Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs, Value of Business Acquired and Other Policy-Related Intangibles - DAC VOBA by Segment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2023	Mar. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2022	Jan. 01, 2021
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
DAC, Beginning Balance	$ 17,644	$ 17,415
Capitalizations	718	652
Amortization	(426)	(425)
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	42	(199)
DAC, Ending Balance	17,978	17,443
VOBA Net, Beginning Balance	2,009	2,391
Acquisitions	0	0
Amortization	(44)	(50)
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	33	(38)
VOBA Net, Ending Balance	1,998	2,303
Deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired	19,976	19,746	$ 19,653	$ 20,417
U.S.
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
DAC, Beginning Balance	532	464
Capitalizations	51	32
Amortization	(16)	(16)
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	0	0
DAC, Ending Balance	567	480
VOBA Net, Beginning Balance	19	22
Acquisitions	0	0
Amortization	(1)	(1)
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	0	0
VOBA Net, Ending Balance	18	21
Asia
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
DAC, Beginning Balance	10,270	10,058
Capitalizations	401	388
Amortization	(168)	(165)
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	(89)	(228)
DAC, Ending Balance	10,414	10,053
VOBA Net, Beginning Balance	1,290	1,593
Acquisitions	0	0
Amortization	(25)	(29)
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	(11)	(80)
VOBA Net, Ending Balance	1,254	1,484
Latin America
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
DAC, Beginning Balance	1,542	1,361
Capitalizations	151	111
Amortization	(93)	(87)
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	108	63
DAC, Ending Balance	1,708	1,448
VOBA Net, Beginning Balance	545	591
Acquisitions	0	0
Amortization	(13)	(13)
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	42	43
VOBA Net, Ending Balance	574	621
EMEA
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
DAC, Beginning Balance	1,480	1,472
Capitalizations	108	112
Amortization	(81)	(81)
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	22	(33)
DAC, Ending Balance	1,529	1,470
VOBA Net, Beginning Balance	127	154
Acquisitions	0	0
Amortization	(4)	(6)
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	2	(1)
VOBA Net, Ending Balance	125	147
MetLife Holdings
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
DAC, Beginning Balance	3,791	4,029
Capitalizations	6	6
Amortization	(67)	(74)
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	0	0
DAC, Ending Balance	3,730	3,961
VOBA Net, Beginning Balance	28	31
Acquisitions	0	0
Amortization	(1)	(1)
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	0	0
VOBA Net, Ending Balance	27	30
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
DAC, Beginning Balance	29	31
Capitalizations	1	3
Amortization	(1)	(2)
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	1	(1)
DAC, Ending Balance	30	31
VOBA Net, Beginning Balance	0	0
Acquisitions	0	0
Amortization	0	0
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	0	0
VOBA Net, Ending Balance	$ 0	$ 0