SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES SIGNIFICANT ACCOUTNING POLICIES – Schedule of Accounting Change Adjustments made to the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (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	Dec. 31, 2013
Item Effected [Line Items]
Derivative, Non-cash Gain (Loss) on Derivative, Net										$ 1,621	$ (305)	$ (1,072)	$ 3,418
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 15,959	$ 11,100	$ 14,227	$ 17,764	$ 17,744	$ 17,183	$ 11,100	$ 17,744	$ 15,959	17,764	14,379	15,530	16,387
Net income (loss)	66	1,714	(120)	137	576	1,067	1,593	1,642	1,677	1,779	524	1,070	3,100
Insurance Commissions and Fees	(914)	(856)	(858)	(854)	(819)	(795)	(1,712)	(1,614)	(2,626)	(2,468)	(3,342)	(3,284)	(3,156)
Future policy benefits			274			515	1,326	1,075	1,289	935	432	629	1,485
Increase (Decrease) in Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs			127			31	50	9	15	64	368	(257)	(345)
Current and deferred income taxes			(224)			380	224	376	639	93	(841)	42	737
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities			18			190	(75)	(385)	994	(165)	(461)	(324)	(600)
As Revised
Item Effected [Line Items]
Derivative, Non-cash Gain (Loss) on Derivative, Net										3,249	(419)	(339)	5,241
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		12,524	15,916	20,811	20,903	19,877	12,524	20,903		20,811	16,224	17,486	18,008
Net income (loss)		1,450	(312)	33	1,040	1,736	1,137	2,776		2,809	430	1,475	4,281
Insurance Commissions and Fees		(924)	(925)	(925)	(886)	(860)	(1,847)	(1,746)		(2,671)	(3,615)	(3,524)	(3,363)
Future policy benefits			205			621	1,391	1,340		1,208	771	1,040	1,732
Increase (Decrease) in Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs			125			22	46	(9)		38	333	(318)	(379)
Current and deferred income taxes			(327)			741	(21)	986		647	(892)	260	1,373
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities			18			190	(75)	(385)		(165)	(461)	(324)	(600)
Impact of Revision
Item Effected [Line Items]
Derivative, Non-cash Gain (Loss) on Derivative, Net										(1,628)	114	(733)	(1,823)
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		(1,424)	(1,689)		(3,159)	(2,694)	(1,424)	(3,159)			(1,845)	(1,956)	(1,621)
Net income (loss)		264	192	104	(464)	(669)	456	(1,134)		(1,030)	94	(405)	(1,181)
Insurance Commissions and Fees		68	67	71	67	65	135	132		203	273	240	207
Future policy benefits			69			(106)	(65)	(265)		(273)	(339)	(411)	(247)
Increase (Decrease) in Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs			2			9	4	18		26	35	61	34
Current and deferred income taxes			103			(361)	245	(610)		(554)	51	(218)	(636)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities			0			0	0	0		0	0	0	0
As previously reported
Item Effected [Line Items]
Derivative, Non-cash Gain (Loss) on Derivative, Net											(462)	(208)	5,409
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		12,608	15,969	20,883	21,013	19,963	12,608	21,013		20,883	16,416	17,595	18,108
Net income (loss)		1,459	(313)	22	1,061	1,720	1,146	2,781		2,803	544	1,464	4,420
Insurance Commissions and Fees		(865)	(896)	(978)	(915)	(901)	(1,761)	(1,816)		(2,794)	(3,423)	(3,208)	(3,115)
Future policy benefits			185			491	1,381	1,168		1,253	803	878	1,518
Increase (Decrease) in Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs			125			(10)	43	(84)		(80)	162	(331)	(413)
Current and deferred income taxes			(327)			733	(16)	985		704	(771)	258	1,448
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities			18			99	(75)	(337)		(165)	(461)	(244)	(639)
Impact of Revision
Item Effected [Line Items]
Derivative, Non-cash Gain (Loss) on Derivative, Net											43	(131)	(168)
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		(84)	(53)	(72)	(110)		(84)	(110)		(72)	(192)	(109)	(100)
Net income (loss)		(9)	1	11	(21)	16	(9)	(5)		6	(114)	11	(139)
Insurance Commissions and Fees		(59)	(29)	53	29	41	(86)	70		123	(192)	(316)	(248)
Future policy benefits			20			130	10	172		(45)	(32)	162	214
Increase (Decrease) in Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs			0			32	3	75		118	171	13	34
Current and deferred income taxes			0			8	(5)	1		(57)	(121)	2	(75)
Net Cash Provided by (Used in) Operating Activities			0			91	0	(48)		0	0	(80)	39
Retained Earnings
Item Effected [Line Items]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, beginning of year after accounting change											5,941	6,963	7,208	$ 4,876
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	7,265	7,301	5,700	7,908	7,897	7,913	7,301	7,897	7,265	7,908	5,941	8,896
Net income (loss)			(238)			950	1,362	1,434		1,445	28	667	2,713
Retained Earnings | As Revised
Item Effected [Line Items]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, beginning of year after accounting change											7,780	8,896	8,736	5,223
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		8,684	7,347	10,871	10,964	10,515	8,684	10,964		10,871	7,780	8,896	8,736	5,223
Net income (loss)			(430)			1,619	906	2,568		2,475	(66)	1,072	3,894
Retained Earnings | Impact of Revision
Item Effected [Line Items]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, beginning of year after accounting change											(1,839)	(1,933)	(1,528)	(347)
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		(1,383)	(1,647)	(2,963)	(3,067)	(2,602)	(1,383)	(3,067)		(2,963)
Net income (loss)			192			(669)	456	(1,134)		(1,030)	94	(405)	(1,181)
Retained Earnings | As previously reported
Item Effected [Line Items]
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		8,779	7,411	10,954	11,030	10,561	8,779	11,030		10,954		8,958	8,809	5,205
Net income (loss)			(431)			1,603	915	2,572		2,496	75	1,061	4,033
Retained Earnings | Impact of Revision
Item Effected [Line Items]
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		(95)	(64)	(83)	(66)	(46)	(95)	(66)		(83)	(203)	(62)	(73)	18
Net income (loss)			1			16	(9)	(4)		(21)	(141)	11
AOCI Attributable to Parent
Item Effected [Line Items]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, beginning of year after accounting change											1	185	258	(618)
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	362	452	137	1,529	1,516	908	452	1,516	362	1,529	1	208
AOCI Attributable to Parent | As Revised
Item Effected [Line Items]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, beginning of year after accounting change											7	208	351	(603)
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		493	179	1,613	1,608	1,000	493	1,608		1,613	7	208	351	(603)
AOCI Attributable to Parent | Impact of Revision
Item Effected [Line Items]
Accumulated other comprehensive income, beginning of year after accounting change											(6)	(23)	(93)	(15)
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		(41)	(42)	(84)	(92)	(92)	(41)	(92)		(84)
AOCI Attributable to Parent | As previously reported
Item Effected [Line Items]
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		493			1,637		493	1,637			7	228	351	(603)
AOCI Attributable to Parent | Impact of Revision
Item Effected [Line Items]
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		0	0		(29)		0	(29)			0	(20)	0	$ 0
Parent
Item Effected [Line Items]
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ 12,990	13,116	11,181	14,752	14,733	14,140	13,116	14,733	$ 12,990	14,752	11,283	12,471	13,425
Parent | As Revised
Item Effected [Line Items]
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		14,540	12,870	17,799	17,892	16,834	14,540	17,892		17,799	13,128	14,427	15,046
Parent | Impact of Revision
Item Effected [Line Items]
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		(1,424)	(1,689)	(5,926)	(3,159)	(2,694)	(1,424)	(3,159)		(5,926)	(1,845)	(1,956)	(1,621)
Parent | As previously reported
Item Effected [Line Items]
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		14,635	12,934	17,882	17,987	16,894	14,635	17,987		17,882	13,331	14,509	15,119
Parent | Impact of Revision
Item Effected [Line Items]
Stockholders' Equity, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest		$ (95)	$ (64)	$ (83)	$ (95)	$ (60)	$ (95)	$ (95)		$ (83)	$ (203)	$ (82)	$ (73)