Change in additional paid in capital as a result of a capital contribution, including transfers of ownership.

No definition available.

Name:	bhf_AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalCapitalContribution
Namespace Prefix:	bhf_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Estimated fair value of assets transfered to affiliates.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bhf_AssetsTransferredToAffiliatesEstimatedFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	bhf_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Represents the amortized cost of assets received on transfer of financial assets in a securitization, asset-backed financing arrangement, or a similar transfer which transaction is recognized as a sale of the transferred financial assets.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	bhf_TransfersOfFinancialAssetsAccountedForAsSaleAmortizedCostOfAssetsObtainedAsProceeds
Namespace Prefix:	bhf_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This item represents the carrying amount on the entity's balance sheet of its investment in common stock of an equity method investee. This is not an indicator of the fair value of the investment, rather it is the initial cost adjusted for the entity's share of earnings and losses of the investee, adjusted for any distributions (dividends) and other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109237563&loc=d3e33749-111570

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 25
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115929826&loc=d3e8813-108599

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.12)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash inflow associated with the sale of equity method investments, which are investments in joint ventures and entities in which the entity has an equity ownership interest normally of 20 to 50 percent and exercises significant influence.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3179-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfEquityMethodInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of selling, general and administrative expenses resulting from transactions, excluding transactions that are eliminated in consolidated or combined financial statements, with related party.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionSellingGeneralAndAdministrativeExpensesFromTransactionsWithRelatedParty
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Reflects, by transferred financial asset type, the amount of sales proceeds in excess of or deficient from the sum of the carrying amounts of transferred financial assets plus transaction costs, including those transactions in which the seller/transferor has continuing involvement with the financial assets that have been transferred.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 10
-Section 40
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116634877&loc=d3e96813-111708

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118948506&loc=d3e107207-111719

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SecuritizationFinancialAssetForWhichTransferIsAccountedAsSaleGainLossOnSale
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=srt_AffiliatedEntityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=bhf_MetlifeInvestmentManagementLLCMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Investments (Related Party Investment Transactions - Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2019
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Carrying value of equity method investments sold	$ 89			$ 2,400
Proceeds from sale of equity method investments	286
Gain on sale of equity method investment recognized as capital contribution	$ 202
Related party investment administrative service charges		$ 186	$ 390
Affiliated Entity
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Invested assets transferred, estimated fair value			292
Invested assets transferred, amortized cost			294
Net investment gains (losses) recognized on invested assets transferred			(2)
MetLife Investment Management, LLC
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related party investment administrative service charges		$ 50	$ 95