Policyholders' Liabilities (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Policyholders’ account balances	$ 152,110	$ 150,338
FANIP maximum authorized amount				$ 2,000
Minimum
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Unpaid claims and claim settlement expenses interest rate	2.60%
Maximum
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Unpaid claims and claim settlement expenses interest rate	6.40%
Individual participating life insurance
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Participating policies direct in force		2.00%
Participating policies direct premiums	11.00%	12.00%	14.00%
Individual participating life insurance | Minimum
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Liabilities for future policy benefits, interest rate	2.50%
Individual participating life insurance | Maximum
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Liabilities for future policy benefits, interest rate	7.50%
Individual nonparticipating life insurance
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Percentage of reserves based on interest rates in excess of 8 Percent (less than)	1.00%
Individual nonparticipating life insurance | Minimum
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Liabilities for future policy benefits, interest rate	(0.10%)
Individual nonparticipating life insurance | Maximum
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Liabilities for future policy benefits, interest rate	9.50%
Individual and group annuities and supplementary contracts
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Percentage of reserves based on interest rates in excess of 8 Percent (less than)	1.00%
Individual and group annuities and supplementary contracts | Minimum
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Liabilities for future policy benefits, interest rate	(0.20%)
Individual and group annuities and supplementary contracts | Maximum
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Liabilities for future policy benefits, interest rate	11.30%
Other contract liabilities | Minimum
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Liabilities for future policy benefits, interest rate	0.80%
Other contract liabilities | Maximum
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Liabilities for future policy benefits, interest rate	7.00%
Funding agreements
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Policyholders’ account balances	$ 4,119	$ 3,785
Interest-sensitive life contracts
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Policyholders’ account balances	$ 40,364	39,228
Interest-sensitive life contracts | Minimum
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Liability for policyholder contract deposits, interest rate	0.00%
Interest-sensitive life contracts | Maximum
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Liability for policyholder contract deposits, interest rate	7.50%
Other than interest-sensitive life contracts
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Less than 1% of policyholders' account balances have interest crediting rates in excess of 8%	1.00%
Other than interest-sensitive life contracts | Minimum
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Liability for policyholder contract deposits, interest rate	0.00%
Other than interest-sensitive life contracts | Maximum
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Liability for policyholder contract deposits, interest rate	13.30%
Delaware Statutory Trust | Funding agreements | Prudential Insurance
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Policyholders’ account balances	$ 4,104	3,755
Medium-term Notes, at amortized cost	2,414	2,764
Commercial Paper	$ 1,697	$ 997
Delaware Statutory Trust | Funding agreements | Minimum | Prudential Insurance
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Liability for policyholder contract deposits, interest rate	0.00%
Weighted average maturity of outstanding commercial paper, in days	2 months
Delaware Statutory Trust | Funding agreements | Maximum | Prudential Insurance
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Liability for policyholder contract deposits, interest rate	3.50%
Weighted average maturity of outstanding commercial paper, in days	5 years
Medium-term notes | Delaware Statutory Trust | Funding agreements | Prudential Insurance
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
FANIP maximum authorized amount	$ 15,000
Commercial Paper | Delaware Statutory Trust | Funding agreements | Prudential Insurance
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items]
FANIP maximum authorized amount	$ 3,000