Fair Value (Financial Instruments Carried at Other Than Fair Value) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Assets
Policy loans	$ 8,783	$ 9,111
Liabilities
Collateral financing arrangement	729	766
Junior subordinated debt securities	3,158	3,156
Separate account liabilities	135,771	179,873
Carrying Value
Assets
Mortgage loans (1)	82,437	79,226
Policy loans	8,783	9,111
Other invested assets	958	1,025
Premiums, reinsurance and other receivables	2,572	2,262
Other assets	250	290
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances	122,043	123,865
Long-term debt	14,457	13,852
Collateral financing arrangement	729	766
Junior subordinated debt securities	3,158	3,156
Other liabilities	2,491	2,143
Separate account liabilities	74,968	95,619
Estimated Fair Value
Assets
Mortgage loans (1)	77,970	82,788
Policy loans	9,603	10,751
Other invested assets	958	1,025
Premiums, reinsurance and other receivables	2,629	2,454
Other assets	242	291
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances	115,065	127,728
Long-term debt	13,826	16,621
Collateral financing arrangement	591	630
Junior subordinated debt securities	3,470	4,447
Other liabilities	2,767	2,835
Separate account liabilities	74,968	95,619
Estimated Fair Value \| Level 1
Assets
Mortgage loans (1)	0	0
Policy loans	0	0
Other invested assets	0	0
Premiums, reinsurance and other receivables	0	0
Other assets	0	0
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances	0	0
Long-term debt	0	0
Collateral financing arrangement	0	0
Junior subordinated debt securities	0	0
Other liabilities	0	0
Separate account liabilities	0	0
Estimated Fair Value \| Level 2
Assets
Mortgage loans (1)	0	0
Policy loans	0	0
Other invested assets	768	769
Premiums, reinsurance and other receivables	812	492
Other assets	88	101
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances	0	0
Long-term debt	13,826	16,621
Collateral financing arrangement	0	0
Junior subordinated debt securities	3,470	4,447
Other liabilities	937	514
Separate account liabilities	74,968	95,619
Estimated Fair Value \| Level 3
Assets
Mortgage loans (1)	77,970	82,788
Policy loans	9,603	10,751
Other invested assets	190	256
Premiums, reinsurance and other receivables	1,817	1,962
Other assets	154	190
Liabilities
Policyholder account balances	115,065	127,728
Long-term debt	0	0
Collateral financing arrangement	591	630
Junior subordinated debt securities	0	0
Other liabilities	1,830	2,321
Separate account liabilities	$ 0	$ 0

Total amount of mortgage loans not valued on a recurring basis as of the balance sheet date.

No definition available.

Name:	met_FairValueMortgageLoansNetNotOnRecurringBasis
Namespace Prefix:	met_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value portion of other investments not otherwise specified in the taxonomy.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	met_OtherInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	met_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value portion of the liability of policyholders for deposits held under the terms of insurance contracts.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	met_PolicyholderContractDepositsFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	met_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentsFinancialAssetsBalanceSheetGroupingsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentsFinancialLiabilitiesBalanceSheetGroupingsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Including the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of long-term debt (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer) identified as Junior Subordinated Notes, which have a lower priority than senior instruments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(16)(a))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126734703&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126897435&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_JuniorSubordinatedNotes
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount before allowance of loans made to policy and contract holders using their life insurance contracts' cash value or separate accounts as collateral. Includes deferred interest and fees, undisbursed portion of loan balance, unamortized costs and premiums over and discounts from face amounts. Excludes loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LoansInsurancePolicy
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The fair value amount of long-term debt whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value portion of other assets.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherAssetsFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value portion of other liabilities.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherLiabilitiesFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value portion of receivables, including, but not limited to, trade account receivables, note receivables, and loan receivables.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(7))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126897435&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 825
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 10
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123594938&loc=d3e13433-108611

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(5))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126734703&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ReceivablesFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date, including the current and noncurrent portions, of collateralized debt obligations (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle, if longer). Such obligations include mortgage loans, chattel loans, and any other borrowings secured by assets of the borrower.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(16))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126734703&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(16))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126897435&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120391452&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SecuredDebt
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of liability for variable contract in which all or portion of contract holder's funds is allocated to specific separate account and supported by assets held in separate account.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 80
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124508989&loc=SL117422267-158473

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(a)(18))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=126734703&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 80
-Section 55
-Paragraph 18
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124505678&loc=SL117422401-158474

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 80
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6484091&loc=d3e19268-158472

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 80
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124508989&loc=SL117422267-158473

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SeparateAccountsLiability
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis=us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementBasisAxis=us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: