INSURANCE LIABILITIES - GMDB REINSURANCE CEDED (Details) - GMDB - USD ($) $ in Millions	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reinsurance Ceded [Roll Forward]
Balance, beginning of year	$ 2,030	$ 1,558
Paid guarantee benefits	(67)	(132)
Other changes in reserve	(1,860)	555
Balance, end of period	$ 103	$ 1,981

Total of amount of guaranteed minimum benefit expense incurred the ceding insurer expects to recover on insurance policies ceded to other insurance entities during the period presented, resulting in an decrease to the net liability for expected guaranteed minimum benefits in excess of projected account values, for all guaranteed benefit types.

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	axaeq_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Total amount of ceded guaranteed minimum benefit payments to policyholders and contract holders, during the period presented, resulting in a decrease to the ceded liability for expected guaranteed minimum benefits in excess of projected account values, for all guaranteed benefit types.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	axaeq_GuaranteedBenefitsPaidCeded
Namespace Prefix:	axaeq_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit Reinsurance Ceded [Roll Forward]

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	axaeq_GuaranteedMinimumDeathBenefitReinsuranceCededRollForward
Namespace Prefix:	axaeq_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Sum of the amount of guaranteed minimum benefits the ceding insurer expects to recover on insurance policies ceded to other insurance entities as of the balance sheet date for all guaranteed benefit types.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 80
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6484115&loc=d3e19393-158473

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 15
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6588021&loc=d3e7104-158389

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ReinsuranceRecoverableGuaranteeBenefits
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_GuaranteedInsuranceContractTypeOfBenefitAxis=us-gaap_GuaranteedMinimumDeathBenefitMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: