SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES SIGNIFICANT ACCOUTNING POLICIES – Schedule Accounting Change Adjustments made to the Consolidated Statements of Balance Sheet (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Other equity investments	$ 1,337			$ 1,323
Amounts due from reinsurers	5,016			4,664
Trading securities, at fair value	12,053			9,134
Guaranteed minimum income benefit reinsurance contract asset, at fair value	10,933			10,309
Broker-dealer related payables	529			484
Broker-dealer related receivables	2,206			2,100
Other invested assets	2,515			2,226
Other assets	4,258			4,260
Investments	63,523			58,427
Deferred policy acquisition costs	4,550	$ 4,516	$ 4,491	4,666	$ 4,876	$ 4,852	$ 4,936	$ 4,996
Assets	219,069	215,358	209,551	204,169	209,432	207,460	200,475	195,220
Policyholders’ account balances	42,679			38,825
Redeemable noncontrolling interest	441			403
Future policy benefits and other policyholders’ liabilities	29,423	29,556	28,649	28,859	31,469	31,632	30,120	28,435
Retained earnings	7,265	7,301	5,700	5,941	7,910	7,897	7,914	6,963
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	362	452	137	1	1,529	1,516	908	185
Current and deferred income taxes	3,148	3,183	2,581	2,714	4,473	4,715	4,396	3,592
Other liabilities	2,869			2,108
Liabilities	202,669	198,897	194,907	189,387	191,520	189,487	183,074	179,677
Equity	15,959	11,100	14,227	14,379	17,764	17,744	17,183	15,530	$ 16,387
Total Liabilities and Equity	219,069	215,358	209,551	204,169	209,432	207,460	200,475	195,220
Total AXA Equitable’s equity	12,990	13,116	11,181	11,283	14,754	14,733	14,141	12,471
Noncontrolling interest	2,969			3,096
As previously reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Other equity investments		1,477	1,463	1,408	1,454	1,447	1,398	1,477
Amounts due from reinsurers		4,870	4,639	4,635	4,550	4,523	4,605	4,466
Trading securities, at fair value		0	0	9,134	8,702	7,843	7,124	6,805
Guaranteed minimum income benefit reinsurance contract asset, at fair value				10,309				10,570
Other invested assets		2,622	2,050	2,186	2,192	2,811	2,462	1,788
Other assets		0	0	4,260		4,501	4,516	4,634
Investments		62,111	60,406	58,416	60,968	60,979	56,581	52,527
Deferred policy acquisition costs		4,141	4,068	4,301	4,516	4,496	4,505	4,469
Assets		214,941	209,098	203,764	209,034	207,042	199,983	194,626
Policyholders’ account balances		41,531	40,308	38,782	36,920	35,661	33,710	33,033
Future policy benefits and other policyholders’ liabilities		26,799	25,496	25,358	26,191	26,131	25,272	24,531
Retained earnings		8,779	7,411	7,983	10,954	11,030	10,561	8,958
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)		493	179	7		1,637	1,014	228
Current and deferred income taxes		4,000	3,523	3,816	6,160	6,421	5,833	4,647
Other liabilities			0	2,108			2,841	2,586
Liabilities		196,972	192,712	186,945	188,005	185,800	179,802	177,018
Equity		12,608	15,969	16,416	20,883	21,013	19,963	17,595	18,108
Total Liabilities and Equity		214,941	209,098	203,764	209,034	207,042	199,983	194,626
Total AXA Equitable’s equity		14,635	12,934	13,331	17,882	17,987	16,894	14,509
Noncontrolling interest		2,973	3,035	3,085	3,001	3,026	69	3,086
Impact of Revision
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Other equity investments		(21)	(23)	(29)	(93)	(100)	(120)	(81)
Amounts due from reinsurers		31	19	29	27	49	48	46
Trading securities, at fair value		0	0	0	65	73	81	81
Guaranteed minimum income benefit reinsurance contract asset, at fair value				0				8
Other invested assets		32	34	40	39	38	39	0
Other assets		0	0	0		2	13	13
Investments		11	11	11	11	11	0	0
Deferred policy acquisition costs		(135)	(88)	(175)	(123)	(126)	(59)	(36)
Assets		(93)	(58)	(135)	(85)	(64)	2	31
