Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Cash flows from operating activities
Net income (loss)	$ 4,020	$ 854	$ 5,385
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization expenses	795	652	693
Amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts associated with investments, net	(1,044)	(1,110)	(1,141)
(Gains) losses on investments and from sales of businesses, net	363	(183)	(560)
(Gains) losses on derivatives, net	3,610	8,779	1,371
(Income) loss from equity method investments, net of dividends or distributions	194	475	481
Interest credited to policyholder account balances	6,260	6,282	5,610
Universal life and investment-type product policy fees	(7,708)	(9,207)	(9,507)
Goodwill impairment	0	260	0
Change in fair value option and trading securities	(436)	111	784
Change in accrued investment income	(280)	(31)	138
Change in premiums, reinsurance and other receivables	(991)	(2,158)	(831)
Change in deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired, net	(693)	(937)	488
Change in income tax	(2,796)	(1,522)	715
Change in other assets	691	3,248	2,752
Change in insurance-related liabilities and policy-related balances	8,511	6,321	6,408
Change in other liabilities	1,603	2,801	1,172
Other, net	184	139	94
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	12,283	14,774	14,052
Cash flows from investing activities
Sales, maturities and repayments of fixed maturity securities	95,945	150,658	146,732
Sales, maturities and repayments of equity securities	1,433	1,241	1,117
Sales, maturities and repayments of mortgage loans	10,353	12,977	12,647
Sales, maturities and repayments of real estate and real estate joint ventures	972	826	3,256
Sales, maturities and repayments of other limited partnership interests	1,082	1,542	1,827
Purchases of fixed maturity securities	(105,683)	(146,397)	(148,799)
Purchases of equity securities	(920)	(1,006)	(996)
Purchases of mortgage loans	(14,374)	(21,017)	(20,449)
Purchases of real estate and real estate joint ventures	(1,446)	(1,515)	(1,298)
Purchases of other limited partnership interests	(1,486)	(1,313)	(1,429)
Cash received in connection with freestanding derivatives	5,315	4,259	2,690
Cash paid in connection with freestanding derivatives	(8,696)	(6,963)	(4,211)
Cash received under repurchase agreements	0	0	199
Cash paid under repurchase agreements	0	0	(199)
Cash received under reverse repurchase agreements	0	0	199
Cash paid under reverse repurchase agreements	0	0	(199)
Cash disposed due to distribution of Brighthouse	(663)	0	0
Sales of businesses, net of cash and cash equivalents disposed of $0, $135 and $0, respectively	0	156	0
Purchases of businesses	(211)	0	0
Purchases of investments in operating joint ventures	0	(39)	0
Net change in policy loans	(67)	195	287
Net change in short-term investments	2,087	1,270	(777)
Net change in other invested assets	(171)	(267)	(936)
Other, net	(346)	(457)	(59)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(16,876)	(5,850)	(10,398)
Cash flows from financing activities
Policyholder account balances: Deposits	88,511	88,188	92,904
Policyholder account balances: Withdrawals	(82,380)	(83,263)	(94,621)
Net change in payables for collateral under securities loaned and other transactions	903	(3,636)	1,544
Long-term debt issued	3,657	0	3,893
Long-term debt repaid	(1,073)	(1,279)	(1,438)
Collateral financing arrangements repaid	(2,951)	(68)	(57)
Distribution of Brighthouse	(2,793)	0	0
Financing element on certain derivative instruments and other derivative related transactions, net	(151)	(1,367)	181
Treasury stock acquired in connection with share repurchases	(2,927)	(372)	(1,930)
Preferred stock issued, net of issuance costs	0	0	1,483
Repurchase of preferred stock	0	0	(1,460)
Preferred stock repurchase premium	0	0	(42)
Dividends on preferred stock	(103)	(103)	(116)
Dividends on common stock	(1,717)	(1,736)	(1,653)
Other, net	118	139	94
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(906)	(3,497)	(1,218)
Effect of change in foreign currency exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents balances	323	(302)	(492)
Change in cash and cash equivalents	(5,176)	5,125	1,944
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year	17,877	12,752	10,808
Cash and cash equivalents, end of year	12,701	17,877	12,752
Cash and cash equivalents, of disposed subsidiary, beginning of year	5,226	1,570	1,603
Cash and cash equivalents, of disposed subsidiary, end of year	0	5,226	1,570
Cash and cash equivalents, from continuing operations, beginning of year	12,651	11,182	9,205
Cash and cash equivalents, from continuing operations, end of year	12,701	12,651	11,182
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information:
Net cash paid for Interest	1,118	1,202	1,178
Net cash paid (received) for Income tax	1,530	672	1,127
Assets disposed, date of Separation	225,502	0	0
Liabilities disposed, date of Separation	(210,999)	0	0
Net Assets disposed, date of Separation	14,503	0	0
Cash disposed, date of Separation	(3,456)	0	0
Net non-cash disposed, date of Separation	11,047	0	0
Non-cash transactions
Fixed maturity securities received in connection with pension risk transfer transactions	0	985	903
Reduction of fixed maturity securities in connection with a reinsurance transaction	0	224	0
Reduction of other invested assets in connection with a reinsurance transaction	0	676	0
Deconsolidation of operating joint venture (Note 8):
Reduction of fixed maturity securities	0	917	0
Reduction of noncontrolling interests	0	373	0
Reduction of long-term debt	0	0	571
Reduction of real estate and real estate joint ventures	$ 0	$ 0	$ 688