Separate Account Assets Fair Value (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Mar. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	$ 148,417	$ 146,038
Other invested assets
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	6,022	6,006
Separate Account, Debt Security | Commodities Investment
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	212	242
Separate Account, Debt Security | Communications
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	1,097	1,193
Separate Account, Debt Security | Consumer Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2,374	2,400
Separate Account, Debt Security | Energy Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	1,007	970
Separate Account, Debt Security | Financial Services Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	11,578	11,914
Separate Account, Debt Security | Commercial and Industrial Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	4,807	4,706
Separate Account, Debt Security | Foreign Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	7,094	6,524
Separate Account, Debt Security | Technology Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	735	720
Separate Account, Debt Security | Foreign government
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	5,004	4,216
Separate Account, Debt Security | US Government Agencies Debt Securities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	20,599	20,181
Separate Account, Debt Security | US States and Political Subdivisions Debt Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	578	549
Separate Account, Debt Security | Corporate Bond Securities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	28,904	28,669
Separate Account, Debt Security | Bonds
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	56,655	55,083
Separate Account, Debt Security | Separate Account, Mortgage-Backed Security
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	11,827	12,360
Separate Account, Debt Security | Asset-Backed Securities, Securitized Loans and Receivables
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2,972	2,968
Separate Account, Debt Security | Redeemable Preferred Stock
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	5	4
Separate Account, Debt Security | Fixed Maturities [Member]
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	71,459	70,415
Separate Account, Debt Security | Public Utilities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	1,570	1,468
Separate Account, Equity Security
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	64,863	62,805
Separate Account, Equity Security | Non-redeemable Preferred Stock
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2	2
Separate Account, Equity Security | Financial Services Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	1,314	1,404
Separate Account, Equity Security | Commercial and Industrial Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	7,994	7,815
Separate Account, Equity Security | Public Utilities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	143	168
Separate Account, Equity Security | Mutual Fund
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	55,410	53,416
Investments
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	142,344	139,226
Other Assets
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	6,073	6,812
U.S.
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	59,038	61,030
U.S. | Other invested assets
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	1,547	1,865
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Commodities Investment
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	212	242
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Communications
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	1,093	1,182
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Consumer Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2,337	2,393
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Energy Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	896	866
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Financial Services Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	3,145	3,538
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Commercial and Industrial Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	895	882
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Foreign Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2,399	2,473
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Technology Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	707	717
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Foreign government
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	578	588
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | US Government Agencies Debt Securities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	11,222	11,340
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | US States and Political Subdivisions Debt Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	534	504
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Corporate Bond Securities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	11,684	12,293
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Bonds
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	25,291	25,908
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Separate Account, Mortgage-Backed Security
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	11,790	12,328
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Asset-Backed Securities, Securitized Loans and Receivables
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2,930	2,926
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Redeemable Preferred Stock
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	5	4
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Fixed Maturities [Member]
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	40,016	41,166
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Public Utilities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	1,273	1,183
U.S. | Separate Account, Equity Security
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	11,936	11,854
U.S. | Separate Account, Equity Security | Non-redeemable Preferred Stock
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2	2
U.S. | Separate Account, Equity Security | Financial Services Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	508	599
U.S. | Separate Account, Equity Security | Commercial and Industrial Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2,673	2,910
U.S. | Separate Account, Equity Security | Public Utilities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	74	96
U.S. | Separate Account, Equity Security | Mutual Fund
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	8,679	8,247
U.S. | Investments
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	53,499	54,885
U.S. | Other Assets
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	5,539	6,145
Asia
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	8,508	8,292
Asia | Other invested assets
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	385	411
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | Commodities Investment
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | Communications
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	8
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | Consumer Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	29	0
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | Energy Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	109	103
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | Financial Services Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	519	527
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | Commercial and Industrial Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	45	186
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | Foreign Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | Technology Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	25	0
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | Foreign government
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	1,174	1,047
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | US Government Agencies Debt Securities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | US States and Political Subdivisions Debt Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	32	33
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | Corporate Bond Securities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	727	824
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | Bonds
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2,226	2,185
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | Separate Account, Mortgage-Backed Security
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | Asset-Backed Securities, Securitized Loans and Receivables
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	28	28
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | Redeemable Preferred Stock
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | Fixed Maturities [Member]
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2,254	2,213
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | Public Utilities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	293	281
Asia | Separate Account, Equity Security
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	5,509	5,234
Asia | Separate Account, Equity Security | Non-redeemable Preferred Stock
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
Asia | Separate Account, Equity Security | Financial Services Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	262	270
Asia | Separate Account, Equity Security | Commercial and Industrial Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2,506	2,330
Asia | Separate Account, Equity Security | Public Utilities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	20	27
Asia | Separate Account, Equity Security | Mutual Fund
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2,721	2,607
Asia | Investments
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	8,148	7,858
Asia | Other Assets
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	360	434
Latin America
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	42,211	39,428
