Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Cash flows from operating activities
Net income (loss)	$ 5,418	$ 5,909	$ 5,128
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization expenses	619	630	628
Amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts associated with investments, net	(816)	(999)	(1,013)
(Gains) losses on investments and from sales of businesses, net	110	(444)	298
(Gains) losses on derivatives, net	(656)	(135)	(207)
(Income) loss from equity method investments, net of dividends or distributions	76	254	251
Interest credited to policyholder account balances	5,348	6,464	4,013
Universal life and investment-type product policy fees	(3,664)	(5,603)	(5,502)
Change in contractholder-directed equity securities and fair value option securities	131	(139)	2,212
Change in accrued investment income	104	8	(121)
Change in premiums, reinsurance and other receivables	842	(514)	(1,809)
Change in deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired, net	101	(463)	(249)
Change in income tax	(11)	233	940
Change in other assets	(361)	426	260
Change in insurance-related liabilities and policy-related balances	5,112	7,803	7,454
Change in other liabilities	(1,065)	71	(483)
Other, net	351	285	(62)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	11,639	13,786	11,738
Cash flows from investing activities
Sales, maturities and repayments of fixed maturity securities available-for-sale	77,979	77,820	106,677
Sales, maturities and repayments of equity securities	367	294	342
Sales, maturities and repayments of mortgage loans	11,300	12,838	9,918
Sales, maturities and repayments of real estate and real estate joint ventures	120	1,123	1,227
Sales, maturities and repayments of other limited partnership interests	597	625	675
Purchases of fixed maturity securities available-for-sale	(89,633)	(87,455)	(105,401)
Purchases of equity securities	(169)	(130)	(235)
Purchases of mortgage loans	(14,652)	(17,657)	(17,059)
Purchases of real estate and real estate joint ventures	(1,287)	(1,962)	(1,118)
Purchases of other limited partnership interests	(1,979)	(1,674)	(1,406)
Cash received in connection with freestanding derivatives	4,847	2,914	3,778
Cash paid in connection with freestanding derivatives	(4,247)	(3,749)	(4,173)
Purchases of businesses	(1,684)	(32)	0
Net change in policy loans	250	5	(37)
Net change in short-term investments	(341)	152	870
Net change in other invested assets	(176)	(567)	340
Other, net	139	(131)	(32)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(18,569)	(17,586)	(5,634)
Cash flows from financing activities
Policyholder account balances: Deposits	93,497	92,122	92,327
Policyholder account balances: Withdrawals	(85,251)	(85,598)	(88,061)
Net change in payables for collateral under securities loaned and other transactions	3,538	2,019	(821)
Cash received for other transactions with tenors greater than three months	150	125	200
Cash paid for other transactions with tenors greater than three months	(175)	(200)	0
Long-term debt issued	1,124	1,382	24
Long-term debt repaid	(99)	(906)	(1,871)
Collateral financing arrangement repaid	(148)	(67)	(61)
Financing element on certain derivative instruments and other derivative related transactions, net	(46)	(126)	144
Treasury stock acquired in connection with share repurchases	(1,151)	(2,285)	(3,992)
Preferred stock issued, net of issuance costs	1,961	0	1,274
Redemption of preferred stock	(989)	0	0
Preferred stock redemption premium	(14)	0	0
Dividends on preferred stock	(202)	(178)	(141)
Dividends on common stock	(1,657)	(1,643)	(1,678)
Other, net	191	(77)	(145)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	10,729	4,568	(2,801)
Effect of change in foreign currency exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents balances	163	9	(183)
Change in cash and cash equivalents	3,962	777	3,120
Cash and cash equivalents, from continuing operations, beginning of year	16,598	15,821	12,701
Cash and cash equivalents, including subsidiary held-for-sale, end of year	20,560	16,598	15,821
Cash and cash equivalents, subsidiary held-for-sale, end of year	765	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents, end of year	19,795	16,598	15,821
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information
Net cash paid for Interest	891	964	1,130
Net cash paid (received) for Income tax	787	1,099	1,935
Business acquisitions: Assets	2,190	0	0
Business acquisitions: Liabilities	315	0	0
Business acquisitions: cash paid, excluding transaction costs	1,875	0	0
Assets held-for-sale	7,418	0	0
Liabilities held-for-sale	4,650	0	0
Net assets held-for-sale	2,768	0	0
Non-cash transactions:
Fixed maturity securities available-for-sale received in connection with pension risk transfer transactions	2,037	637	3,016
Operating lease liability associated with the recognition of right-of-use assets	70	341	0
Reduction of long-term debt	0	0	944
Reduction of fair value option securities	0	0	1,030
Reclassification of certain equity securities to other invested assets	$ 0	$ 0	$ 792