Policyholder Account Balances - Transition Table (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Mar. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021	Jan. 01, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance	$ 212,569	$ 210,597			$ 211,737
Reclassification of carrying amount of contracts and contract features that are market risk benefits
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance					(958)
Other balance sheet reclassifications upon adoption of the LDTI standard
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance					7,519
Previously Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance		203,082				$ 205,176
Other Products
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance	16,253	15,936			19,441
Other Products | Reclassification of carrying amount of contracts and contract features that are market risk benefits
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance					(170)
Other Products | Other balance sheet reclassifications upon adoption of the LDTI standard
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance					102
Other Products | Previously Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance						19,509
Group Insurance Policy | U.S.
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance	7,965	8,028	$ 8,034	$ 7,893	7,586
Group Insurance Policy | U.S. | Reclassification of carrying amount of contracts and contract features that are market risk benefits
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance					0
Group Insurance Policy | U.S. | Other balance sheet reclassifications upon adoption of the LDTI standard
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance					0
Group Insurance Policy | U.S. | Previously Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance						7,586
CapitalMarketsInvestmentProductsandStableValueGICs | U.S.
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance	63,284	63,723	66,165	62,521	62,908
CapitalMarketsInvestmentProductsandStableValueGICs | U.S. | Reclassification of carrying amount of contracts and contract features that are market risk benefits
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance					0
CapitalMarketsInvestmentProductsandStableValueGICs | U.S. | Other balance sheet reclassifications upon adoption of the LDTI standard
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance					0
CapitalMarketsInvestmentProductsandStableValueGICs | U.S. | Previously Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance						62,908
Annuities and Risk Solutions | U.S.
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance	16,128	15,549	14,385	14,431	13,643
Annuities and Risk Solutions | U.S. | Reclassification of carrying amount of contracts and contract features that are market risk benefits
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance					(24)
Annuities and Risk Solutions | U.S. | Other balance sheet reclassifications upon adoption of the LDTI standard
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance					7,417	7,400
Annuities and Risk Solutions | U.S. | Previously Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance						6,250
Universal And Variable Life Contracts [Member] | Asia
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance	46,770	46,417	46,955	46,590	43,868
Universal And Variable Life Contracts [Member] | Asia | Reclassification of carrying amount of contracts and contract features that are market risk benefits
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance					0
Universal And Variable Life Contracts [Member] | Asia | Other balance sheet reclassifications upon adoption of the LDTI standard
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance					0
Universal And Variable Life Contracts [Member] | Asia | Previously Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance						43,868
Fixed Annuity | Asia
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance	34,272	32,454	31,477	30,976	31,422
Fixed Annuity | Asia | Reclassification of carrying amount of contracts and contract features that are market risk benefits
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance					0
Fixed Annuity | Asia | Other balance sheet reclassifications upon adoption of the LDTI standard
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance					0
Fixed Annuity | Asia | Previously Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance						31,422
Fixed Annuity | MetLife Holdings
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance	12,818	13,286	14,182	14,398	15,234
Fixed Annuity | MetLife Holdings | Reclassification of carrying amount of contracts and contract features that are market risk benefits
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance					(493)
Fixed Annuity | MetLife Holdings | Other balance sheet reclassifications upon adoption of the LDTI standard
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance					0
Fixed Annuity | MetLife Holdings | Previously Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance						15,727
Variable Annuity [Member] | EMEA
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance	2,845	2,802	3,769	4,215	4,779
Variable Annuity [Member] | EMEA | Reclassification of carrying amount of contracts and contract features that are market risk benefits
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance					2
Variable Annuity [Member] | EMEA | Other balance sheet reclassifications upon adoption of the LDTI standard
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance					0
Variable Annuity [Member] | EMEA | Previously Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance						4,777
Life and Other | MetLife Holdings
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance	$ 12,234	$ 12,402	$ 12,676	$ 12,699	12,856
Life and Other | MetLife Holdings | Reclassification of carrying amount of contracts and contract features that are market risk benefits
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance					(273)
Life and Other | MetLife Holdings | Other balance sheet reclassifications upon adoption of the LDTI standard
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance					$ 0
Life and Other | MetLife Holdings | Previously Reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Policyholder Account Balance						$ 13,129