Segment Information (Reconciliation of Adjusted Operating Income and Net Income (Loss)) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020	Mar. 31, 2019
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	$ (338)	$ 1,140
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	1,192	1,605
Operating Segments | Total PGIM division | PGIM
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	164	214
Operating Segments | Total U.S. Workplace Solutions division
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	289	304
Operating Segments | Total U.S. Workplace Solutions division | Retirement
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	245	251
Operating Segments | Total U.S. Workplace Solutions division | Group Insurance
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	44	53
Operating Segments | Total U.S. Individual Solutions division
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	353	577
Operating Segments | Total U.S. Individual Solutions division | Individual Annuities
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	373	472
Operating Segments | Total U.S. Individual Solutions division | Individual Life
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	(20)	105
Operating Segments | Assurance IQ division
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	(23)	0
Operating Segments | Assurance IQ division | Assurance IQ
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	(23)	0
Operating Segments | Total International Insurance division | International Insurance
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	751	922
Operating Segments | Total Corporate and Other | Corporate and Other
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	(342)	(412)
Segment Reconciling Items | Realized investment gains (losses), net, and related adjustments
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	105	(612)
Segment Reconciling Items | Charges related to realized investment gains (losses), net
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	(803)	25
Segment Reconciling Items | Market experience updates
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	(947)	0
Segment Reconciling Items | Equity in earnings of operating joint ventures and earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	(9)	(33)
Segment Reconciling Items | Segment Reconciling Items, Other Adjustments
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	45	0
Segment Reconciling Items | Closed Block division
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	(1)	(19)
Segment Reconciling Items | Other Divested and Run-off businesses
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	80	174
U.S. Businesses | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Noncontrolling Interest	$ 619	$ 881