Investments (Activity For Accretable Yield on PCI Investments) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Fixed Maturity Securities
Accretable yield on purchased distressed assets acquired
Accretable yield, January 1,	$ 2,200	$ 2,143
Accretion recognized in earnings	(337)	(325)
Disposals	(15)	(56)
Reclassification (to) from nonaccretable difference	(183)	(74)
Accretable yield, December 31,	2,162	2,200
CMBS (1)
Accretable yield on purchased distressed assets acquired
Accretable yield, January 1,	21	48
Accretion recognized in earnings	(9)	(56)
Disposals	0	0
Reclassification (to) from nonaccretable difference	(12)	29
Accretable yield, December 31,	0	21
Investments purchased \| Fixed Maturity Securities
Accretable yield on purchased distressed assets acquired
Investments purchased	497	512
Investments purchased \| CMBS (1)
Accretable yield on purchased distressed assets acquired
Investments purchased	$ 0	$ 0

The aggregate excess of a loan's cash flows expected to be collected over the investor's initial investment in the loan for loans accounted for as debt securities, with evidence of deterioration of credit quality since origination that were acquired by completion of a transfer for which it is probable, at acquisition, that the investor will be unable to collect all contractually required payments receivable.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 30
-Section 15
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27045933&loc=d3e13503-111538

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6379141&loc=d3e15032-111544

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYield
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Current period recognition due to accretion of the excess of a loan's cash flows expected to be collected over the investor's initial investment in the loan for loans accounted for as debt securities, with evidence of deterioration of credit quality since origination that were acquired by completion of a transfer for which it is probable, at acquisition, that the investor will be unable to collect all contractually required payments receivable.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldAccretion
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Increases in the aggregate excess of a loan's cash flows expected to be collected over the investor's initial investment in the loan due to the acquisition of similar loans accounted for as debt securities during the period. This relates to loans accounted for as debt securities, with evidence of deterioration of credit quality since origination that were acquired by completion of a transfer for which it is probable, at acquisition, that the investor will be unable to collect all contractually required payments receivable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6379141&loc=d3e15032-111544

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 30
-Section 15
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27045933&loc=d3e13503-111538

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldAdditions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Sale or transfer of a loan during the period resulting in a reduction in the excess of a loan's cash flows expected to be collected over the investor's initial investment. This relates to loans accounted for as debt securities, with evidence of deterioration of credit quality since origination that was acquired by completion of a transfer for which it is probable, at acquisition, that the investor will be unable to collect all contractually required payments receivable.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldDisposalsOfLoans
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Change in the estimate of cash flows expected to be collected, after acquisition of a loan, which results in an increase in accretable yield (for example, if actual cash flows are significantly greater than previously expected). This relates to loans accounted for as debt securities, with evidence of deterioration of credit quality since origination that was acquired by completion of a transfer for which it is probable, at acquisition, that the investor will be unable to collect all contractually required payments receivable.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldReclassificationsFromNonaccretableDifference
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of the excess of a loan's cash flows expected to be collected over the investor's initial investment in acquired loans not accounted for as debt securities with evidence of deterioration of credit quality.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferNotAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYield
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of accretion recognized for the excess of a loan's cash flows expected to be collected over the investor's initial investment in acquired loans not accounted for as debt securities, with evidence of deterioration of credit quality.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferNotAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldAccretion
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of additions to the excess of a loan's cash flows expected to be collected over the investor's initial investment in acquired loans not accounted for as debt securities with evidence of deterioration of credit quality.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferNotAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldAdditions
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of reduction, resulting from a sale or transfer of a loan, in the excess of a loan's cash flows expected to be collected over the investor's initial investment in acquired loans not accounted for as debt securities with evidence of deterioration of credit quality.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferNotAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldDisposalsOfLoans
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferNotAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldMovementScheduleRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase of reclassification from nonaccretable difference to the excess of a loan's cash flows expected to be collected over the investor's initial investment in acquired loans not accounted for as debt securities with evidence of deterioration of credit quality.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferNotAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldReclassificationsFromNonaccretableDifference
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_CommercialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	met_LoansAcquiredInTransferAxis=met_InvestmentsPurchasedMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: