Condensed Financial Information (Parent Company) (Condensed Statements of Operations) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net investment income									$ 19,947	$ 19,281	$ 21,153
Other revenues									1,759	1,983	2,030
Net investment gains (losses)									171	597	(197)
Net derivative gains (losses)									(6,760)	38	1,317
Total revenues	$ 12,076	$ 17,723	$ 15,244	$ 18,433	$ 17,044	$ 18,031	$ 16,166	$ 18,710	63,476	69,951	73,316
Expenses
Goodwill impairment									260	0	0
Other expenses									15,069	16,769	17,091
Total expenses	15,641	17,175	15,344	15,511	15,909	15,868	15,053	15,651	63,671	62,481	64,512
Income (loss) before provision for income tax									(195)	7,470	8,804
Provision for income tax expense (benefit)									(999)	2,148	2,465
Net income (loss)	(2,088)	577	110	2,201	834	1,203	1,115	2,158	800	5,310	6,309
Less: Preferred stock dividends	45	6	46	6	49	6	31	30	103	116	122
Preferred stock repurchase premium	0	0	0	0	0	0	42	0	0	42	0
Net income (loss) available to common shareholders	$ (2,133)	$ 571	$ 64	$ 2,195	$ 785	$ 1,197	$ 1,042	$ 2,128	697	5,152	6,187
Comprehensive income (loss)									1,376	(568)	11,854
Parent Company
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									1,783	5,985	6,907
Net investment income									129	170	371
Other revenues									151	124	128
Net investment gains (losses)									86	12	(287)
Net derivative gains (losses)									(68)	(7)	165
Total revenues									2,081	6,284	7,284
Expenses
Interest expense									1,152	1,171	1,151
Goodwill impairment									147	0	0
Other expenses									390	180	197
Total expenses									1,689	1,351	1,348
Income (loss) before provision for income tax									392	4,933	5,936
Provision for income tax expense (benefit)									(408)	(377)	(373)
Net income (loss)									800	5,310	6,309
Less: Preferred stock dividends									103	116	122
Preferred stock repurchase premium									0	42	0
Net income (loss) available to common shareholders									697	5,152	6,187
Comprehensive income (loss)									$ 1,376	$ (568)	$ 11,854