Policyholders’ account balances		(15)	(16)	43	(76)	(108)	(89)	(138)
Future policy benefits and other policyholders’ liabilities		56	45	123	109	160	213	332
Retained earnings		(95)	(64)	(203)	(83)	(66)	(45)	(62)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)		0	0	0		(29)	(14)	(20)
Current and deferred income taxes		(50)	(34)	(109)	(46)	(6)	14	(2)
Other liabilities			0	0			(50)	(52)
Liabilities		(9)	(5)	57	(13)	46	88	140
Equity		(84)	(53)	(192)	(72)	(110)		(109)	(100)
Total Liabilities and Equity		(93)	(58)	(135)	(85)	(64)	2	31
Total AXA Equitable’s equity		(95)	(64)	(203)	(83)	(95)	(59)	(82)
Noncontrolling interest		11	11	11	11	(15)	(27)	(27)
As Revised
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Other equity investments		1,456	1,440	1,379	1,361	1,347	1,278	1,396
Amounts due from reinsurers		4,901	4,658	4,664	4,577	4,572	4,653	4,512
Trading securities, at fair value		0	0	9,134	8,767	7,916	7,205	6,886
Guaranteed minimum income benefit reinsurance contract asset, at fair value				10,309				10,578
Other invested assets		2,654	2,084	2,226	2,231	2,849	2,501	1,788
Other assets		0	0	4,260		4,503	4,529	4,647
Investments		62,122	60,417	58,427	60,979	60,990	56,581	52,527
Deferred policy acquisition costs		4,006	3,980	4,126	4,393	4,370	4,446	4,433
Assets		214,848	209,040	203,629	208,949	206,978	199,985	194,657
Policyholders’ account balances		41,516	40,292	38,825	36,844	35,553	33,621	32,895
Future policy benefits and other policyholders’ liabilities		26,855	25,541	25,481	26,300	26,291	25,485	24,863
Retained earnings		8,684	7,347	7,780	10,871	10,964	10,516	8,896
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)		493	179	7	1,613	1,608	1,000	208
Current and deferred income taxes		3,950	3,489	3,707	6,114	6,415	5,847	4,645
Other liabilities			0	2,108			2,791	2,534
Liabilities		196,963	192,707	187,002	187,992	185,846	179,890	177,158
Equity		12,524	15,916	16,224	20,811	20,903	19,877	17,486	18,008
Total Liabilities and Equity		214,848	209,040	203,629	208,949	206,978	199,985	194,657
Total AXA Equitable’s equity		14,540	12,870	13,128	17,799	17,892	16,835	14,427
Noncontrolling interest		2,984	3,046	3,096	3,012	3,011	42	3,059
Impact of Revision
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Deferred policy acquisition costs		510	511	540	483	482	490	563
Assets		510	511	540	483	482	490	563
Future policy benefits and other policyholders’ liabilities		2,701	3,108	3,378	5,169	5,341	4,635	3,572
Retained earnings		(1,383)	(1,647)	(1,845)	(2,961)	(3,067)	(2,602)	(1,933)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)		(41)	(42)	(6)	(84)	(92)	(92)	(23)
Current and deferred income taxes		(767)	(908)	(993)	(1,641)	(1,700)	(1,451)	(1,053)
Liabilities		1,934	2,200	2,385	3,528	3,641	3,184	2,519
Equity		(1,424)	(1,689)	(1,845)		(3,159)	(2,694)	(1,956)	(1,621)
Total Liabilities and Equity		510	511	(3,150)	483	482	490	563
Total AXA Equitable’s equity		(1,424)	(1,689)	(1,845)	(3,045)	(3,159)	(2,694)	(1,956)
AOCI Attributable to Parent
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Equity	$ 362	452	137	1	1,529	1,516	908	208
AOCI Attributable to Parent | As previously reported
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Equity		493		7		1,637		228	351	$ (603)
AOCI Attributable to Parent | Impact of Revision
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Equity		0	0	0		(29)		(20)	0	0
AOCI Attributable to Parent | As Revised
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Equity		493	179	$ 7	1,613	1,608	1,000	$ 208	$ 351	$ (603)
AOCI Attributable to Parent | Impact of Revision
New Accounting Pronouncements or Change in Accounting Principle [Line Items]
Equity		$ (41)	$ (42)		$ (84)	$ (92)	$ (92)