REVISION OF PRIOR PERIOD FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Income Statement and Comprehensinve Income Disclosures (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	Mar. 31, 2018
Revenues:
Policy charges and fee income	$ 859	$ 861
Net derivative gains (losses)	(1,555)	(817)
Total Revenues	690	1,139
Commissions	157	160
Interest expense	4	9
Benefits and other deductions:
Policyholders’ benefits	819	480
Interest credited to policyholders’ account balances	269	255
Other operating costs and expenses	184	250
Compensation and benefits	82	149
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs	165	209
Total benefits and other deductions	1,680	1,512
Income (loss) from operations, before income taxes	(990)	(373)
Income tax (expense) benefit from continuing operations	162	80
Net income (loss)		(293)
Net income (loss)	(828)	(264)
Less: Net (income) loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest	(2)	1
Net income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable	(830)	(263)
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Net income (loss)	(828)	(264)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable	$ (64)	(1,020)
As Previously Reported
Revenues:
Policy charges and fee income		869
Net derivative gains (losses)		(777)
Total Revenues		2,031
Commissions		371
Interest expense		11
Benefits and other deductions:
Policyholders’ benefits		489
Interest credited to policyholders’ account balances		338
Other operating costs and expenses		440
Compensation and benefits		456
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs		10
Total benefits and other deductions		2,115
Income (loss) from operations, before income taxes		(84)
Income tax (expense) benefit from continuing operations		44
Net income (loss)		(40)
Net income (loss)		(40)
Net income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		(194)
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Net income (loss)		(40)
Comprehensive income (loss)		(789)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		(950)
Gross DAC Adjustment
Revenues:
Policy charges and fee income		0
Net derivative gains (losses)		0
Total Revenues		0
Commissions		(101)
Interest expense		0
Benefits and other deductions:
Policyholders’ benefits		0
Interest credited to policyholders’ account balances		0
Other operating costs and expenses		(1)
Compensation and benefits		(33)
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs		135
Total benefits and other deductions		0
Income (loss) from operations, before income taxes		0
Income tax (expense) benefit from continuing operations		0
Net income (loss)		0
Net income (loss)		0
Net income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		0
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Net income (loss)		0
Discontinued Operations Adjustment
Revenues:
Policy charges and fee income		0
Net derivative gains (losses)		(2)
Total Revenues		(846)
Commissions		(110)
Interest expense		(2)
Benefits and other deductions:
Policyholders’ benefits		0
Interest credited to policyholders’ account balances		0
Other operating costs and expenses		(189)
Compensation and benefits		(344)
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs		0
Total benefits and other deductions		(645)
Income (loss) from operations, before income taxes		(201)
Income tax (expense) benefit from continuing operations		17
Net income (loss)		(184)
Net income (loss)		(155)
Net income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		0
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Net income (loss)		(155)
Comprehensive income (loss)		(162)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		(1)
As Adjusted
Revenues:
Policy charges and fee income		869
Net derivative gains (losses)		(779)
Total Revenues		1,185
Commissions		160
Interest expense		9
Benefits and other deductions:
Policyholders’ benefits		489
Interest credited to policyholders’ account balances		338
Other operating costs and expenses		250
Compensation and benefits		79
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs		145
Total benefits and other deductions		1,470
Income (loss) from operations, before income taxes		(285)
Income tax (expense) benefit from continuing operations		61
Net income (loss)		(224)
Net income (loss)		(195)
Net income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		(194)
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Net income (loss)		(195)
Comprehensive income (loss)		(951)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		(951)
Impact of Revisions
Revenues:
Policy charges and fee income		(8)
Net derivative gains (losses)		(38)
Total Revenues		(46)
Commissions		0
Interest expense		0
Benefits and other deductions:
Policyholders’ benefits		(9)
Interest credited to policyholders’ account balances		(83)
Other operating costs and expenses		0
Compensation and benefits		70
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs		64
Total benefits and other deductions		42
Income (loss) from operations, before income taxes		(88)
Income tax (expense) benefit from continuing operations		19
Net income (loss)		(69)
Net income (loss)		(69)
Net income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		(69)
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Net income (loss)		(69)
Comprehensive income (loss)		(69)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		(69)
As Revised
Revenues:
Policy charges and fee income		861
Net derivative gains (losses)		(817)
Total Revenues		1,139
Commissions		160
Interest expense		9
Benefits and other deductions:
Policyholders’ benefits		480
Interest credited to policyholders’ account balances		255
Other operating costs and expenses		250
Compensation and benefits		149
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs		209
Total benefits and other deductions		1,512
Income (loss) from operations, before income taxes		(373)
Income tax (expense) benefit from continuing operations		80
Net income (loss)		(293)
Net income (loss)		(264)
Net income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		(263)
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Net income (loss)		(264)
Comprehensive income (loss)		(1,020)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		$ (1,020)