REVISION OF PRIOR PERIOD FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Income Statement and Comprehensinve Income Disclosures (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019		Jun. 30, 2018
Revenues:
Policy charges and fee income	$ 865	$ 883	$ 1,724		$ 1,744
Net derivative gains (losses)		(285)	(1,733)		(1,100)
Total Revenues	2,071	1,621	2,761		2,760
Benefits and other deductions:
Policyholders’ benefits	868	1,301	1,687		1,781
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs	144	182	309		391
Total benefits and other deductions	1,753	4,278	3,433		5,790
Income (loss) from operations, before income taxes	318	(2,657)	(672)		(3,030)
Income tax (expense) benefit from continuing operations	(53)	552	109		632
Net income (loss)	265	(2,105)	(563)	[1]	(2,398)
Net income (loss)	265	(2,084)	(563)		(2,348)
Net income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable	264	(2,084)	(566)		(2,347)
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Net income (loss)	265	(2,084)	(563)		(2,348)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable	$ 1,556	(2,390)	$ 1,492		(3,410)
As Previously Reported
Revenues:
Policy charges and fee income		904			1,773
Net derivative gains (losses)		(312)			(1,172)
Total Revenues		2,439			4,387
Benefits and other deductions:
Policyholders’ benefits		1,339			1,828
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs		31			89
Total benefits and other deductions		4,950			7,100
Income (loss) from operations, before income taxes		(2,511)			(2,713)
Income tax (expense) benefit from continuing operations		553			622
Net income (loss)		(1,958)			(2,091)
Net income (loss)		(1,958)			(2,091)
Net income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		(2,114)			(2,401)
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Net income (loss)		(1,958)			(2,091)
Comprehensive income (loss)		(2,278)			(3,160)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		(2,420)			(3,463)
Discontinued Operations Adjustment
Revenues:
Policy charges and fee income		0			0
Net derivative gains (losses)		0			(2)
Total Revenues		(824)			(1,670)
Benefits and other deductions:
Policyholders’ benefits		0			0
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs		0			0
Total benefits and other deductions		(639)			(1,284)
Income (loss) from operations, before income taxes		(185)			(386)
Income tax (expense) benefit from continuing operations		8			25
Net income (loss)		(177)			(361)
Net income (loss)		(156)			(311)
Net income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		0			0
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Net income (loss)		(156)			(311)
Comprehensive income (loss)		(142)			(304)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		0			(1)
Gross DAC Adjustment
Revenues:
Policy charges and fee income		0			0
Net derivative gains (losses)		0			0
Total Revenues		0			0
Benefits and other deductions:
Policyholders’ benefits		0			0
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs		146			281
Total benefits and other deductions		0			0
Income (loss) from operations, before income taxes		0			0
Income tax (expense) benefit from continuing operations		0			0
Net income (loss)		0			0
Net income (loss)		0			0
Net income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		0			0
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Net income (loss)		0			0
As Adjusted
Revenues:
Policy charges and fee income		904			1,773
Net derivative gains (losses)		(312)			(1,174)
Total Revenues		1,615			2,717
Benefits and other deductions:
Policyholders’ benefits		1,339			1,828
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs		177			370
Total benefits and other deductions		4,311			5,816
Income (loss) from operations, before income taxes		(2,696)			(3,099)
Income tax (expense) benefit from continuing operations		561			647
Net income (loss)		(2,135)			(2,452)
Net income (loss)		(2,114)			(2,402)
Net income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		(2,114)			(2,401)
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Net income (loss)		(2,114)			(2,402)
Comprehensive income (loss)		(2,420)			(3,464)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		(2,420)			(3,464)
Impact of Revisions
Revenues:
Policy charges and fee income		(21)			(29)
Net derivative gains (losses)		27			72
Total Revenues		6			43
Benefits and other deductions:
Policyholders’ benefits		(38)			(47)
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs		5			21
Total benefits and other deductions		(33)			(26)
Income (loss) from operations, before income taxes		39			69
Income tax (expense) benefit from continuing operations		(9)			(15)
Net income (loss)		30			54
Net income (loss)		30			54
Net income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		30			54
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Net income (loss)		30			54
Comprehensive income (loss)		30			54
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		30			54
As Revised
Benefits and other deductions:
Net income (loss)		(2,084)			(2,348)
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Net income (loss)		(2,084)			(2,348)
Comprehensive income (loss)		(2,390)			(3,410)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		$ (2,390)			$ (3,410)

[1] Net income (loss) includes $311 million in the six months ended June 30, 2018 of the discontinued operations that are not included in Net income (loss) in the Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss).