Pending Disposition of MetLife Poland and Greece (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Mar. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 23	$ 69	$ 611	$ 765
Liabilities held-for-sale	4,297	6,634
MetLife Poland and Greece
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets		7,238
Cash and cash equivalents		69
Other		259
Liabilities held-for-sale		6,634
Other		113
MetLife Poland and Greece | Fixed Maturities [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets		2,043
MetLife Poland and Greece | Contractholder-directed equity securities
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets		1,114
MetLife Poland and Greece | Other Investments
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets		118
MetLife Poland and Greece | Investments
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets		3,275
MetLife Poland and Greece | Deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets		138
MetLife Poland and Greece | Separate Accounts
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets		3,497
MetLife Poland and Greece | Future policy benefits [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Liabilities held-for-sale		916
MetLife Poland and Greece | Policyholder Account Balances [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Liabilities held-for-sale		2,005
MetLife Poland and Greece | Other Policy-Related Balances
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Liabilities held-for-sale		103
MetLife Poland and Greece | Separate account liabilities
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Liabilities held-for-sale		$ 3,497
MetLife Poland
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets	4,582
Cash and cash equivalents	23
Other	178
Liabilities held-for-sale	4,297
Other	40
MetLife Poland | Fixed Maturities [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets	806
MetLife Poland | Contractholder-directed equity securities
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets	286
MetLife Poland | Other Investments
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets	8
MetLife Poland | Investments
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets	1,100
MetLife Poland | Deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets	76
MetLife Poland | Separate Accounts
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Assets	3,205
MetLife Poland | Future policy benefits [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Liabilities held-for-sale	405
MetLife Poland | Policyholder Account Balances [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Liabilities held-for-sale	619
MetLife Poland | Other Policy-Related Balances
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Liabilities held-for-sale	28
MetLife Poland | Separate account liabilities
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Liabilities held-for-sale	$ 3,205