Market Risk Benefits - Rollforward (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Dec. 31, 2021
Market Risk Benefit [Line Items]
Beginning balance	$ 3,483
Effect of changes in capital markets	658	$ 3,347	$ 839
Ending balance	2,893	3,483
Retirement Assurance | Asia
Market Risk Benefit [Line Items]
Beginning balance	226	277	318
Balance, beginning of period, before effect of cumulative changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	233	284	326
Attributed fees collected	3	3	4
Benefit payments	(12)	0	(7)
Effect of changes in interest rates	1	(25)	(6)
Effect of changes in equity index volatility	0	0	(3)
Actual policyholder behavior different from expected behavior	(1)	6	(16)
Effect of changes in future expected policyholder behavior and other assumptions	(1)	5	0
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	(18)	(40)	(14)
Balance, beginning of period, before effect of cumulative changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	205	233	284
Cumulative effect of changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	(2)	(8)	(8)
Effect of foreign currency translation on the cumulative instrument-specific credit risk	0	1	1
Ending balance	203	226	277
Retirement Assurance | Asia | At annuitization or exercise of other living benefits
Market Risk Benefit [Line Items]
Net amount at risk	$ 119	$ 127	$ 119
Average attained age of policyholders	58 years	58 years	57 years
Variable Annuity | MetLife Holdings
Market Risk Benefit [Line Items]
Beginning balance	$ 3,225	$ 5,929	$ 7,001
Balance, beginning of period, before effect of cumulative changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	3,360	6,229	7,055
Attributed fees collected	377	387	413
Benefit payments	(58)	(42)	(41)
Effect of changes in interest rates	(161)	(3,610)	(536)
Effect of changes in capital markets	(900)	861	(1,163)
Effect of changes in equity index volatility	(135)	38	25
Actual policyholder behavior different from expected behavior	144	20	(92)
Effect of changes in future expected policyholder behavior and other assumptions	9	(328)	563
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	152	36	350
Effect of changes in risk margin	(16)	(231)	(345)
Balance, beginning of period, before effect of cumulative changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	2,772	3,360	6,229
Cumulative effect of changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	(54)	(130)	(304)
Effect of foreign currency translation on the cumulative instrument-specific credit risk	4	(5)	4
Ending balance	2,722	3,225	5,929
Variable Annuity | MetLife Holdings | In the event of death
Market Risk Benefit [Line Items]
Net amount at risk	$ 2,828	$ 4,387	$ 1,131
Average attained age of policyholders	70 years	69 years	70 years
Variable Annuity | MetLife Holdings | At annuitization or exercise of other living benefits
Market Risk Benefit [Line Items]
Net amount at risk	$ 675	$ 1,141	$ 565
Average attained age of policyholders	70 years	71 years	68 years
Insurance, Other
Market Risk Benefit [Line Items]
Beginning balance	$ 32	$ 491	$ 582
Balance, beginning of period, before effect of cumulative changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	24	539	619
Attributed fees collected	34	61	72
Benefit payments	(28)	(4)	(2)
Effect of changes in interest rates	(3)	(499)	(227)
Effect of changes in capital markets	(41)	139	(110)
Effect of changes in equity index volatility	(6)	31	4
Actual policyholder behavior different from expected behavior	(22)	(12)	29
Effect of changes in future expected policyholder behavior and other assumptions	2	(1)	56
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	(9)	(224)	100
Effect of changes in risk margin	(1)	(6)	(2)
Balance, beginning of period, before effect of cumulative changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	(50)	24	539
Cumulative effect of changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	17	7	(49)
Effect of foreign currency translation on the cumulative instrument-specific credit risk	1	1	1
Ending balance	(32)	32	491
Less: Reinsurance recoverable	18	23	33
Balance, end of period, net of reinsurance	$ (50)	$ 9	$ 458