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Long-term and Short-term Debt (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Dec. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Sep. 30, 2038
Sep. 01, 2038
Dec. 31, 2037
Dec. 01, 2037
Jul. 31, 2037
Dec. 31, 2024
Dec. 31, 2023
Jun. 30, 2023
Dec. 31, 2022
Jun. 30, 2022
Jun. 30, 2018
Mar. 31, 2018
Dec. 31, 2017
Jun. 30, 2017
Dec. 11, 2015
Nov. 13, 2015
Mar. 05, 2015
Apr. 10, 2014
Dec. 31, 2010
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                            
Short-term Debt, Weighted Average Interest Rate 1.32% 0.15% 0.10%                                      
Debt Instrument, Face Amount $ 3,200,000,000 $ 3,200,000,000                                        
Debt Issuance Costs, Gross                                     $ 10,000,000      
Early Repayment of Senior Debt     $ 200,000,000                                      
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount (Premium) and Debt Issuance Costs, Net 68,000,000 74,000,000                                        
Long Term Debt Aggregate Maturities, Year One 1,000,000,000                                          
Long Term Debt Aggregate Maturities, Year Two 1,000,000,000                                          
Long Term Debt Aggregate Maturities, Year Three 1,000,000,000                                          
Long Term Debt Aggregate Maturities, Year Four 840,000,000                                          
Long Term Debt Aggregate Maturities, Year Five 1,000,000,000                                          
Long-term Debt, Maturities, Repayments of Principal after Year Five 11,500,000,000                                          
Interest Expense, Debt $ 877,000,000 894,000,000 $ 874,000,000                                      
Other Notes MPEH [Member]                                            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                            
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Dec. 11, 2020                                          
Debt Issuance Costs, Gross                                   $ 6,000,000        
Long-term Debt                                   350,000,000        
Debt Instrument, Description of Variable Rate Basis three-month LIBOR plus 3.70%                                          
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]                                            
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity $ 100,000,000                                 $ 100,000,000        
Senior notes                                            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                            
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage     5.875%                                      
Long-term Debt 15,505,000,000 16,927,000,000                                        
Debt Instrument, Unamortized Discount (Premium) and Debt Issuance Costs, Net 62,000,000 67,000,000                                        
Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member]                                            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                            
Long-term Debt $ 35,000,000 60,000,000                                        
Senior Debt 500 Million November 2025 [Member] | Senior notes                                            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                            
Debt Instrument, Face Amount                                     $ 500,000,000      
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Nov. 13, 2025                                          
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage                                     3.60%      
Senior Debt 750 Million May 2046 [Member] | Senior notes                                            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                            
Debt Instrument, Face Amount                                     $ 750,000,000      
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date May 13, 2046                                          
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage                                     4.60%      
Senior Debt $500 Million March 2025 [Member] | Senior notes                                            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                            
Debt Instrument, Face Amount                                       $ 500,000,000    
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Mar. 01, 2025                                          
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage                                       3.00%    
Senior Debt $1.0 Billion March 2045 [Member] | Senior notes                                            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                            
Debt Instrument, Face Amount                                       $ 1,000,000,000    
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Mar. 01, 2045                                          
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage                                       4.05%    
Senior Debt March 2015 [Member]                                            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                            
Debt Issuance Costs, Gross                                       $ 12,000,000    
Senior Debt $750M Maturing August 2042 [Member] | Senior notes                                            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                            
Debt Instrument, Face Amount                                         $ 1,000,000,000  
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Apr. 10, 2024                                          
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage                                         3.60%  
Debt Issuance Costs, Gross                                         $ 5,000,000  
Senior Debt Series E Tranche 1 [Member]                                            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                            
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Dec. 15, 2017                                          
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage     1.903%                                      
Senior Debt Series E Tranche 2 [Member]                                            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                            
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date Dec. 15, 2044                                          
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage     4.721%                                      
Committed Credit Facility [Member]                                            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]                                            
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity $ 11,500,000,000                                          
Fees associated with credit facilities 96,000,000 90,000,000 $ 95,000,000                                      
General Credit Facility [Member]                                            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]                                            
Fees associated with credit facilities $ 15,000,000 $ 13,000,000 $ 12,000,000                                      
General Credit Facility Amended [Member]                                            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]                                            
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Date Dec. 20, 2021                                          
