Goodwill (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
Goodwill Rollforward and by Segment
Goodwill - beginning of period	$ 10,215	$ 10,792	$ 9,988
Accumulated impairment	(680)	(680)	(680)
Total goodwill, net - beginning of period	9,535	10,112	9,308
Acquisitions	40		932
Effect of foreign currency translation and other	(278)	(577)	200
Goodwill - end of period	9,977	10,215	10,792
Accumulated impairment	(680)	(680)	(680)
Total goodwill, net - end of period	9,297	9,535	10,112
Goodwill
Goodwill Rollforward and by Segment
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Goodwill			328
U.S.
Goodwill Rollforward and by Segment
Goodwill - beginning of period	2,070	2,070	1,466
Accumulated impairment	0	0	0
Total goodwill, net - beginning of period	2,070	2,070	1,466
Acquisitions	0		932
Effect of foreign currency translation and other	0	0	0
Goodwill - end of period	2,070	2,070	2,070
Accumulated impairment	0	0	0
Total goodwill, net - end of period	2,070	2,070	2,070
U.S. | Goodwill
Goodwill Rollforward and by Segment
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Goodwill			328
Asia
Goodwill Rollforward and by Segment
Goodwill - beginning of period	4,552	4,763	4,636
Accumulated impairment	0	0	0
Total goodwill, net - beginning of period	4,552	4,763	4,636
Acquisitions	0		0
Effect of foreign currency translation and other	(243)	(211)	127
Goodwill - end of period	4,309	4,552	4,763
Accumulated impairment	0	0	0
Total goodwill, net - end of period	4,309	4,552	4,763
Asia | Goodwill
Goodwill Rollforward and by Segment
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Goodwill			0
Latin America
Goodwill Rollforward and by Segment
Goodwill - beginning of period	977	1,143	1,099
Accumulated impairment	0	0	0
Total goodwill, net - beginning of period	977	1,143	1,099
Acquisitions	0		0
Effect of foreign currency translation and other	3	(166)	44
Goodwill - end of period	980	977	1,143
Accumulated impairment	0	0	0
Total goodwill, net - end of period	980	977	1,143
Latin America | Goodwill
Goodwill Rollforward and by Segment
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Goodwill			0
EMEA
Goodwill Rollforward and by Segment
Goodwill - beginning of period	946	1,146	1,117
Accumulated impairment	0	0	0
Total goodwill, net - beginning of period	946	1,146	1,117
Acquisitions	0		0
Effect of foreign currency translation and other	(38)	(200)	29
Goodwill - end of period	908	946	1,146
Accumulated impairment	0	0	0
Total goodwill, net - end of period	908	946	1,146
EMEA | Goodwill
Goodwill Rollforward and by Segment
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Goodwill			0
MetLife Holdings
Goodwill Rollforward and by Segment
Goodwill - beginning of period	1,567	1,567	1,567
Accumulated impairment	(680)	(680)	(680)
Total goodwill, net - beginning of period	887	887	887
Acquisitions	0		0
Effect of foreign currency translation and other	0	0	0
Goodwill - end of period	1,567	1,567	1,567
Accumulated impairment	(680)	(680)	(680)
Total goodwill, net - end of period	887	887	887
MetLife Holdings | Goodwill
Goodwill Rollforward and by Segment
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Goodwill			0
Corporate & Other
Goodwill Rollforward and by Segment
Goodwill - beginning of period	103	103	103
Accumulated impairment	0	0	0
Total goodwill, net - beginning of period	103	103	103
Acquisitions	40		0
Effect of foreign currency translation and other	0	0	0
Goodwill - end of period	143	103	103
Accumulated impairment	0	0	0
Total goodwill, net - end of period	143	103	103
Corporate & Other | Goodwill
Goodwill Rollforward and by Segment
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Goodwill			0
JAPAN
Goodwill Rollforward and by Segment
Total goodwill, net - beginning of period	4,400	4,600
Total goodwill, net - end of period	$ 4,200	$ 4,400	$ 4,600