SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Schedule of Restatements made to the Consolidated Statement of Earnings (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, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Policy charges and fee income	$ 914	$ 856	$ 858	$ 854	$ 819	$ 795	$ 1,712	$ 1,614	$ 2,626	$ 2,468	$ 3,342	$ 3,284	$ 3,156
Premiums	204			226					645	638
Net derivative gains (losses)	(318)	1,997	(300)	(446)	743	1,324	1,714	2,067	1,376	1,621	(1,120)	(1,072)	3,418
Revenues	2,520	4,783	2,375	2,177	3,464	3,950	7,173	7,274	9,673	9,451	9,201	9,019	13,503
Policyholders' benefits	995	1,348	981	616	1,087	1,087	2,345	2,174	3,308	2,790	2,746	2,455	3,707
Interest credited to policyholders' account balances	350			303					1,008	779
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition cost, net	(33)	(76)	126	55	(22)	172	50	9	15	64	368	(257)	(345)
Other operating costs and expenses	449			319					992	1,070
Total benefits and other deductions	2,581	2,593	2,652	2,094	2,490	2,502	5,262	4,992	7,800	7,086	8,860	7,979	9,419
Income (loss) from operations, before income taxes	(61)	2,190	(277)	83	834	1,448	1,911	2,282	1,873	2,365	341	1,040	4,084
Income tax (expense) benefit	127	(476)	157	54	(258)	(381)	(318)	(640)	(196)	(586)	183	30	(984)
Net income (loss)	66	1,714	(120)	137	576	1,067	1,593	1,642	1,677	1,779	524	1,070	3,100
Less: net (income) loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest	(122)			(126)					(353)	(334)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent	(56)	1,601	(238)	11	485	950	1,362	1,434		1,445	28	667	2,713
Change in unrealized gains (losses), net of reclassification adjustment	(55)	315	108	16	610	717	423	1,327	362	1,342	(180)	(831)	891
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(52)	295	143	15	605	726	438	1,331	380	1,345	(201)	(860)	847
Comprehensive income (loss)	14	2,009	23	152	1,181	1,793	2,031	2,973	2,057	3,124	323	210	3,947
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	(154)			(127)					(372)	(335)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent	$ (140)	1,916	(102)	25	1,093	1,673	2,031	2,765	$ 1,685	2,789	(156)	(178)	3,589
As previously reported
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Policy charges and fee income		865	896	978	915	901	1,761	1,816		2,794	3,423	3,208	3,115
Premiums			0	141	121	126		247		388	880	854	874
Net derivative gains (losses)		1,693	(724)	(656)	1,562	2,278	969	3,840		3,184	(1,277)	(208)	5,409
Increase (decrease) in the fair value of the reinsurance contract asset			0			0
Revenues		4,488	1,989	2,006	4,297	4,927	6,477	9,084		11,090	9,151	9,833	15,480
Policyholders' benefits		1,452	891	640	1,211	1,069	2,343	2,280		2,920	2,913	2,743	3,579
Interest credited to policyholders' account balances			337	272	274	251	658	525		797	981	1,048	1,155
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition cost, net		(82)	125	4	(74)	131	43	(84)		(80)	162	(331)	(413)
Other operating costs and expenses											1,458	1,415	1,692
Total benefits and other deductions		2,691	2,562	2,036	2,581	2,473	5,253	5,054		7,090	8,720	8,183	9,365
Income (loss) from operations, before income taxes		1,797	(573)	(30)	1,576	2,454	1,224	4,030		4,000	431	1,650	6,115
Income tax (expense) benefit		(338)	260	52	(515)	(734)	(78)	(1,249)		(1,197)	113	(186)	(1,695)
Net income (loss)		1,459	(313)	22	1,061	1,720	1,146	2,781		2,803	544	1,464	4,420
Less: net (income) loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest		(113)	(118)	(98)	(92)	(117)	(231)	(209)		(307)	(469)	(403)	(387)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent		1,346	(431)	(76)	969	1,603	915	2,572		2,496	75	1,061	4,033
Change in unrealized gains (losses), net of reclassification adjustment			144	(22)	625	780		1,405		1,383	(217)	(881)	969
Other comprehensive income (loss)			179	(23)	620	789		1,409		1,386	(238)	(910)	925
Comprehensive income (loss)		1,753	(134)	(1)	1,681	2,509	1,619	4,190		4,189	306	554	5,345
