Reinsurance (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Effects Of Reinsurance [Line Items]

Components of reinsurance recoverables

(Dollars in millions)
	Line of Business	Reinsurer(s)	December 31, 2018		December 31, 2017		Collateral and Other Termsat December 31, 2018
Ongoing Operations
	Integrated Medical, International Markets, Group Disability, COLI	Various	$	464	$	454	Balances range from less than $1 million up to $70 million. Over 70% of the balance is from companies rated as investment grade by Standard & Poor’s.
	Total recoverables related to ongoing operations			464		454
Acquisition, disposition or runoff activities
	Individual Life and Annuity (sold in 1998)	Lincoln National Life and Lincoln Life & Annuity of New York		3,312		3,436	Both companies’ ratings were well above the level that would trigger a contractual obligation to fully secure the outstanding balance.
	GMDB (effectively exited in 2013)	Berkshire		893		928	100% secured by assets in a trust.
	Retirement Benefits Business (sold in 2004)	Prudential Retirement Insurance and Annuity		787		850	100% secured by assets in a trust.
	Supplemental Benefits Business (2012 acquisition)	Great American Life		261		283	100% secured by assets in a trust.
	Other	Various		87		95	100% secured by assets in a trust or other deposits.
	Total recoverables related to acquisition, disposition or runoff activities			5,340		5,592
Total reinsurance recoverables			$	5,804	$	6,046

Effects of Reinsurance

(In millions)	2018		2017		2016
Premiums
Short-duration contracts
Direct	$	32,148	$	28,838	$	27,694
Assumed		77		199		247
Ceded		(182)		(150)		(229)
Total short-duration contract premiums		32,043		28,887		27,712
Long-duration contracts
Direct		4,268		3,748		3,259
Assumed		116		130		137
Ceded
Individual life insurance and annuity business sold		(133)		(143)		(153)
Other		(181)		(131)		(131)
Total long-duration contract premiums		4,070		3,604		3,112
Total premiums	$	36,113	$	32,491	$	30,824
Reinsurance recoveries
Individual life insurance and annuity business sold	$	249	$	259	$	279
Other		203		66		261
Total reinsurance recoveries	$	452	$	325	$	540

Variable Annuity [Member] | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]

Effects Of Reinsurance [Line Items]

Account value, net amount at risk and number of contractholders

(Dollars in millions, excludes impact of reinsurance ceded)	2018		2017
Account value	$	8,402	$	10,109
Net amount at risk	$	2,466	$	2,112
Average attained age of contractholders (weighted by exposure)		74		75
Number of contractholders		220,000		245,000

Variable Annuity [Member] | Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit [Member]

Effects Of Reinsurance [Line Items]

Effects of Reinsurance

(In millions)
Line of Business	Reinsurer	December 31, 2018		December 31, 2017		Collateral and Other Termsat December 31, 2018
GMIB	Berkshire	$	341	$	359	100% were secured by assets in a trust.
	Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada		208		221
	Liberty Re (Bermuda) Ltd.		184		197	86% were secured by assets in a trust.
Total GMIB recoverables reported in other current assets and other assets		$	733	$	777