SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - ASSUMPTION UPDATES (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Change in Accounting Estimate [Line Items]
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs	$ 156	$ 90	$ 359	$ 248
Universal life and investment-type product policy fee income	978	937	2,794	2,747
Policyholders’ benefits	611	1,251	3,037	2,793
Increase (decrease) in the fair value of the reinsurance contract asset	(198)	2,263	2,543	1,503
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	(30)	3,339	4,000	2,716
Net earnings (loss)	22	2,275	2,803	2,104
Variable and Interest Sensitive Life
Change in Accounting Estimate [Line Items]
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes			21
Net earnings (loss)			(14)
Mortality Assumption | Variable and Interest Sensitive Life
Change in Accounting Estimate [Line Items]
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs			(70)
Universal life and investment-type product policy fee income			(16)
General Account Spread Assumption | Variable and Interest Sensitive Life
Change in Accounting Estimate [Line Items]
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs			79
Universal life and investment-type product policy fee income			4
Increase in Cost of Insurance
Change in Accounting Estimate [Line Items]
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes		71		71
Net earnings (loss)		$ 46		46
RTM Assumptions Update
Change in Accounting Estimate [Line Items]
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs				$ (67)
Mean (RTM) assumption		7.00%		7.00%	9.00%
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes				$ (685)
Net earnings (loss)				(445)
RTM Assumptions Update | Variable and Interest Sensitive Life
Change in Accounting Estimate [Line Items]
Policyholders’ benefits				29
Model and Assumption Changes
Change in Accounting Estimate [Line Items]
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs	31		31
Universal life and investment-type product policy fee income	5		5
Policyholders’ benefits	(111)		(111)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	85		85
Net earnings (loss)	55		55
Out of Period Adjustments
Change in Accounting Estimate [Line Items]
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	(42)	$ (23)	(44)	(55)
Net earnings (loss)	(81)	$ (15)	(76)	(36)
Out of Period Adjustments | Model and Assumption Changes
Change in Accounting Estimate [Line Items]
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	$ (30)		$ (30)
Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit | RTM Assumptions Update
Change in Accounting Estimate [Line Items]
Policyholders’ benefits				723
Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit | Long Term Lapse Assumption
Change in Accounting Estimate [Line Items]
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs				(13)
Policyholders’ benefits				65
Increase (decrease) in the fair value of the reinsurance contract asset				216
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes				164
Net earnings (loss)				107
Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit | Future Reserve Assumptions
Change in Accounting Estimate [Line Items]
Policyholders’ benefits				(55)
Increase (decrease) in the fair value of the reinsurance contract asset				(263)
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes				(208)
Net earnings (loss)				$ (135)