Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Assets
Amortized cost of fixed maturity securities available-for-sale	$ 330,354	$ 332,964
Fixed maturity securities relating to variable interest entities	350,889	351,402
Cost of equity securities available-for-sale	2,744	2,997
Actively traded securities	0	404
Fair value option and trading securities relating to variable interest entities	13,923	15,024
Mortgage loans valuation allowances	344	318
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate	74,545	67,102
Policy loans	11,028	11,258
Real estate held-for-sale	59	47
Other limited partnership interests relating to variable interest entities	6,778	7,096
Short-term investments	7,810	9,299
Other invested assets relating to variable interest entities	23,185	22,524
Cash and cash equivalents relating to variable interest entities	17,877	12,752
Accrued investment income relating to variable interest entities	3,988	3,988
Premiums, reinsurance and other receivables relating to variable interest entities	26,081	22,702
Deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired relating to variable interest entities	24,798	24,130
Other assets relating to variable interest entities	7,767	7,666
Separate account assets	308,620	301,598
Liabilities
Future policy benefits relating to variable interest entities	199,971	191,879
Policyholder account balances	210,235	202,722
Other policy-related balances relating to variable interest entities	14,386	14,255
Long-term debt, at estimated fair value, relating to variable interest entities	16,502	18,023
Other liabilities relating to variable interest entities	28,818	23,561
Separate account liabilities	$ 308,620	$ 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	1,164,029,985	1,159,590,766
Common stock, shares outstanding	1,095,519,005	1,098,028,525
Treasury stock, shares	68,510,980	61,562,241
Residential Mortgage Loans - FVO
Assets
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate	$ 566	$ 314
Variable interest entities
Assets
Fixed maturity securities relating to variable interest entities	3,422	4,277
Fair value option and trading securities relating to variable interest entities	8	13
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate	136	172
Policy loans	0	4
Other limited partnership interests relating to variable interest entities	14	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	1	85
Accrued investment income relating to variable interest entities	1	23
Premiums, reinsurance and other receivables relating to variable interest entities	2	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	35	63
Other liabilities relating to variable interest entities	0	81
Separate account liabilities	$ 0	$ 1,022