DOCUMENT AND ENTITY INFORMATION - shares	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Nov. 20, 2017
Document And Entity Information [Abstract]
Document Type	10-Q
Document Period End Date	Sep. 30, 2017
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q3
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2017
Amendment Flag	true
Entity Registrant Name	AXA EQUITABLE LIFE INSURANCE CO
Entity Central Index Key	0000727920
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	No
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		2,000,000
Amendment Description	The sole purpose of this Amendment No. 1 to our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2017, is to furnish Exhibit 101 to the Form 10-Q in accordance with Rule 201 of Regulation S-T, which extends the date by which the interactive data file is required to be submitted by six business days. No other changes have been made to the Form 10-Q. This Amendment No. 1 to the Form 10-Q speaks as of the original filing date of the Form 10-Q, does not reflect events that may have occurred subsequent to the original filing date, and does not modify or update in any way disclosures made in the original Form 10-Q.