SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended						6 Months Ended		9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	$ (56)	$ 1,601	$ (238)	$ 11	$ 485	$ 950	$ 1,362	$ 1,434	$ 1,445	$ 28	$ 667	$ 2,713
Other equity investments	1,337									1,323
Total Assets	219,069	215,358	209,551	209,432	207,460	200,475	215,358	207,460	209,432	204,169	195,220
Total liabilities	202,669	198,897	194,907	191,520	189,487	183,074	198,897	189,487	191,520	189,387	179,677
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	441									403
Total AXA Equitable’s equity	12,990	13,116	11,181	14,754	14,733	14,141	13,116	14,733	14,754	11,283	12,471
Noncontrolling interest	2,969									3,096
Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit)	(7,265)	(7,301)	(5,700)	(7,910)	(7,897)	(7,914)	(7,301)	(7,897)	(7,910)	(5,941)	(6,963)
Insurance
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Total Assets	205,176									191,033
Investment Management
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Total Assets	13,893									13,139
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary | Investment Management
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, nonconsolidated net assets	52,100
Variable Interest Entity, maximum loss exposure	7
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary | Adjustments for New Accounting Pronouncement
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, unfunded commitments	719
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary | Adjustments for New Accounting Pronouncement | Other Equity Investments
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Variable Interest Entity, nonconsolidated net assets	168,625
Variable Interest Entity, maximum loss exposure	1,169
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary | Adjustments for New Accounting Pronouncement | Insurance
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Other equity investments	1,169
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary, Aggregated Disclosure
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Total Assets	1,252									956
Total liabilities	594									293
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	416									384
Total AXA Equitable’s equity	71									71
Noncontrolling interest	$ 1									35
Impact of Revision
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent		(9)	1	(17)	(20)	16	(9)	(4)	(21)	(141)	11	$ (139)
Other equity investments		(21)	(23)	(93)	(100)	(120)	(21)	(100)	(93)	(29)	(81)
Total Assets		(93)	(58)	(85)	(64)	2	(93)	(64)	(85)	(135)	31
Total liabilities		(9)	(5)	(13)	46	88	(9)	46	(13)	57	140
Total AXA Equitable’s equity		(95)	(64)	(83)	(95)	(59)	(95)	(95)	(83)	(203)	(82)
Noncontrolling interest		11	11	11	(15)	(27)	11	(15)	11	11	(27)
Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit)		$ 95	$ 64	83	$ 66	$ 45	$ 95	$ 66	83	$ 203	62
Voluntary Change To Fair Value Accounting For Variable Annuity Products [Member] | Impact of Revision
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent				$ 104					$ (1,030)
Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit)											$ 1,933