Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Assets
Amortized cost of fixed maturity securities available-for-sale	$ 353,913	$ 332,964
Fixed maturity securities relating to variable interest entities	390,442	351,402
Cost of equity securities available-for-sale	2,838	2,997
Actively traded securities	0	404
Fair value option and trading securities relating to variable interest entities	14,730	15,024
Mortgage loans valuation allowances	330	318
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate	71,156	67,102
Policy loans	11,177	11,258
Real estate held-for-sale	33	47
Other limited partnership interests relating to variable interest entities	6,878	7,096
Short-term investments	11,655	9,299
Other invested assets relating to variable interest entities	30,278	22,524
Cash and cash equivalents relating to variable interest entities	15,883	12,752
Accrued investment income relating to variable interest entities	4,197	3,988
Premiums, reinsurance and other receivables relating to variable interest entities	26,178	22,702
Deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired relating to variable interest entities	24,748	24,130
Other assets relating to variable interest entities	7,867	7,666
Separate account assets	315,648	301,598
Liabilities
Future policy benefits relating to variable interest entities	208,561	191,879
Policyholder account balances	216,192	202,722
Other policy-related balances relating to variable interest entities	14,857	14,255
Long-term debt, at estimated fair value, relating to variable interest entities	16,553	18,023
Other liabilities relating to variable interest entities	32,127	23,561
Separate account liabilities	$ 315,648	$ 301,598
MetLife, Inc.’s stockholders’ equity:
Preferred stock, par value	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
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	1,161,994,036	1,159,590,766
Common stock, shares outstanding	1,098,985,931	1,098,028,525
Treasury stock, shares	63,008,105	61,562,241
Residential mortgage loans — FVO
Assets
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate	$ 481	$ 314
Variable interest entities
Assets
Fixed maturity securities relating to variable interest entities	3,533	4,277
Fair value option and trading securities relating to variable interest entities	9	13
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate	143	172
Policy loans	0	4
Other limited partnership interests relating to variable interest entities	15	27
Short-term investments	0	26
Other invested assets relating to variable interest entities	31	43
Cash and cash equivalents relating to variable interest entities	0	85
Accrued investment income relating to variable interest entities	1	23
Premiums, reinsurance and other receivables relating to variable interest entities	4	21
Deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired relating to variable interest entities	0	240
Other assets relating to variable interest entities	3	148
Separate account assets	0	1,022
Liabilities
Future policy benefits relating to variable interest entities	0	716
Policyholder account balances	0	21
Other policy-related balances relating to variable interest entities	0	238
Long-term debt, at estimated fair value, relating to variable interest entities	38	63
Other liabilities relating to variable interest entities	0	81
Separate account liabilities	$ 0	$ 1,022