Employee Benefit Plans

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Employee Benefit Plans [Abstract]

Employee Benefit Plans

11. Employee Benefit Plans

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans

Certain subsidiaries of MetLife, Inc. (the “Subsidiaries”) sponsor and/or administer various U.S. qualified and non-qualified defined benefit pension plans and other postretirement employee benefit plans covering employees and sales representatives who meet specified eligibility requirements. The Subsidiaries also provide certain postemployment benefits and certain postretirement medical and life insurance benefits for retired employees.

The components of net periodic benefit costs were as follows:

	Pension Benefits								Other Postretirement Benefits
	U.S. Plans				Non-U.S. Plans				U.S. Plans				Non-U.S. Plans
	Three Months Ended March 31,				Three Months Ended March 31,				Three Months Ended March 31,				Three Months Ended March 31,
	2013		2012		2013		2012		2013		2012		2013		2012
	(In millions)
Service costs	$	59	$	56	$	17	$	20	$	5	$	5	$	—	$	—
Interest costs		97		101		4		4		23		26		1		1
Expected return on plan assets		(121)		(121)		(2)		(2)		(19)		(19)		—		—
Amortization of net actuarial (gains) losses		57		49		—		—		14		14		—		—
Amortization of prior service costs (credit)		3		2		—		—		(19)		(26)		—		—
Net periodic benefit costs	$	95	$	87	$	19	$	22	$	4	$	—	$	1	$	1