Policyholder Account Balances - LTDI Rollforward (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2022
Policyholder Account Balance [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	$ 210,597
Balance, end of period	214,413
Group Insurance Policy | U.S.
Policyholder Account Balance [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	8,028	$ 7,893
Deposits	1,685	1,780
Policy charges	(318)	(304)
Surrenders and withdrawals	(1,608)	(1,370)
Benefit payments	(6)	(6)
Net transfers from (to) separate accounts	1	0
Interest credited	93	63
Balance, end of period	$ 7,875	$ 8,056
Weighted-average annual crediting rate	2.40%	1.60%
Cash surrender value	$ 7,813	$ 8,001
Group Insurance Policy | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member] | U.S.
Policyholder Account Balance [Roll Forward]
Net amount at risk	251,590	242,758
CapitalMarketsInvestmentProductsandStableValueGICs | U.S.
Policyholder Account Balance [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	63,723	62,521
Deposits	38,526	46,490
Surrenders and withdrawals	(39,865)	(43,895)
Interest credited	971	493
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	748	(1,014)
Balance, end of period	$ 64,103	$ 64,595
Weighted-average annual crediting rate	3.10%	1.60%
Cash surrender value	$ 2,309	$ 2,336
Annuities and Risk Solutions | U.S.
Policyholder Account Balance [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	15,549	14,431
Deposits	1,362	446
Policy charges	(96)	(91)
Surrenders and withdrawals	(83)	(60)
Benefit payments	(385)	(357)
Net transfers from (to) separate accounts	54	(26)
Interest credited	307	261
Other	(15)	(165)
Balance, end of period	$ 16,693	$ 14,439
Weighted-average annual crediting rate	3.80%	3.70%
Cash surrender value	$ 7,683	$ 6,585
Annuities and Risk Solutions | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member] | U.S.
Policyholder Account Balance [Roll Forward]
Net amount at risk	43,311	41,587
Universal And Variable Life Contracts [Member] | Asia
Policyholder Account Balance [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	46,417	46,590
Deposits	3,244	3,114
Policy charges	(563)	(582)
Surrenders and withdrawals	(1,238)	(1,235)
Benefit payments	(287)	(254)
Interest credited	683	483
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	(1,405)	(2,757)
Balance, end of period	$ 46,851	$ 45,359
Weighted-average annual crediting rate	3.00%	2.10%
Cash surrender value	$ 40,257	$ 40,286
Universal And Variable Life Contracts [Member] | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member] | Asia
Policyholder Account Balance [Roll Forward]
Net amount at risk	92,521	97,999
Fixed Annuity | Asia
Policyholder Account Balance [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	32,454	30,976
Deposits	4,612	2,780
Policy charges	(1)	(1)
Surrenders and withdrawals	(1,003)	(1,917)
Benefit payments	(1,071)	(1,177)
Interest credited	404	294
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	(271)	(806)
Balance, end of period	$ 35,124	$ 30,149
Weighted-average annual crediting rate	2.40%	1.90%
Cash surrender value	$ 30,244	$ 26,200
Fixed Annuity | MetLife Holdings
Policyholder Account Balance [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	13,286	14,398
Deposits	132	142
Policy charges	(8)	(8)
Surrenders and withdrawals	(1,038)	(650)
Benefit payments	(224)	(210)
Net transfers from (to) separate accounts	47	134
Interest credited	200	203
Other	15	(24)
Balance, end of period	$ 12,410	$ 13,985
Weighted-average annual crediting rate	3.20%	2.90%
Cash surrender value	$ 11,629	$ 12,953
Fixed Annuity | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member] | Asia
Policyholder Account Balance [Roll Forward]
Net amount at risk	6,224	0
Fixed Annuity | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member] | MetLife Holdings
Policyholder Account Balance [Roll Forward]
Net amount at risk	3,246	4,086
Fixed Annuity | Annuitization Benefit [Member] | MetLife Holdings
Policyholder Account Balance [Roll Forward]
Net amount at risk	813	1,135
Variable Annuity [Member] | EMEA
Policyholder Account Balance [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	2,802	4,215
Deposits	2	3
Policy charges	(32)	(41)
Surrenders and withdrawals	(132)	(182)
Benefit payments	(64)	(73)
Interest credited	32	(398)
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	153	(390)
Balance, end of period	$ 2,761	$ 3,134
Weighted-average annual crediting rate	2.40%	(19.50%)
Cash surrender value	$ 2,761	$ 3,134
Variable Annuity [Member] | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member] | EMEA
Policyholder Account Balance [Roll Forward]
Net amount at risk	635	507
Variable Annuity [Member] | Annuitization Benefit [Member] | EMEA
Policyholder Account Balance [Roll Forward]
Net amount at risk	797	646
Life and Other | MetLife Holdings
Policyholder Account Balance [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of period	12,402	12,699
Deposits	446	499
Policy charges	(354)	(361)
Surrenders and withdrawals	(612)	(385)
Benefit payments	(85)	(94)
Net transfers from (to) separate accounts	21	18
Interest credited	223	229
Other	3	2
Balance, end of period	$ 12,044	$ 12,607
Weighted-average annual crediting rate	3.70%	3.70%
Cash surrender value	$ 11,556	$ 12,071
Life and Other | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member] | MetLife Holdings
Policyholder Account Balance [Roll Forward]
Net amount at risk	$ 69,633	$ 73,187