Investments (Details 5) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Trading securities
Trading Securities, Fair Value	$ 27,132	$ 32,834
Trading Securities, Percent of Total (as a percent)	100.00%	100.00%
Fixed maturity securities
Trading securities
Trading Securities, Fair Value	26,968	26,182
Trading Securities, Percent of Total (as a percent)	99.00%	80.00%
Fixed maturity securities | U.S. government and government sponsored entities
Trading securities
Trading Securities, Fair Value	7,037	6,902
Trading Securities, Percent of Total (as a percent)	26.00%	21.00%
Fixed maturity securities | Non-U.S. government
Trading securities
Trading Securities, Fair Value	339	125
Trading Securities, Percent of Total (as a percent)	1.00%	1.00%
Fixed maturity securities | Corporate debt
Trading securities
Trading Securities, Fair Value	1,006	912
Trading Securities, Percent of Total (as a percent)	4.00%	3.00%
Fixed maturity securities | Obligations of states, municipalities and Political subdivisions
Trading securities
Trading Securities, Fair Value	296	316
Trading Securities, Percent of Total (as a percent)	1.00%	1.00%
Fixed maturity securities | Mortgage backed, asset backed and collateralized
Trading securities
Trading Securities, Fair Value	10,549	10,337
Trading Securities, Percent of Total (as a percent)	39.00%	31.00%
Fixed maturity securities | Prime residential mortgages
Trading securities
Trading Securities, Fair Value	1,827	1,928
Trading Securities, Percent of Total (as a percent)	7.00%	6.00%
Fixed maturity securities | Commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS)
Trading securities
Trading Securities, Fair Value	2,209	2,078
Trading Securities, Percent of Total (as a percent)	8.00%	6.00%
Fixed maturity securities | Collateralized Debt Obligations/Asset Backed Securities (CDO/ABS)
Trading securities
Trading Securities, Fair Value	6,513	6,331
Trading Securities, Percent of Total (as a percent)	24.00%	19.00%
Fixed maturity securities | Maiden Lane II
Trading securities
Trading Securities, Fair Value	1,353	1,279
Trading Securities, Percent of Total (as a percent)	5.00%	4.00%
Fixed maturity securities | Maiden Lane III
Trading securities
Trading Securities, Fair Value	6,388	6,311
Trading Securities, Percent of Total (as a percent)	23.00%	19.00%
Equity securities
Trading securities
Trading Securities, Fair Value	164	6,652
Trading Securities, Percent of Total (as a percent)	1.00%	20.00%
Equity securities | MetLife
Trading securities
Trading Securities, Fair Value		6,494
Trading Securities, Percent of Total (as a percent)		20.00%
Equity securities | All other
Trading securities
Trading Securities, Fair Value	$ 164	$ 158
Trading Securities, Percent of Total (as a percent)	1.00%