SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Schedule of Restatements made to the Consolidated Statements of Equity (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity	$ 15,969	$ 19,906	$ 16,275	$ 17,506	$ 18,020
Net earnings (loss)	(313)	1,752	492	1,490	4,287
Additional Paid-in Capital
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity	5,342	5,317	5,339	5,321	5,957	$ 5,908
Deferred tax on dividend of AB Units			0	(35)	0
Retained Earnings
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity	7,411	10,531	7,842	8,896	8,721	5,202
Dividends			(1,050)	912	(381)
Net earnings (loss)	(431)	1,635	(4)	1,087	3,900
Parent
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity	12,934	16,864	13,190	14,447	15,031
Noncontrolling Interest
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity	3,035	3,042	3,085	3,059	2,962	2,924
Net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	$ 118	117	491	403	387
Dividend of AB Units by AXA Equitable to AXA Financial			0	145	0
As previously reported
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity		19,963	16,416	17,595	18,108
Net earnings (loss)		1,720	544	1,464	4,420
As previously reported | Additional Paid-in Capital
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity			5,339	5,321	5,957	5,934
Deferred tax on dividend of AB Units			0	(35)	(26)
As previously reported | Retained Earnings
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity		10,561	7,983	8,958	8,809	5,205
Dividends			(1,050)	912	(429)
Net earnings (loss)		1,603	75	1,061	4,033
As previously reported | Parent
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity		16,894	13,331	14,509	15,119
As previously reported | Noncontrolling Interest
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity		3,069	3,085	3,086	2,989	2,903
Net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest			464	403	387
Dividend of AB Units by AXA Equitable to AXA Financial			0	145	48
Adjustments
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity		(57)	(141)	(89)	(88)
Net earnings (loss)		32	(52)	26	(133)
Adjustments | Additional Paid-in Capital
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity			0	0	0	(26)
Deferred tax on dividend of AB Units			0	0	26
Adjustments | Retained Earnings
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity		(30)	(141)	(62)	(88)	(3)
Dividends			0	0	48
Net earnings (loss)		32
Adjustments | Parent
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity		(30)	(141)	(62)	(88)
Adjustments | Noncontrolling Interest
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity		$ (27)	0	(27)	(27)	$ 21
Net earnings (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest			27	0	0
Dividend of AB Units by AXA Equitable to AXA Financial			$ 0	$ 0	$ (48)