COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENT LIABILITIES - Narrative (Details) shares in Millions	1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2019 USD ($) shares	Sep. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Feb. 29, 2016 USD ($) legalAction federalAction
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Unaccrued amounts of reasonably possible range of losses		$ 100,000,000
Federal home loan bank stock		320,000,000
Carrying value of collateral pledged for federal home loan bank		8,700,000,000
Credit facility
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity		17,000,000
Trust Notes
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity		5,000,000,000
Holdings Revolving Credit Facility | Credit facility
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity		$ 2,500,000,000
Debt instrument, term		5 years
Letter of Credit | Credit facility
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity		$ 1,500,000,000
Bilateral Letter Of Credit Facilities | Credit facility
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity		1,900,000,000
Equitable Financial
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of federal actions | federalAction			5
Equitable Financial | New York
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Number of actions | legalAction			3
ACS Life | Letter of Credit | Credit facility
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Remaining capacity at termination		150,000,000
AXA Equitable Life | Letter of Credit | Credit facility
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Remaining capacity at termination		425,000,000
AXA
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Commitments by the Company to provide equity financing		1,300,000,000
Face amount of mortgage loans		469,000,000
Affiliated Entity | AXA
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Commitments by the Company to provide equity financing		$ 217,000,000
Brach Family Foundation Litigation
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Liability for future policy benefits, face value of policy			$ 1,000,000
Pre-Capitalized Trust Securities, Redeemable February 15, 2049
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Shares issued (in shares) | shares	0.6
Proceeds from offering	$ 600,000,000
Sale of stock, funding arrangement, period to issue senior notes to trust	30 years
Sale of stock, semi-annual facility fee, rate	2.125%
Pre-Capitalized Trust Securities, Redeemable February 15, 2029
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Shares issued (in shares) | shares	0.4
Proceeds from offering	$ 400,000,000
Sale of stock, funding arrangement, period to issue senior notes to trust	10 years
Sale of stock, semi-annual facility fee, rate	2.715%