Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 9,183	$ 9,527
Cash flows from investing activities
Sales, maturities and repayments of fixed maturity securities	101,614	109,308
Sales, maturities and repayments of equity securities	1,019	478
Sales, maturities and repayments of mortgage loans	10,518	9,775
Sales, maturities and repayments of real estate and real estate joint ventures	323	1,644
Sales, maturities and repayments of other limited partnership interests	1,025	859
Purchases of fixed maturity securities	(108,418)	(105,128)
Purchases of equity securities	(802)	(431)
Purchases of mortgage loans	(14,686)	(13,814)
Purchases of real estate and real estate joint ventures	(958)	(977)
Purchases of other limited partnership interests	(806)	(935)
Cash received in connection with freestanding derivatives	3,258	2,376
Cash paid in connection with freestanding derivatives	(4,317)	(2,887)
Cash received under repurchase agreements (Note 7)	0	199
Cash paid under reverse repurchase agreements (Note 7)	0	(199)
Sales of businesses, net of cash and cash equivalents disposed of $135 and $0, respectively	156	0
Purchases of investments in operating joint ventures	(39)	0
Net change in policy loans	201	10
Net change in short-term investments	(2,232)	(6,644)
Net change in other invested assets	(58)	(350)
Other, net	(384)	(191)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(14,586)	(6,907)
Cash flows from financing activities
Policyholder account balances: Deposits	65,225	69,383
Policyholder account balances: Withdrawals	(61,145)	(72,940)
Net change in payables for collateral under securities loaned and other transactions	7,227	2,664
Net change in short-term debt	(3)	0
Long-term debt issued	0	1,578
Long-term debt repaid	(1,273)	(1,078)
Collateral financing arrangements repaid	(55)	(44)
Treasury stock acquired in connection with share repurchases	(70)	(1,107)
Preferred stock issued, net of issuance costs	0	1,483
Repurchase of preferred stock	0	(1,460)
Preferred stock repurchase premium	0	(42)
Dividends on preferred stock	(58)	(67)
Dividends on common stock	(1,295)	(1,234)
Other, net	(325)	12
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	8,228	(2,852)
Effect of change in foreign currency exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents balances	306	(360)
Change in cash and cash equivalents	3,131	(592)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	12,752	10,808
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	15,883	10,216
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:
Net cash paid for Interest	875	836
Net cash paid (received) for Income tax	464	904
Non-cash transactions:
Fixed maturity securities received in connection with pension risk transfer transactions	985	903
Reduction of fixed maturity securities in connection with a reinsurance transaction	224	0
Deconsolidation of operating joint venture (Note 6):
Reduction of fixed maturity securities	917	0
Reduction of noncontrolling interests	$ 373	$ 0