Schedule II - Condensed Financial Information of Registrant (Condensed Statements of Cash Flow) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		3 Months Ended											12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2019		Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019		Dec. 31, 2018		Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019		Dec. 31, 2018		Dec. 31, 2017
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net income (loss)		$ 1,138		$ 1,425	$ 738	$ 937		$ 849		$ 1,675	$ 200	$ 1,364	$ 4,238		$ 4,088		$ 7,974
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:
Realized investment (gains) losses, net													459		(1,977)		(432)
Dividends received from subsidiaries													70		93		63
Change in:
Other, operating	[1]												1,671		680		(1,127)
Cash flows from (used in) operating activities	[1]												19,625		21,664		13,460
Proceeds from the sale/maturity of:
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale													52,306		59,675		58,244
Short-term investments	[1]												38,095		33,846		29,328
Payments for the purchase of:
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale													(64,570)		(77,234)		(68,667)
Short-term investments	[1]												(37,286)		(33,336)		(28,405)
Other, investing	[1]												(437)		(188)		(723)
Cash flows from (used in) investing activities	[1]												(17,028)		(21,628)		(11,957)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Cash dividends paid on Common Stock													(1,641)		(1,521)		(1,296)
Common Stock acquired													(2,500)		(1,500)		(1,250)
Common Stock reissued for exercise of stock options													133		132		246
Proceeds from the issuance of debt (maturities longer than 90 days)													2,993		2,934		1,225
Repayments of debt (maturities longer than 90 days)													(1,429)		(1,810)		(1,827)
Net change in financing arrangements (maturities 90 days or less)													(181)		199		38
Other, financing													(181)		(282)		(14)
Cash flows from (used in) financing activities													(1,634)		781		(1,258)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, BEGINNING OF YEAR						15,353	[2]					14,490	15,353	[2]	14,490
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF YEAR		16,327	[2]					15,353	[2]				16,327	[2]	15,353	[2]	14,490
SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION
Cash paid (refunds received) during the period for taxes													1,348		760		185
Acquisitions
Treasury stock shares issued													454
Prudential Financial
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES
Net income (loss)													4,186		4,074		7,863
Adjustments to reconcile net income to cash provided by operating activities:
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries													(4,880)		(4,516)		(8,330)
Realized investment (gains) losses, net													250		(106)		73
Dividends received from subsidiaries													2,269		2,975		1,975
Property, plant and equipment													0		(4)		(1)
Change in:
Due to/from subsidiaries, net													669		(1)		213
Other, operating	[3]												(229)		115		(149)
Cash flows from (used in) operating activities													2,265		2,537		1,644
Proceeds from the sale/maturity of:
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale													371		234		740
Short-term investments													21,700		18,708		15,973
Payments for the purchase of:
Equity securities, at fair value													0		(25)		0
Fixed maturities, available-for-sale													(660)		(370)		(865)
Short-term investments													(20,486)		(19,914)		(15,087)
Capital contributions to subsidiaries													(593)		(874)		(1,135)
Returns of capital contributions from subsidiaries													1,013		1,083		1,150
Net cash paid on acquisition													1,758		0		0
Loans to subsidiaries, net of maturities													(108)		803		(1,127)
Other, investing													0		0		61
Cash flows from (used in) investing activities													(521)		(355)		(290)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Cash dividends paid on Common Stock													(1,641)		(1,521)		(1,296)
Common Stock acquired													(2,500)		(1,500)		(1,250)
Common Stock reissued for exercise of stock options													133		132		246
Proceeds from the issuance of debt (maturities longer than 90 days)													2,465		2,531		742
Repayments of debt (maturities longer than 90 days)													(1,114)		(1,443)		(480)
Repayments of loans from subsidiaries													(7)		(728)		(310)
Proceeds from loans payable to subsidiaries													818		99		1,627
Net change in financing arrangements (maturities 90 days or less)													9		(36)		(16)
Other, financing	[3]												(72)		(66)		(68)
Cash flows from (used in) financing activities													(1,909)		(2,532)		(805)
NET INCREASE (DECREASE) IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS													(165)		(350)		549
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, BEGINNING OF YEAR						$ 1,327						$ 1,677	1,327		1,677		1,128
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF YEAR		1,162						1,327					1,162		1,327		1,677
SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION
Cash paid during the period for interest													1,084		1,014		1,019
Cash paid (refunds received) during the period for taxes													(103)		(231)		(213)
NON-CASH TRANSACTIONS DURING THE YEAR
Non-cash capital contributions to subsidiaries													(596)		(22)		(17)
Non-cash dividends/returns of capital from subsidiaries													1		101		0
Treasury Stock shares issued for stock-based compensation programs													197		138		104
Acquisitions
Net cash paid on acquisition													1,758		0		0
Acquisition
Payments for the purchase of:
Net cash paid on acquisition													1,755		0		64
Acquisitions
Assets acquired													2,425		0		196
Liabilities assumed		216						$ 0					216		0		132
Treasury stock shares issued													454		0		0
Net cash paid on acquisition													1,755		$ 0		$ 64
Acquisition | Prudential Financial
Payments for the purchase of:
Net cash paid on acquisition													1,758
Acquisitions
Assets acquired													2,428
Liabilities assumed		$ 216											216
Treasury stock shares issued													454
Net cash paid on acquisition													$ 1,758

[1]

[2] See Note 4 for details of balances associated with variable interest entities.

[3] Prior period amounts are presented on a basis consistent with current period presentation, reflecting the adoption of ASU 2016-09. See Note 2 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.