REVISION OF PRIOR PERIOD FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - INCOME STATEMENT AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME DISCLOSURES (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended					6 Months Ended		9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Revenues:
Policy charges and fee income	$ 904		$ 907	$ 846	$ 852	$ 1,773	$ 1,698	$ 2,605
Premiums	217		208	225	232	440	457	665
Net derivative gains (losses)	(312)	$ (860)	(454)	1,763	(402)	(1,172)	1,362	944	$ 771	$ (1,335)
Total Revenues	2,439	1,948	2,381	4,548	2,274	4,387	6,823	9,240	11,614	9,014
Benefits and other deductions:
Policyholders’ benefits	1,339		907	1,363	975	1,828	2,338	3,246
Interest credited to policyholders’ account balances	240	255	197	208	239	495	448	681	921	905
Other operating costs and expenses	2,486			149	381	2,926	530
Compensation and benefits	466	526		450		992	888
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs	31	58	(12)	(49)	29	89	(20)	(32)
Total benefits and other deductions	4,950	2,150	2,361	2,516	2,449	7,100	4,966	7,364	9,359	8,392
Income (loss) from operations, before income taxes	(2,511)	(202)	20	2,032	(175)	(2,713)	1,857	1,876
Income tax (expense) benefit	553	69	101	(419)	121	622	(298)	(197)
Net income (loss)	(1,958)	(133)	121	1,613	(54)	(2,091)	1,559	1,679
Less: net (income) loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest	(156)	(154)		(113)		(310)	(231)
Net income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable	(2,114)	(287)	(1)	1,500	(172)	(2,401)	1,328	1,326
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Net income (loss)	(1,958)	(133)	121	1,613	(54)	(2,091)	1,559	1,679
Change in unrealized gains (losses), net of reclassification adjustment	(311)		(79)	294	92	(1,052)	386	315
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(320)		(76)	274	127	(1,069)	401	333
Comprehensive income (loss)	(2,278)	(882)	45	1,887	73	(3,160)	1,960	2,012
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable	$ (2,420)	(1,043)	(109)	1,794	(52)	$ (3,463)	1,742	1,640
As Previously Reported
Revenues:
Policy charges and fee income			914	865	896		1,761	2,626
Premiums			204	216	225		441	645
Net derivative gains (losses)		(777)	(318)	1,693	(724)		969	1,376	890	(1,211)
Total Revenues		2,031	2,520	4,488	1,989		6,477	9,673	11,733	9,138
Benefits and other deductions:
Policyholders’ benefits			995	1,452	891		2,343	3,308
Interest credited to policyholders’ account balances		338	350	321	337		658	1,008	1,040	1,029
Other operating costs and expenses				155	384		539
Compensation and benefits		456
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs		10	(33)	(82)	125		43	15
Total benefits and other deductions		2,115	2,581	2,691	2,562		5,253	7,800	9,478	8,516
Income (loss) from operations, before income taxes		(84)	(61)	1,797	(573)		1,224	1,873
Income tax (expense) benefit		44	127	(338)	260		(78)	(196)
Net income (loss)		(40)	66	1,459	(313)		1,146	1,677
Less: net (income) loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest		(154)
Net income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		(194)	(56)	1,346	(431)		915	1,324
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Net income (loss)		(40)	66	1,459	(313)		1,146	1,677
Change in unrealized gains (losses), net of reclassification adjustment			(55)	314	144		458	362
Other comprehensive income (loss)			(52)	294	179		473	380
Comprehensive income (loss)		(789)	14	1,753	(134)		1,619	2,057
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		(950)	(140)	1,660	(259)		1,401	1,685
Impact of Revisions
Revenues:
Policy charges and fee income			(7)	49	23		72	(21)
Premiums			4	9	7		16	20
Net derivative gains (losses)		(83)	(136)	(196)	(137)		(332)	(432)	(119)	(124)
Total Revenues		(83)	(139)	(138)	(107)		(244)	(433)	(119)	(124)
Benefits and other deductions:
Policyholders’ benefits			(88)	45	15		60	(62)
Interest credited to policyholders’ account balances		(83)	(153)	(113)	(98)		(210)	(327)	(119)	(124)
Other operating costs and expenses				(6)	(3)		(9)
Compensation and benefits		70
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs		48	21	31	(97)		(66)	(47)
Total benefits and other deductions		35	(220)	(43)	(183)		(225)	(436)	$ (119)	$ (124)
Income (loss) from operations, before income taxes		(118)	81	(95)	76		(19)	3
Income tax (expense) benefit		25	(26)	34	(26)		8	(1)
Net income (loss)		(93)	55	(61)	50		(11)	2
Less: net (income) loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest		0
Net income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		(93)	55	(61)	50		(11)	2
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Net income (loss)		(93)	55	(61)	50		(11)	2
Change in unrealized gains (losses), net of reclassification adjustment			(24)	(28)	(20)		(48)	(47)
Other comprehensive income (loss)			(24)	(28)	(20)		(48)	(47)
Comprehensive income (loss)		(93)	31	(89)	30		(59)	(45)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		$ (93)	$ 31	(89)	30		(59)	$ (45)
As Revised and Adjusted Herein
Revenues:
Policy charges and fee income				914	919		1,833
Premiums				225	232		457
Net derivative gains (losses)				1,497	(861)		637
Total Revenues				4,350	1,882		6,233
Benefits and other deductions:
Policyholders’ benefits				1,497	906		2,403
Interest credited to policyholders’ account balances				208	239		448
Other operating costs and expenses				149	381		530
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs				(51)	28		(23)
Total benefits and other deductions				2,648	2,379		5,028
Income (loss) from operations, before income taxes				1,702	(497)		1,205
Income tax (expense) benefit				(304)	234		(70)
Net income (loss)				1,398	(263)		1,135
Net income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable				1,285	(381)		904
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Net income (loss)				1,398	(263)		1,135
Change in unrealized gains (losses), net of reclassification adjustment				286	124		410
Other comprehensive income (loss)				266	159		425
Comprehensive income (loss)				1,664	(104)		1,560
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable				1,571	(229)		1,342
Impact of Accounting Change
Revenues:
Policy charges and fee income				(68)	(67)		(135)
Premiums				0	0		0
Net derivative gains (losses)				266	459		725
Total Revenues				198	392		590
Benefits and other deductions:
Policyholders’ benefits				(134)	69		(65)
Interest credited to policyholders’ account balances				0	0		0
Other operating costs and expenses				0	0		0
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs				2	1		3
Total benefits and other deductions				(132)	70		(62)
Income (loss) from operations, before income taxes				330	322		652
Income tax (expense) benefit				(115)	(113)		(228)
Net income (loss)				215	209		424
Net income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable				215	209		424
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Net income (loss)				215	209		424
Change in unrealized gains (losses), net of reclassification adjustment				8	(32)		(24)
Other comprehensive income (loss)				8	(32)		(24)
Comprehensive income (loss)				223	177		400
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable				$ 223	$ 177		$ 400