General Credit Facility Amended 1 [Member]                                            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]                                            
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Date Dec. 20, 2022                                          
General Credit Facility Three [Member]                                            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]                                            
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Date May 30, 2019                                          
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity $ 4,000,000,000                                          
Unused Commitments 3,270,000,000                                          
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount 730,000,000                                          
Brighthouse Term Loan [Member]                                            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]                                            
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity 3,000,000,000                                          
Brighthouse Credit Facility [Member]                                            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]                                            
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity 2,000,000,000                                          
Fees associated with credit facilities 1,000,000                                          
Brighthouse Term Loan and Credit Facility [Member]                                            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]                                            
Fees associated with credit facilities $ 16,000,000                                          
Committed Credit Facility Three [Member]                                            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]                                            
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Date Dec. 28, 2024                                          
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity $ 400,000,000                                          
Unused Commitments 45,000,000                                          
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount $ 355,000,000                                          
Committed Credit Facility Four [Member]                                            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]                                            
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Date Jun. 20, 2018                                          
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity $ 425,000,000                                          
Unused Commitments 0                                          
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount $ 425,000,000                                          
Committed Credit Facility Five [Member]                                            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]                                            
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Date Jun. 30, 2037                                          
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity $ 3,500,000,000                                          
Unused Commitments 703,000,000                                          
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount $ 0                                          
Committed Credit Facility Six [Member]                                            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]                                            
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Date Dec. 31, 2037                                          
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity $ 2,896,000,000                                          
Line of Credit Facility, Current Borrowing Capacity 2,400,000,000                                          
Unused Commitments 635,000,000                                          
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount $ 2,261,000,000                                          
Committed Credit Facility Seven [Member]                                            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]                                            
Line of Credit Facility, Expiration Date Sep. 20, 2038                                          
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity $ 4,250,000,000                                          
Unused Commitments 1,250,000,000                                          
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount 3,000,000,000                                          
Committed Credit Facility Seven [Member] | Committed Credit Facility MRV [Member]                                            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]                                            
Letters of Credit Outstanding, Amount $ 3,000,000,000                                          
American Life Insurance Company (''American Life'') and Delaware American Life Insurance (''DelAm'') [Member]                                            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                            
Debt Instrument, Face Amount                                           $ 3,000,000,000
Debt Instrument, Fair Value                                           $ 3,000,000,000
Scenario, Forecast [Member] | General Credit Facility Three [Member]                                            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]                                            
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity                               $ 3,000,000,000            
Scenario, Forecast [Member] | Committed Credit Facility Three [Member]                                            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]                                            
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity                 $ 0 $ 260,000,000 $ 310,000,000 $ 360,000,000 $ 380,000,000                  
Scenario, Forecast [Member] | Committed Credit Facility Four [Member]                                            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]                                            
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity                           $ 0 $ 200,000,000   $ 395,000,000          
Scenario, Forecast [Member] | Committed Credit Facility Five [Member]                                            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]                                            
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity               $ 0                            
Scenario, Forecast [Member] | Committed Credit Facility Six [Member]                                            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]                                            
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity           $ 0 $ 2,000,000,000                              
Scenario, Forecast [Member] | Committed Credit Facility Seven [Member]                                            
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]                                            
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity       $ 0 $ 3,100,000,000                                  
Redemption Of Debt [Member] | Senior notes                                            
Debt Instrument [Line Items]                                            
Debt Instrument, Maturity Date     Nov. 21, 2033