Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (Unaudited) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2021 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($)
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	$ 7,256	$ 6,486
Cash flows from investing activities
Sales, maturities and repayments of fixed maturity securities available-for-sale	63,778	56,872
Sales, maturities and repayments of equity securities	476	262
Sales, maturities and repayments of mortgage loans	12,692	7,848
Sales, maturities and repayments of real estate and real estate joint ventures	1,160	110
Sales, maturities and repayments of other limited partnership interests	512	305
Purchases of fixed maturity securities available-for-sale	(69,525)	(71,503)
Purchases of equity securities	(57)	(154)
Purchases of mortgage loans	(9,909)	(10,137)
Purchases of real estate and real estate joint ventures	(1,174)	(1,106)
Purchases of other limited partnership interests	(2,092)	(1,279)
Cash received in connection with freestanding derivatives	2,574	5,123
Cash paid in connection with freestanding derivatives	(6,794)	(2,900)
Sales of businesses	3,329	0
Net change in policy loans	179	106
Net change in short-term investments	(3,165)	(35)
Net change in other invested assets	(267)	(55)
Other, net	(42)	136
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities	(8,325)	(16,407)
Cash flows from financing activities
Policyholder account balances: Deposits	75,536	73,626
Policyholder account balances: Withdrawals	(71,495)	(64,856)
Net change in payables for collateral under securities loaned and other transactions	1,279	8,025
Cash received for other transactions with tenors greater than three months	0	150
Cash paid for other transactions with tenors greater than three months	(100)	(175)
Long-term debt issued	29	1,124
Long-term debt repaid	(540)	(95)
Collateral financing arrangement repaid	(39)	(69)
Financing element on certain derivative instruments and other derivative related transactions, net	305	(108)
Treasury stock acquired in connection with share repurchases	(3,127)	(580)
Preferred stock issued, net of issuance costs	0	1,961
Redemption of preferred stock	(494)	0
Preferred stock redemption premium	(6)	0
Dividends on preferred stock	(166)	(168)
Dividends on common stock	(1,242)	(1,242)
Other, net	20	129
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities	(40)	17,722
Effect of change in foreign currency exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents balances	(392)	6
Change in cash and cash equivalents	(1,501)	7,807
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	19,059	24,405
Cash and cash equivalents, subsidiary held-for-sale, beginning of period	765	0
Cash and cash equivalents, subsidiary held-for-sale, end of period	103	0
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period	19,795	16,598
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	18,956	24,405
Supplemental disclosures of cash flow information
Net cash paid for Interest	606	579
Net cash paid (received) for Income tax	861	339
Assets held-for-sale	7,462	0
Liabilities held-for-sale	6,757	0
Net assets held-for-sale	705	0
Non-cash transactions:
Real estate and real estate joint ventures acquired in satisfaction of debt	172	9
Increase in equity securities due to in-kind distributions received from other limited partnership interests	273	66
Reclassification of certain other invested assets to contractholder-directed equity securities and fair value option securities	309	0
Increase in other liabilities associated with the notice of redemption of preferred stock	$ 0	$ 1,003