Latin America | Other invested assets
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	4,044	3,687
Latin America | Separate Account, Debt Security | Commodities Investment
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
Latin America | Separate Account, Debt Security | Communications
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
Latin America | Separate Account, Debt Security | Consumer Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
Latin America | Separate Account, Debt Security | Energy Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
Latin America | Separate Account, Debt Security | Financial Services Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	7,465	7,389
Latin America | Separate Account, Debt Security | Commercial and Industrial Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	3,863	3,635
Latin America | Separate Account, Debt Security | Foreign Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	4,659	4,018
Latin America | Separate Account, Debt Security | Technology Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
Latin America | Separate Account, Debt Security | Foreign government
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	1,117	593
Latin America | Separate Account, Debt Security | US Government Agencies Debt Securities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	9,355	8,828
Latin America | Separate Account, Debt Security | US States and Political Subdivisions Debt Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
Latin America | Separate Account, Debt Security | Corporate Bond Securities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	15,987	15,042
Latin America | Separate Account, Debt Security | Bonds
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	26,459	24,463
Latin America | Separate Account, Debt Security | Separate Account, Mortgage-Backed Security
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
Latin America | Separate Account, Debt Security | Asset-Backed Securities, Securitized Loans and Receivables
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
Latin America | Separate Account, Debt Security | Redeemable Preferred Stock
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
Latin America | Separate Account, Debt Security | Fixed Maturities [Member]
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	26,459	24,463
Latin America | Separate Account, Debt Security | Public Utilities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
Latin America | Separate Account, Equity Security
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	11,626	11,086
Latin America | Separate Account, Equity Security | Non-redeemable Preferred Stock
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
Latin America | Separate Account, Equity Security | Financial Services Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	358	347
Latin America | Separate Account, Equity Security | Commercial and Industrial Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2,315	2,100
Latin America | Separate Account, Equity Security | Public Utilities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
Latin America | Separate Account, Equity Security | Mutual Fund
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	8,953	8,639
Latin America | Investments
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	42,129	39,236
Latin America | Other Assets
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	82	192
EMEA
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	3,546	3,314
EMEA | Other invested assets
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	46	43
EMEA | Separate Account, Debt Security | Commodities Investment
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
EMEA | Separate Account, Debt Security | Communications
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
EMEA | Separate Account, Debt Security | Consumer Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
EMEA | Separate Account, Debt Security | Energy Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
EMEA | Separate Account, Debt Security | Financial Services Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	432	444
EMEA | Separate Account, Debt Security | Commercial and Industrial Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
EMEA | Separate Account, Debt Security | Foreign Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	23	21
EMEA | Separate Account, Debt Security | Technology Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
EMEA | Separate Account, Debt Security | Foreign government
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2,135	1,988
EMEA | Separate Account, Debt Security | US Government Agencies Debt Securities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
EMEA | Separate Account, Debt Security | US States and Political Subdivisions Debt Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
EMEA | Separate Account, Debt Security | Corporate Bond Securities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	455	465
EMEA | Separate Account, Debt Security | Bonds
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2,590	2,453
EMEA | Separate Account, Debt Security | Separate Account, Mortgage-Backed Security
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
EMEA | Separate Account, Debt Security | Asset-Backed Securities, Securitized Loans and Receivables
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
EMEA | Separate Account, Debt Security | Redeemable Preferred Stock
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
EMEA | Separate Account, Debt Security | Fixed Maturities [Member]
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2,590	2,453
EMEA | Separate Account, Debt Security | Public Utilities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
EMEA | Separate Account, Equity Security
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	824	783
EMEA | Separate Account, Equity Security | Non-redeemable Preferred Stock
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
EMEA | Separate Account, Equity Security | Financial Services Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	186	188
EMEA | Separate Account, Equity Security | Commercial and Industrial Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	500	475
EMEA | Separate Account, Equity Security | Public Utilities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	49	45
EMEA | Separate Account, Equity Security | Mutual Fund
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	89	75
EMEA | Investments
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	3,460	3,279
EMEA | Other Assets
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	86	35
MetLife Holdings
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	35,114	33,974
MetLife Holdings | Other invested assets
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Debt Security | Commodities Investment
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Debt Security | Communications
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	4	3
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Debt Security | Consumer Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	8	7
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Debt Security | Energy Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2	1
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Debt Security | Financial Services Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	17	16
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Debt Security | Commercial and Industrial Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	4	3
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Debt Security | Foreign Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	13	12
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Debt Security | Technology Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	3	3
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Debt Security | Foreign government
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Debt Security | US Government Agencies Debt Securities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	22	13
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Debt Security | US States and Political Subdivisions Debt Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	12	12
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Debt Security | Corporate Bond Securities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	51	45
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Debt Security | Bonds
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	89	74
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Debt Security | Separate Account, Mortgage-Backed Security
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	37	32
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Debt Security | Asset-Backed Securities, Securitized Loans and Receivables
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	14	14
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Debt Security | Redeemable Preferred Stock
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Debt Security | Fixed Maturities [Member]
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	140	120
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Debt Security | Public Utilities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	4	4
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Equity Security
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	34,968	33,848
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Equity Security | Non-redeemable Preferred Stock
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Equity Security | Financial Services Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Equity Security | Commercial and Industrial Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Equity Security | Public Utilities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	0
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Equity Security | Mutual Fund
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	34,968	33,848
MetLife Holdings | Investments
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	35,108	33,968
MetLife Holdings | Other Assets
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	$ 6	$ 6