Equity (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Equity [Abstract]

Schedule of Dividend Payment Restrictions [Table Text Block]

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

	2020		2019		2018		2017
Company	Permitted Without Approval (1)		Paid (2)		Paid (2)		Paid (2)
	(In millions)
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company	$	2,066	$	—	$	—	$	—
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY	$	—	$	28	$	—	$	—

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(1) Reflects dividend amounts that may be paid during 2020 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 2020, some or all of such dividends may require regulatory approval. See Note 16.

(2)

Reflects all amounts paid, including those requiring regulatory approval.

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

Statutory net income (loss) was as follows:

		Years Ended December 31,
Company	State of Domicile	2019			2018			2017
		(In millions)
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company	Delaware	$	1,074		$	(1,104	)	$	(425	)
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY	New York	$	(139	)	$	19		$	22

Statutory capital and surplus was as follows at:

	December 31,
Company	2019		2018
	(In millions)
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company	$	8,746	$	6,731
Brighthouse Life Insurance Company of NY	$	579	$	279

Schedule of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Table Text Block]

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 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
Cumulative effect of change in accounting principle and other, net of income tax	(79		)	—			—			(79		)
Balance, January 1, 2018	1,630			151			(23		)	1,758
OCI before reclassifications	(1,534		)	156			(4		)	(1,382		)
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)	327			54			1			382
AOCI before reclassifications, net of income tax	423			361			(26		)	758
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	179			(134		)	—			45
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)	(38		)	(47		)	—			(85		)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, net of income tax	141			(181		)	—			(40		)
Balance at December 31, 2018	564			180			(26		)	718
OCI before reclassifications	3,224			37			12			3,273
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)	(677		)	(8		)	—			(685		)
AOCI before reclassifications, net of income tax	3,111			209			(14		)	3,306
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	(57		)	(58		)	—			(115		)
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)	12			12			—			24
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, net of income tax	(45		)	(46		)	—			(91		)
Balance at December 31, 2019	$	3,066		$	163		$	(14	)	$	3,215

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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 Cuts and Job Act (the “Tax Act”) related to unrealized investments gains (losses), net of related offsets.

Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Table Text Block]

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

AOCI Components	Amounts Reclassified from AOCI									Consolidated Statements of Operations Locations
	Years Ended December 31,
	2019			2018			2017
	(In millions)
Net unrealized investment gains (losses):
Net unrealized investment gains(losses)	$	94		$	(178	)	$	(15	)	Net investment gains (losses)
Net unrealized investment gains (losses)	—			1			1			Net investment income
Net unrealized investment gains (losses)	(37		)	(2		)	(47		)	Net derivative gains (losses)
Net unrealized investment gains (losses), before income tax	57			(179		)	(61		)
Income tax (expense) benefit	(12		)	38			(306		)
Net unrealized investment gains (losses), net of income tax	45			(141		)	(367		)
Unrealized gains (losses) on derivatives - cash flow hedges:
Interest rate swaps	31			98			—			Net derivative gains (losses)
Interest rate swaps	2			3			3			Net investment income
Interest rate forwards	—			31			—			Net derivative gains (losses)
Interest rate forwards	—			2			3			Net investment income
Foreign currency swaps	25			—			8			Net derivative gains (losses)
Gains (losses) on cash flow hedges, before income tax	58			134			14
Income tax (expense) benefit	(12		)	47			(5		)
Gains (losses) on cash flow hedges, net of income tax	46			181			9
Total reclassifications, net of income tax	$	91		$	40		$	(358	)