Market Risk Benefits Rollforward (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2023	Jun. 30, 2022
Market Risk Benefit [Line Items]
Market Risk Benefit, Beginning Balance	$ 3,483
Market Risk Benefit, Ending Balance	2,980
Retirement Assurance | Asia
Market Risk Benefit [Line Items]
Market Risk Benefit, Beginning Balance	226	$ 277
Balance, beginning of period, before effect of cumulative changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	233	284
Attributed fees collected	1	2
Benefit payments	(7)	0
Effect of changes in interest rates	3	(15)
Actual policyholder behavior different from expected behavior	0	(1)
Market Risk Benefit, Increase (Decrease) from Future Expected Policyholder Behavior Assumption	0	5
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	(23)	(42)
Balance, end of period, before the cumulative effect of changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	207	233
Cumulative effect of changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	(5)	(10)
Effect of foreign currency translation on the cumulative instrument-specific credit risk		1
Market Risk Benefit, Ending Balance	202	224
Retirement Assurance | Asia | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Market Risk Benefit [Line Items]
Net amount at risk	0	0
Retirement Assurance | Asia | Annuitization Benefit [Member]
Market Risk Benefit [Line Items]
Net amount at risk	$ 110	$ 112
Weighted-average attained age of contractholders	58 years	57 years
Variable Annuity [Member] | MetLife Holdings
Market Risk Benefit [Line Items]
Market Risk Benefit, Beginning Balance	$ 3,225	$ 5,929
Balance, beginning of period, before effect of cumulative changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	3,360	6,229
Attributed fees collected	193	198
Benefit payments	(21)	(21)
Effect of changes in interest rates	23	(2,561)
Effect of changes in capital markets	(661)	1,019
Effect of changes in equity index volatility	(109)	57
Actual policyholder behavior different from expected behavior	57	2
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	131	(314)
Effect of changes in risk margin	(35)	(140)
Balance, end of period, before the cumulative effect of changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	2,938	4,469
Cumulative effect of changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	(150)	(212)
Effect of foreign currency translation on the cumulative instrument-specific credit risk	5	(1)
Market Risk Benefit, Ending Balance	2,793	4,256
Variable Annuity [Member] | MetLife Holdings | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]
Market Risk Benefit [Line Items]
Net amount at risk	$ 3,254	$ 4,103
Weighted-average attained age of contractholders	70 years	69 years
Variable Annuity [Member] | MetLife Holdings | Annuitization Benefit [Member]
Market Risk Benefit [Line Items]
Net amount at risk	$ 793	$ 1,194
Weighted-average attained age of contractholders	70 years	70 years
Insurance, Other
Market Risk Benefit [Line Items]
Market Risk Benefit, Beginning Balance	$ 32	$ 491
Balance, beginning of period, before effect of cumulative changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	24	539
Attributed fees collected	16	12
Benefit payments	(18)	0
Effect of changes in interest rates	(26)	(196)
Effect of changes in capital markets	(14)	17
Effect of changes in equity index volatility	(4)	4
Actual policyholder behavior different from expected behavior	(22)	(7)
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	17	(143)
Effect of changes in risk margin	(1)	(3)
Balance, end of period, before the cumulative effect of changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	(28)	223
Cumulative effect of changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	12	(25)
Effect of foreign currency translation on the cumulative instrument-specific credit risk	1	1
Market Risk Benefit, Ending Balance	(15)	199
Less: Reinsurance recoverable	18	27
Balance, end of period, net of reinsurance	$ (33)	$ 172