Reinsurance (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Effects Of Reinsurance [Line Items]

Components of reinsurance recoverables

(In millions)
	Line of Business	Reinsurer(s)	December 31, 2016		December 31, 2015		Collateral and Other Terms at December 31, 2016
	Ongoing Operations:
	Global Health Care, Global Supplemental Benefits, Group Disability and Life	Various	$	478	$	553	Recoverables from approximately 80 reinsurers, including the U.S. Government, used in the ordinary course of business. Current balances range from less than $1 million up to $96 million. Excluding the recoverable from the U.S. Government of $63 million, 13% is secured by assets in trusts or letters of credit.
	Total recoverables related to ongoing operations			478		553
	Acquisition, disposition or runoff activities:
	Individual Life and Annuity (sold in 1998)	Lincoln National Life and Lincoln Life & Annuity of New York		3,586		3,705	Both companies' ratings were sufficient to avoid triggering a contractual obligation to fully secure the outstanding balance.
	GMDB (effectively exited in 2013)	Berkshire		1,085		1,123	100% secured by assets in a trust.
		Other		44		41	100% secured by assets in a trust or letters of credit.
	Retirement Benefits Business (sold in 2004)	Prudential Retirement Insurance and Annuity		921		995	100% secured by assets in a trust.
	Supplemental Benefits Business (2012 acquisition)	Great American Life		297		315	99% secured by assets in a trust.
	Other run-off reinsurance	Various		67		81	99% secured by assets in a trust or other deposits.
	Total recoverables related to acquisition, disposition or runoff activities			6,000		6,260
	Total reinsurance recoverables		$	6,478	$	6,813

Effects of Reinsurance

(In millions)	2016		2015		2014
Premiums
Short-duration contracts:
Direct	$	27,496	$	26,751	$	24,294
Assumed		247		289		429
Ceded		(229)		(254)		(226)
Total short-duration contract premiums		27,514		26,786		24,497
Long-duration contracts:
Direct		3,259		3,061		2,921
Assumed		137		111		173
Ceded:
Individual life insurance and annuity business sold		(153)		(158)		(254)
Other		(131)		(158)		(123)
Total long-duration contract premiums		3,112		2,856		2,717
Total premiums	$	30,626	$	29,642	$	27,214
Reinsurance recoveries
Individual life insurance and annuity business sold	$	279	$	301	$	366
Other		261		436		292
Total reinsurance recoveries	$	540	$	737	$	658

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

Effects Of Reinsurance [Line Items]

Future policy benefits for GMDB business

(In millions)	2016		2015		2014
Balance at January 1,	$	1,252	$	1,270	$	1,396
Add: Unpaid claims		18		16		18
Less: Reinsurance and other amounts recoverable		1,164		1,186		1,317
Balance at January 1, net		106		100		97
Add: Incurred benefits		4		3		3
Less: Paid benefits / (recoveries)		(1)		(3)		-
Ending balance, net		111		106		100
Less: Unpaid claims		16		18		16
Add: Reinsurance and other amounts recoverable		1,129		1,164		1,186
Balance at December 31,	$	1,224	$	1,252	$	1,270

Account value, net amount at risk, contractholder average age

(Dollars in millions, excludes impact of reinsurance ceded)	2016		2015
Account value	$	10,650	$	11,355
Net amount at risk	$	2,458	$	2,870
Average attained age of contractholders (weighted by exposure)		75		74
Number of contractholders		285,000		324,000

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

Effects Of Reinsurance [Line Items]

Effects of Reinsurance

(In millions)
	Line of Business	Reinsurer(s)	December 31, 2016		December 31, 2015		Collateral and Other Terms at December 31, 2016
	GMIB	Berkshire	$	370	$	420	100% were secured by assets in a trust.
		Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada		227		257
		Liberty Re (Bermuda) Ltd.		202		230	100% were secured by assets in a trust.
	Total GMIB recoverables reported in other assets		$	799	$	907