Consolidated Statements of Equity - USD ($) $ in Millions	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Retained Earnings (Deficit)	AOCI Attributable to Parent [Member]	Brighthouse Life Insurance Company [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Restatement Adjustment [Member]	Restatement Adjustment [Member] Common Stock	Restatement Adjustment [Member] Additional Paid-in Capital	Restatement Adjustment [Member] Retained Earnings (Deficit)	Restatement Adjustment [Member] AOCI Attributable to Parent [Member]	Restatement Adjustment [Member] Brighthouse Life Insurance Company [Member]	Restatement Adjustment [Member] Noncontrolling Interest [Member]
Total equity	$ 18,636						$ 0
New Accounting Pronouncement or Change in Accounting Principle, Cumulative Effect of Change on Equity or Net Assets					$ 0
Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2015		$ 75	$ 16,850	$ 117	1,594	$ 18,636
Capital contributions from MetLife, Inc.	1,637		1,637			1,637
Dividends paid to MetLife, Inc.	(261)			(261)		(261)
Amount of other increase (decrease) in additional paid in capital (APIC) due to a return of capital	(26)		(26)			(26)
Net income (loss)	(2,775)			(2,775)		(2,775)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0
Net income (loss)	(2,775)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of income tax	(346)				(346)	(346)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2016		75	18,461	(2,919)	1,248	16,865
Total equity	16,865						0
New Accounting Pronouncement or Change in Accounting Principle, Cumulative Effect of Change on Equity or Net Assets					0
Capital contributions from MetLife, Inc.	202		202			202
Amount of other increase (decrease) in additional paid in capital (APIC) due to a return of capital	(2,737)		(2,737)			(2,737)
Adjustments to Additional Paid in Capital, Capital Contributions from Parent	3,147		3,147			3,147
Noncontrolling Interest, Period Increase (Decrease)	15						15
Net income (loss)	(883)			(883)		(883)
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	0
Net income (loss)	(883)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of income tax	259				259	259
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2017	16,853	75	19,073	(4,132)	1,837	16,853			$ 75	$ 19,073	$ (4,057)	$ 1,758	$ 16,849
Total equity	16,868						15	$ 16,864						$ 15
New Accounting Pronouncement or Change in Accounting Principle, Cumulative Effect of Change on Equity or Net Assets	(79)				(79)
New Accounting Pronouncement or Change in Accounting Principle, Cumulative Effect of Change on Equity or Net Assets | Adjustments for New Accounting Pronouncement [Member]	0			(330)	330	0
Noncontrolling Interest, Period Increase (Decrease)	(1)					0	(1)
Net income (loss)	967			967		967
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	1						1
Net income (loss)	968
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of income tax	(1,040)				(1,040)	(1,040)
Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2018	16,776	$ 75	$ 19,073	(3,090)	718	16,776
Total equity	16,791						$ 15
New Accounting Pronouncement or Change in Accounting Principle, Cumulative Effect of Change on Equity or Net Assets	$ (4)			$ 75	$ (79)	$ (4)