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest			(125)	(99)	(89)	(120)		(209)		(308)	(452)	(388)	(358)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent		1,660	(259)	(100)	1,592	2,389	1,619	3,981		3,881	(146)	166	4,987
Impact of Revision
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Policy charges and fee income		59	29	(53)	(29)	(41)	86	(70)		(123)	192	316	248
Premiums			0	85	82	83		165		250	(26)	(26)	(27)
Net derivative gains (losses)		(38)	(9)	(21)	(22)	108	(30)	86		65	43	(131)	(168)
Increase (decrease) in the fair value of the reinsurance contract asset			0			0
Revenues		21	20	11	31	150	56	181		192	209	159	53
Policyholders' benefits		30	21	(16)	35	124	67	159		143	172	123	375
Interest credited to policyholders' account balances			(1)	31	(19)	(30)	0	(49)		(18)	101	(72)	(118)
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition cost, net		4	(1)	43	43	32	3	75		118	171	13	34
Other operating costs and expenses											0	82	(24)
Total benefits and other deductions		34	19	58	59	126	70	185		243	444	146	267
Income (loss) from operations, before income taxes		(13)	1	(47)	(28)	24	(14)	(4)		(51)	(235)	13	(214)
Income tax (expense) benefit		4	0	58	7	(8)	5	(1)		57	121	(2)	75
Net income (loss)		(9)	1	11	(21)	16	(9)	(5)		6	(114)	11	(139)
Less: net (income) loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest		0	0	(28)	1	0	0	1		(27)	(27)	0	0
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent		(9)	1	(17)	(20)	16	(9)	(4)		(21)	(141)	11	(139)
Change in unrealized gains (losses), net of reclassification adjustment			0	30	(15)	6		(9)		20	20	(20)	0
Other comprehensive income (loss)			0	30	(15)	6		(9)		20	20	(20)	0
Comprehensive income (loss)		(9)	1	41	(36)	22	(9)	(14)		26	(94)	(9)	(139)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest			0	(28)	1	0		1		(27)	(27)	0	0
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent		(9)	1	13	(35)	22	(9)	(13)		(1)	(121)	(9)	(139)
As Revised
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Policy charges and fee income		924	925	925	886	860	1,847	1,746		2,671	3,615	3,524	3,363
Premiums			0	226	203	209		412		638	854	828	847
Net derivative gains (losses)		1,655	(733)	(677)	1,540	2,386	939	3,926		3,249	(1,234)	(339)	5,241
Increase (decrease) in the fair value of the reinsurance contract asset			0			0
Revenues		4,509	2,009	2,017	4,328	5,077	6,533	9,265		11,282	9,360	9,992	15,533
Policyholders' benefits		1,482	912	624	1,246	1,193	2,410	2,439		3,063	3,085	2,866	3,954
Interest credited to policyholders' account balances			336	303	255	221	658	476		779	1,082	976	1,037
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition cost, net		(78)	124	47	(31)	163	46	(9)		38	333	(318)	(379)
Other operating costs and expenses											1,458	1,497	1,668
Total benefits and other deductions		2,725	2,581	2,094	2,640	2,599	5,323	5,239		7,333	9,164	8,329	9,632
Income (loss) from operations, before income taxes		1,784	(572)	(77)	1,548	2,478	1,210	4,026		3,949	196	1,663	5,901
Income tax (expense) benefit		(334)	260	110	(508)	(742)	(73)	(1,250)		(1,140)	234	(188)	(1,620)
Net income (loss)		1,450	(312)	33	1,040	1,736	1,137	2,776		2,809	430	1,475	4,281
Less: net (income) loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest		(113)	(118)	(126)	(91)	(117)	(231)	(208)		(334)	(496)	(403)	(387)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent		1,337	(430)	(93)	949	1,619	906	2,568		2,475	(66)	1,072	3,894
Change in unrealized gains (losses), net of reclassification adjustment		314	144	8	610	786	458	1,396		1,403	(197)	(901)	969
Other comprehensive income (loss)		294	179	7	605	795	473	1,400		1,406	(218)	(930)	925
Comprehensive income (loss)		1,744	(133)	40	1,645	2,531	1,610	4,176		4,215	212	545	5,206
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest			(125)	(127)	(88)	(120)		(208)		(335)	(479)	(388)	(358)
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent		$ 1,651	$ (258)	$ (87)	$ 1,557	$ 2,411	$ 1,610	$ 3,968		$ 3,880	$ (267)	$ 157	$ 4,848