Market Risk Benefits Rollforward (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2025	Mar. 31, 2024
Market Risk Benefit [Line Items]
Beginning balance	$ 2,209
Ending balance	2,527
Retirement Assurance | Asia
Market Risk Benefit [Line Items]
Beginning balance	178	$ 203
Balance, beginning of period, before effect of cumulative changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	179	205
Attributed fees collected	1	1
Benefit payments	(3)	(2)
Effect of changes in interest rates	2	2
Actual policyholder behavior different from expected behavior	0	(1)
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	9	(15)
Balance, end of period, before the cumulative effect of changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	188	190
Cumulative effect of changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	(1)	(1)
Ending balance	187	189
Retirement Assurance | Asia | At annuitization or exercise of other living benefits
Market Risk Benefit [Line Items]
Net amount at risk	$ 127	$ 113
Average attained age of policyholders	58 years	58 years
Variable Annuity | MetLife Holdings
Market Risk Benefit [Line Items]
Beginning balance	$ 2,069	$ 2,722
Balance, beginning of period, before effect of cumulative changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	1,992	2,772
Attributed fees collected	84	90
Benefit payments	(23)	(22)
Effect of changes in interest rates	123	(373)
Effect of changes in capital markets	83	(306)
Effect of changes in equity index volatility	14	34
Actual policyholder behavior different from expected behavior	73	69
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	(11)	(26)
Effect of changes in risk margin	16	(46)
Balance, end of period, before the cumulative effect of changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	2,351	2,192
Cumulative effect of changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	24	39
Effect of foreign currency translation on the cumulative instrument-specific credit risk	2
Ending balance	2,377	2,231
Variable Annuity | MetLife Holdings | In the event of death
Market Risk Benefit [Line Items]
Net amount at risk	$ 2,664	$ 2,489
Average attained age of policyholders	72 years	72 years
Variable Annuity | MetLife Holdings | At annuitization or exercise of other living benefits
Market Risk Benefit [Line Items]
Net amount at risk	$ 810	$ 579
Average attained age of policyholders	72 years	70 years
Insurance, Other
Market Risk Benefit [Line Items]
Beginning balance	$ (38)	$ (32)
Balance, beginning of period, before effect of cumulative changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	(53)	(50)
Attributed fees collected	11	13
Benefit payments	(1)	(2)
Effect of changes in interest rates	(3)	(42)
Effect of changes in capital markets	(2)	(13)
Effect of changes in equity index volatility	0	(1)
Actual policyholder behavior different from expected behavior	2	2
Effect of foreign currency translation and other, net	(7)	(4)
Effect of changes in risk margin	0	(1)
Balance, end of period, before the cumulative effect of changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	(53)	(98)
Cumulative effect of changes in the instrument-specific credit risk	15	23
Effect of foreign currency translation on the cumulative instrument-specific credit risk	1	0
Ending balance	(37)	(75)
Less: Reinsurance recoverable	15	13
Balance, end of period, net of reinsurance	$ (52)	$ (88)