REVISION OF PRIOR PERIOD FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - BALANCE SHEET DISCLOSURES (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017
Assets:
Other equity investments	$ 1,328		$ 1,351		$ 1,456	$ 1,440
Other invested assets	1,753		3,121		2,654	2,084
Total investments	72,485		68,098		62,122	60,417
DAC	4,786	$ 4,778	4,547	$ 4,903	4,913	4,961
Amounts due from reinsurers	3,088		5,079	5,004	4,889	4,647
GMIB reinsurance contract asset, at fair value	1,825		10,488	10,900	11,260	9,798
Other Assets	2,999		4,432	4,276
Total Assets	219,306	222,376	225,985	219,395	215,713	210,013
Liabilities:
Policyholders’ account balances	45,378		43,805		41,516	40,292
Future policy benefits and other policyholders’ liabilities	28,122		29,034	29,452	29,679	28,691
Other liabilities	2,008	3,111	2,663		2,522	2,493
Current and deferred income taxes	0	1,703	1,973	3,265	3,267	2,726
Total Liabilities	202,196	202,812	205,795	202,815	199,095	195,091
Equity:
Retained earnings	6,617	8,731	9,010	7,476	7,479	5,978
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	(464)		598	331	431	137
AXA Equitable Equity	13,925	15,452	16,469	13,170	13,273	11,459
Noncontrolling interest	3,039		3,095		2,984	3,046
Equity	16,964	18,540	19,564	16,139	16,257	14,505
Total Liabilities and Equity	$ 219,306	222,376	$ 225,985	219,395	215,713	210,013
As Previously Reported
Assets:
Other equity investments					1,477	1,463
Other invested assets					2,622	2,050
Total investments					62,111	60,406
DAC		4,826		4,550	4,141	4,068
Amounts due from reinsurers				5,016	4,870	4,639
GMIB reinsurance contract asset, at fair value				10,933	11,290	9,795
Other Assets				4,258
Total Assets		222,424		219,069	214,941	209,098
Liabilities:
Policyholders’ account balances					41,531	40,308
Future policy benefits and other policyholders’ liabilities				29,423	26,799	25,496
Other liabilities		3,041			2,531	2,496
Current and deferred income taxes		1,728		3,148	4,000	3,523
Total Liabilities		202,767		202,669	196,972	192,712
Equity:
Retained earnings		8,824		7,265	8,779	7,411
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)				362	493	179
AXA Equitable Equity		15,545		12,990	14,635	12,934
Noncontrolling interest					2,973	3,035
Equity		18,633		15,959	17,608	15,969
Total Liabilities and Equity		222,424		219,069	214,941	209,098
Impact of Revisions
Assets:
Other equity investments					(21)	(23)
Other invested assets					32	34
Total investments					11	11
DAC		(48)		353	247	367
Amounts due from reinsurers				(12)	19	8
GMIB reinsurance contract asset, at fair value				(33)	(30)	3
Other Assets				18
Total Assets		(48)		326	247	389
Liabilities:
Policyholders’ account balances					(15)	(16)
Future policy benefits and other policyholders’ liabilities				29	79	51
Other liabilities		70			(9)	(3)
Current and deferred income taxes		(25)		117	65	120
Total Liabilities		45		146	120	152
Equity:
Retained earnings		(93)		211	150	232
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)				(31)	(34)	(6)
AXA Equitable Equity		(93)		180	116	226
Noncontrolling interest					11	11
Equity		(93)		180	127	237
Total Liabilities and Equity		$ (48)		$ 326	247	389
As Revised and Adjusted Herein
Assets:
Other equity investments					1,456	1,440
Other invested assets					2,654	2,084
Total investments					62,122	60,417
DAC					4,388	4,435
Amounts due from reinsurers					4,889	4,647
GMIB reinsurance contract asset, at fair value					11,260	9,798
Total Assets					215,188	209,487
Liabilities:
Policyholders’ account balances					41,516	40,292
Future policy benefits and other policyholders’ liabilities					26,878	25,547
Other liabilities					2,522	2,493
Current and deferred income taxes					4,065	3,643
Total Liabilities					197,092	192,864
Equity:
Retained earnings					8,929	7,643
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)					459	173
AXA Equitable Equity					14,751	13,160
Noncontrolling interest					2,984	3,046
Equity					17,735	16,206
Total Liabilities and Equity					215,188	209,487
Impact of Accounting Change
Assets:
Other equity investments					0	0
Other invested assets					0	0
Total investments					0	0
DAC					525	526
Amounts due from reinsurers					0	0
GMIB reinsurance contract asset, at fair value					0	0
Total Assets					525	526
Liabilities:
Policyholders’ account balances					0	0
Future policy benefits and other policyholders’ liabilities					2,801	3,144
Other liabilities					0	0
Current and deferred income taxes					(798)	(917)
Total Liabilities					2,003	2,227
Equity:
Retained earnings					(1,450)	(1,665)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)					(28)	(36)
AXA Equitable Equity					(1,478)	(1,701)
Noncontrolling interest					0	0
Equity					(1,478)	(1,701)
Total Liabilities and Equity					$ 525	$ 526