The cash outflow associated with the amount paid to the subsidiaries during the period.

No definition available.

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- Definition

Non-Cash dividends received on equity and other investments from subsidiaries during the current period.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Non-Cash returns of capital from subsidiaries.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Supplemental capital contributions to subsidiaries.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Aggregate par or stated value of issued nonredeemable common stock (or common stock redeemable solely at the option of the issuer). This item includes treasury stock repurchased by the entity. Note: elements for number of nonredeemable common shares, par value and other disclosure concepts are in another section within stockholders' equity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(29))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Value of the investment at close of period. For investment in and advances to affiliates, if operations of any controlled companies are different in character from those of the company, group such affiliates within divisions and by type of activities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 320
-Section S99
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-14(Column E))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=50485924&loc=d3e611322-123010

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 320
-Section S99
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-14(2))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=50485924&loc=d3e611322-123010

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 320
-Section S99
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-14(3))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=50485924&loc=d3e611322-123010

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- Definition

Aggregate par or stated value of issued nonredeemable preferred stock (or preferred stock redeemable solely at the option of the issuer). This item includes treasury stock repurchased by the entity. Note: elements for number of nonredeemable preferred shares, par value and other disclosure concepts are in another section within stockholders' equity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(28))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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Condensed Financial Information (Parent Company) (Investment in Subsidiaries - Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Feb. 29, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Preferred Stock, Value, Issued		$ 0	$ 0
Common Stock, Value, Issued		12	12
Parent Company
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Non Cash Dividends From Subsidiaries		2,652	0	$ 81
Capital Contributions To Subsidiaries		1,733	667	1,262
Investment in subsidiaries		85,207	85,977
Preferred Stock, Value, Issued		0	0
Common Stock, Value, Issued		12	12
Returns of capital from subsidiaries		372	4,284	6,308
Capital contributions to subsidiaries		$ 157	4,120	6,388
Parent Company \| Project Flag [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Returns of capital from subsidiaries				5,700
Capital contributions to subsidiaries				5,700
Parent Company \| Investments in Majority-owned Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Investment in subsidiaries				2,000
MetLife Insurance Company USA \| Parent Company
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Capital Contributions To Subsidiaries	$ 1,500
Metlife Reinsurance Company of Vermont \| Parent Company \| Investments in Majority-owned Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Investment in subsidiaries			50	350
MetLife Reinsurance Company of Delaware \| Parent Company \| Investments in Majority-owned Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Investment in subsidiaries			45	$ 95
MetLife Reinsurance Company Of South Carolina \| Parent Company \| Investments in Majority-owned Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Investment in subsidiaries			$ 25