Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2021	Mar. 31, 2020
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 1,496	$ 1,847
Cash flows from investing activities
Sales, maturities and repayments of fixed maturity securities available-for-sale	24,976	19,378
Sales, maturities and repayments of equity securities	156	25
Sales, maturities and repayments of mortgage loans	3,663	2,821
Sales, maturities and repayments of real estate and real estate joint ventures	106	90
Sales, maturities and repayments of other limited partnership interests	174	146
Purchases of fixed maturity securities available-for-sale	(22,143)	(26,924)
Purchases of equity securities	(12)	(35)
Purchases of mortgage loans	(2,877)	(4,151)
Purchases of real estate and real estate joint ventures	(236)	(573)
Purchases of other limited partnership interests	(682)	(480)
Cash received in connection with freestanding derivatives	1,358	4,987
Cash paid in connection with freestanding derivatives	(4,788)	(1,440)
Net change in policy loans	85	20
Net change in short-term investments	(828)	(2,125)
Net change in other invested assets	(23)	(1)
Other, net	17	(75)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(1,054)	(8,337)
Cash flows from financing activities
Policyholder account balances: Deposits	25,722	24,820
Policyholder account balances: Withdrawals	(23,527)	(20,477)
Net change in payables for collateral under securities loaned and other transactions	(1,426)	8,796
Cash received for other transactions with tenors greater than three months	0	50
Cash paid for other transactions with tenors greater than three months	(100)	(50)
Long-term debt issued	0	1,074
Long-term debt repaid	(15)	(6)
Collateral financing arrangement repaid	(12)	(12)
Financing element on certain derivative instruments and other derivative related transactions, net	326	(167)
Treasury stock acquired in connection with share repurchases	(999)	(500)
Preferred stock issued, net of issuance costs	0	972
Dividends on preferred stock	(68)	(32)
Dividends on common stock	(408)	(404)
Other, net	(57)	93
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(564)	14,157
Effect of change in foreign currency exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents balances	(192)	(171)
Change in cash and cash equivalents	(314)	7,496
Cash and cash equivalents, including subsidiary held-for-sale, beginning of period	20,560	16,598
Cash and cash equivalents, including subsidiary held-for-sale, end of period	20,246	24,094
Cash and cash equivalents, subsidiary held-for-sale, beginning of period	765	0
Cash and cash equivalents, subsidiary held-for-sale, end of period	611	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	19,795	16,598
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	19,635	24,094
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information
Net cash paid for Interest	153	136
Net cash paid (received) for Income tax	281	(35)
Change in assets held-for-sale	819	0
Change in liabilities held-for-sale	785	0
Change in net assets held-for-sale	34	0
Non-cash transactions:
Real estate and real estate joint ventures acquired in satisfaction of debt	170	0
Increase in policyholder account balances associated with funding agreement backed notes issued but not settled	$ 400	$ 0