Equity (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Equity [Abstract]

Schedule of Dividend Payment Restrictions [Table Text Block]

The table below sets forth the dividends permitted to be paid by the Company’s insurance companies without insurance regulatory approval and dividends paid:

	2018		2017		2016
Company	Permitted Without Approval (1)		Paid (2)		Paid (2)
	(In millions)
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company	$	84	$	—	$	261
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY	$	21	$	—	$	—

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(1) Reflects dividend amounts that may be paid during 2018 without prior regulatory approval. However, because dividend tests may be based on dividends previously paid over rolling 12-month periods, if paid before a specified date during 2018, some or all of such dividends may require regulatory approval.

(2) Reflects all amounts paid, including those requiring regulatory approval.

Schedules of statutory net income, capital and surplus and reserve strengthening by subsidiary

Statutory capital and surplus was as follows at:

	December 31,
Company	2017		2016
	(In millions)
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company	$	5,594	$	4,374
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY	$	294	$	196

Statutory net income (loss) was as follows:

		Years Ended December 31,
Company	State of Domicile	2017			2016			2015
		(In millions)
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company	Delaware	$	(425	)	$	1,186		$	(1,022	)
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY	New York	$	22		$	(87	)	$	17

Components of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Information regarding changes in the balances of each component of AOCI was as follows:

	Unrealized Investment Gains (Losses), Net of Related Offsets (1)			Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Derivatives			Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments			Total
	(In millions)
Balance at January 1, 2015	$	2,445		$	183		$	(6	)	$	2,622
OCI before reclassifications	(1,759		)	95			(29		)	(1,693		)
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)	643			(33		)	9			619
AOCI before reclassifications, net of income tax	1,329			245			(26		)	1,548
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	78			(6		)	—			72
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)	(28		)	2			—			(26		)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, net of income tax	50			(4		)	—			46
Balance at December 31, 2015	1,379			241			(26		)	1,594
OCI before reclassifications	(565		)	70			(3		)	(498		)
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)	185			(25		)	—			160
AOCI before reclassifications, net of income tax	999			286			(29		)	1,256
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	30			(43		)	—			(13		)
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)	(10		)	15			—			5
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, net of income tax	20			(28		)	—			(8		)
Balance at December 31, 2016	1,019			258			(29		)	1,248
OCI before reclassifications	529			(152		)	9			386
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)	(206		)	54			(3		)	(155		)
AOCI before reclassifications, net of income tax	1,342			160			(23		)	1,479
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	61			(14		)	—			47
Deferred income tax benefit (expense) (2)	306			5			—			311
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, net of income tax	367			(9		)	—			358
Balance at December 31, 2017	$	1,709		$	151		$	(23	)	$	1,837

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(1) See Note 7 for information on offsets to investments related to future policy benefits, DAC, VOBA and DSI.

(2) Includes the $330 million impact of the Tax Act related to unrealized investments gains (losses), net of related offsets. See Note 1 for more information.

Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Information regarding amounts reclassified out of each component of AOCI was as follows:

AOCI Components	Amounts Reclassified from AOCI									Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) Locations
	Years Ended December 31,
	2017			2016			2015
	(In millions)
Net unrealized investment gains (losses):
Net unrealized investment gains(losses)	$	(15	)	$	(39	)	$	(81	)	Net investment gains (losses)
Net unrealized investment gains (losses)	1			3			13			Net investment income
Net unrealized investment gains (losses)	(47		)	6			(10		)	Net derivative gains (losses)
Net unrealized investment gains (losses), before income tax	(61		)	(30		)	(78		)
Income tax (expense) benefit	(306		)	10			28
Net unrealized investment gains (losses), net of income tax	$	(367	)	$	(20	)	$	(50	)
Unrealized gains (losses) on derivatives - cash flow hedges:
Interest rate swaps	$	—		$	33		$	1		Net derivative gains (losses)
Interest rate swaps	3			3			1			Net investment income
Interest rate forwards	—			2			2			Net derivative gains (losses)
Interest rate forwards	3			2			2			Net investment income
Foreign currency swaps	8			3			—			Net derivative gains (losses)
Gains (losses) on cash flow hedges, before income tax	14			43			6
Income tax (expense) benefit	(5		)	(15		)	(2		)
Gains (losses) on cash flow hedges, net of income tax	$	9		$	28		$	4
Total reclassifications, net of income tax	$	(358	)	$	8		$	(46	)