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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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The percentage of the performance factor for the three year performance period used for performance shares and units.

No definition available.

Name:	met_PerformanceFactor
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The cash value of vested performance units that was paid under a unit-based compensation plan.

No definition available.

Name:	met_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsPaidInPeriod
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Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
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The number of equity-based payment instruments, excluding stock (or unit) options, that vested during the reporting period.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(2)(iii)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

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Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
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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.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardLineItems
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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
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Period Type:	duration

Number of share instruments newly issued under a share-based compensation plan.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109197908&loc=d3e5070-113901

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardSharesIssuedInPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

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Balance Type:
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Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_PerformanceSharesMember
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Data Type:	na
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