Separate Account Assets Fair Value (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	$ 135,624	$ 146,038
Other invested assets
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	5,110	6,006
Separate Account, Debt Security | Commodities Investment
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	145	242
Separate Account, Debt Security | Communications
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	896	1,193
Separate Account, Debt Security | Consumer Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	1,873	2,400
Separate Account, Debt Security | Energy Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	967	970
Separate Account, Debt Security | Financial Services Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	9,385	11,914
Separate Account, Debt Security | Commercial and Industrial Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	4,150	4,706
Separate Account, Debt Security | Foreign Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	4,972	6,524
Separate Account, Debt Security | Technology Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	556	720
Separate Account, Debt Security | Foreign government
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	5,906	4,216
Separate Account, Debt Security | US Government Agencies Debt Securities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	17,913	20,181
Separate Account, Debt Security | US States and Political Subdivisions Debt Securities [Member]
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	411	549
Separate Account, Debt Security | Corporate Bond Securities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	22,944	28,669
Separate Account, Debt Security | Bonds
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	48,603	55,083
Separate Account, Debt Security | Separate Account, Mortgage-Backed Security
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	10,171	12,360
Separate Account, Debt Security | Asset-Backed Securities, Securitized Loans and Receivables
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2,688	2,968
Separate Account, Debt Security | Redeemable Preferred Stock
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	9	4
Separate Account, Debt Security | Fixed Maturities [Member]
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	61,471	70,415
Separate Account, Debt Security | Public Utilities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	1,429	1,468
Separate Account, Equity Security
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	63,180	62,805
Separate Account, Equity Security | Non-redeemable Preferred Stock
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	2
Separate Account, Equity Security | Financial Services Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	1,343	1,404
Separate Account, Equity Security | Commercial and Industrial Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	7,648	7,815
Separate Account, Equity Security | Public Utilities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	155	168
Separate Account, Equity Security | Mutual Fund
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	54,034	53,416
Investments
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	129,761	139,226
Other Assets
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	5,863	6,812
U.S.
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	52,793	61,030
U.S. | Other invested assets
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	1,491	1,865
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Commodities Investment
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	145	242
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Communications
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	885	1,182
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Consumer Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	1,823	2,393
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Energy Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	868	866
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Financial Services Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2,666	3,538
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Commercial and Industrial Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	739	882
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Foreign Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2,000	2,473
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Technology Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	552	717
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Foreign government
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	497	588
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | US Government Agencies Debt Securities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	9,754	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	375	504
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Corporate Bond Securities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	9,678	12,293
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Bonds
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	21,423	25,908
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Separate Account, Mortgage-Backed Security
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	10,137	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	2,658	2,926
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Redeemable Preferred Stock
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	9	4
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Fixed Maturities [Member]
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	34,227	41,166
U.S. | Separate Account, Debt Security | Public Utilities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	1,119	1,183
U.S. | Separate Account, Equity Security
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	12,257	11,854
U.S. | Separate Account, Equity Security | Non-redeemable Preferred Stock
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	0	2
U.S. | Separate Account, Equity Security | Financial Services Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	487	599
U.S. | Separate Account, Equity Security | Commercial and Industrial Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2,429	2,910
U.S. | Separate Account, Equity Security | Public Utilities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	62	96
U.S. | Separate Account, Equity Security | Mutual Fund
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	9,279	8,247
U.S. | Investments
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	47,975	54,885
U.S. | Other Assets
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	4,818	6,145
Asia
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	8,275	8,292
Asia | Other invested assets
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	336	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	7	8
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | Consumer Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	43	0
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | Energy Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	97	103
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | Financial Services Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	523	527
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | Commercial and Industrial Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	43	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	2	0
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | Foreign government
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	1,073	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	23	33
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | Corporate Bond Securities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	715	824
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | Bonds
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2,117	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	17	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	2,134	2,213
Asia | Separate Account, Debt Security | Public Utilities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	306	281
Asia | Separate Account, Equity Security
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	5,375	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	271	270
Asia | Separate Account, Equity Security | Commercial and Industrial Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2,435	2,330
Asia | Separate Account, Equity Security | Public Utilities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	16	27
Asia | Separate Account, Equity Security | Mutual Fund
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2,653	2,607
Asia | Investments
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	7,845	7,858
Asia | Other Assets
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	430	434
Latin America
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	37,473	39,428
Latin America | Other invested assets
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	3,229	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	5,783	7,389
Latin America | Separate Account, Debt Security | Commercial and Industrial Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	3,365	3,635
Latin America | Separate Account, Debt Security | Foreign Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2,933	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	2,052	593
Latin America | Separate Account, Debt Security | US Government Agencies Debt Securities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	8,142	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	12,081	15,042
Latin America | Separate Account, Debt Security | Bonds
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	22,275	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	22,275	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	11,448	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	333	347
Latin America | Separate Account, Equity Security | Commercial and Industrial Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2,160	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	8,955	8,639
Latin America | Investments
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	36,952	39,236
Latin America | Other Assets
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	521	192
EMEA
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	3,892	3,314
EMEA | Other invested assets
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	54	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	398	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	26	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	2,284	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	424	465
EMEA | Separate Account, Debt Security | Bonds
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	2,708	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	2,708	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	1,039	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	252	188
EMEA | Separate Account, Equity Security | Commercial and Industrial Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	624	475
EMEA | Separate Account, Equity Security | Public Utilities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	77	45
EMEA | Separate Account, Equity Security | Mutual Fund
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	86	75
EMEA | Investments
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	3,801	3,279
EMEA | Other Assets
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	91	35
MetLife Holdings
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	33,191	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	7	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	15	16
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Debt Security | Commercial and Industrial Sector
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	3	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	2	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	17	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	13	12
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Debt Security | Corporate Bond Securities
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	46	45
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Debt Security | Bonds
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	80	74
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Debt Security | Separate Account, Mortgage-Backed Security
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	34	32
MetLife Holdings | Separate Account, Debt Security | Asset-Backed Securities, Securitized Loans and Receivables
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	13	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	127	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	33,061	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	33,061	33,848
MetLife Holdings | Investments
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	33,188	33,968
MetLife Holdings | Other Assets
Fair Value, Separate Account Investment [Line Items]
Separate account assets	$ 3	$ 6