	21	21
Premiums, reinsurance and other receivables relating to variable interest entities	19	21
Deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired relating to variable interest entities	241	235
Other assets relating to variable interest entities	139	134
Separate account assets	1,120	1,128
Liabilities
Future policy benefits relating to variable interest entities	649	579
Policyholder account balances	22	33
Other policy-related balances relating to variable interest entities	225	198
Long-term debt, at estimated fair value, relating to variable interest entities	134	151
Other liabilities relating to variable interest entities	62	80
Separate account liabilities	$ 1,120	$ 1,128