Condensed Financial Information (Parent Company) (Condensed Statements of Operations) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2024	Dec. 31, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Premiums	$ 759	$ 811	$ 641
Universal life and investment-type product policy fees	1,601	1,778	1,876
Net investment income	5,100	4,560	4,064
Other revenues	499	418	406
Net investment gains (losses)	(298)	(242)	(240)
Net derivative gains (losses)	(3,688)	(3,920)	(585)
Total revenues	3,973	3,405	6,162
Expenses
Policyholder benefits and claims	2,139	2,418	2,186
Interest credited to policyholder account balances	2,110	1,801	1,313
Amortization of DAC and VOBA	550	564	568
Change in market risk benefits	377	(18)	286
Other expenses	1,601	1,625	1,694
Total expenses	3,731	4,911	1,656
Income (loss) before provision for income tax	242	(1,506)	4,506
Provision for income tax expense (benefit)	(15)	(383)	795
Net income (loss) attributable to Brighthouse Life Insurance Company	256	(1,124)	3,710
Comprehensive income (loss)	207	(307)	(2,022)
Parent Company
Condensed Income Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Premiums	577	599	423
Universal life and investment-type product policy fees	1,378	1,527	1,607
Net investment income	4,431	3,992	3,620
Other revenues	755	519	480
Net investment gains (losses)	(287)	(234)	(233)
Net derivative gains (losses)	(3,066)	(3,616)	1,800
Total revenues	3,788	2,787	7,697
Expenses
Policyholder benefits and claims	1,635	1,692	1,420
Interest credited to policyholder account balances	1,989	1,641	1,152
Amortization of DAC and VOBA	485	499	504
Change in market risk benefits	(2,665)	(1,494)	(4,107)
Other expenses	1,886	1,817	1,926
Total expenses	3,330	4,155	895
Income (loss) before provision for income tax	458	(1,368)	6,802
Provision for income tax expense (benefit)	41	(347)	1,292
Income (loss) before equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries	417	(1,021)	5,510
Income (Loss) from Subsidiaries, Net of Tax	(161)	(103)	(1,800)
Net income (loss) attributable to Brighthouse Life Insurance Company	256	(1,124)	3,710
Comprehensive income (loss)	$ 207	$ (307)	$ (2,022)