INVESTMENTS (DERIVATIVES BY CATEGORY) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount	$ 51,501		$ 50,926
Fair Value Assets Derivatives	12,589		13,585
Fair Value Liabilities Derivatives	3,929		4,211
Gains (losses) included in net earnings (loss)	(930)	$ 2,271
Other Accrued Liabilities, Current	2
Equity Futures
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount	4,655		5,086
Fair Value Assets Derivatives	1		1
Fair Value Liabilities Derivatives	2		1
Gains (losses) included in net earnings (loss)	(212)	(86)
Equity Swaps
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount	4,017		3,529
Fair Value Assets Derivatives	3		13
Fair Value Liabilities Derivatives	123		67
Gains (losses) included in net earnings (loss)	(241)	(9)
Equity Option
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount	12,757		11,465
Fair Value Assets Derivatives	2,336		2,114
Fair Value Liabilities Derivatives	1,157		1,154
Gains (losses) included in net earnings (loss)	302	34
Floors
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount	0		1,500
Fair Value Assets Derivatives	0		11
Fair Value Liabilities Derivatives	0		0
Gains (losses) included in net earnings (loss)	0	4
Interest Rate Swap
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount	18,227		18,933
Fair Value Assets Derivatives	243		246
Fair Value Liabilities Derivatives	385		1,163
Gains (losses) included in net earnings (loss)	108	851
Interest rate contracts Futures
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount	8,223		6,926
Fair Value Assets Derivatives	0		0
Fair Value Liabilities Derivatives	0		0
Gains (losses) included in net earnings (loss)	(19)	(46)
Interest Rate Swaption
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount			0
Fair Value Assets Derivatives			0
Fair Value Liabilities Derivatives			0
Gains (losses) included in net earnings (loss)		0
Credit Default Swaps
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount	2,752		2,757
Fair Value Assets Derivatives	23		20
Fair Value Liabilities Derivatives	11		15
Gains (losses) included in net earnings (loss)	6	1
Cross currency swaps
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount	870
Fair Value Assets Derivatives	36
Fair Value Liabilities Derivatives	14
Gains (losses) included in net earnings (loss)	(1)
Margin
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair Value Assets Derivatives	84		107
Fair Value Liabilities Derivatives	8		6
Collateralized Securities
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair Value Assets Derivatives	68		712
Fair Value Liabilities Derivatives	1,024		748
Currency Contracts
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Derivative, Notional Amount			730
Fair Value Assets Derivatives			52
Fair Value Liabilities Derivatives			6
Gains (losses) included in net earnings (loss)		(1)
Investment Income
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Gains (losses) included in net earnings (loss)	(57)	748
Gmib Reinsurance
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair Value Assets Derivatives	9,795		10,309
Gains (losses) included in net earnings (loss)	(514)	1,637
GWBL and Other Features’ liability
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair Value Liabilities Derivatives	106		164
Gains (losses) included in net earnings (loss)	(58)	(81)
SCS, SIO, MSO and IUL indexed features’ liability
Derivatives, Fair Value [Line Items]
Fair Value Liabilities Derivatives	1,099		$ 887
Gains (losses) included in net earnings (loss)	$ (301)	$ (33)