Related Party Transactions (Narrative) (Details)	3 Months Ended							12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) policy	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Apr. 01, 2016 USD ($)
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Other long-term investments	$ 263,074,000							$ 263,074,000	$ 344,463,000
Net investment income								352,410,000	375,950,000	$ 416,587,000
Contributed capital								148,500,000	405,321,000	0
Prudential Insurance
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Contributed capital		$ 149,000,000	$ 5,000,000	$ 200,000,000	$ 5,000,000					0
Dividend	250,000,000			$ 2,593,000,000		$ 200,000,000	$ 230,000,000
Prudential Insurance and Prudential FInancial
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Life Insurance, Corporate or Bank Owned, amount	3,688,000,000							3,688,000,000	3,367,000,000
Fees related to Life Insurance, Corporate or Bank Owned, amount								44,000,000	42,000,000	45,000,000
Maximum amount of mortality risk	3,500,000							3,500,000
Prudential Insurance
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Stock option program plan expense								1,000,000	1,000,000	1,000,000
Deferred compensation program expense								9,000,000	8,000,000	7,000,000
Pension plan expense								26,000,000	23,000,000	22,000,000
Welfare plan expense								$ 28,000,000	28,000,000	26,000,000
Defined contribution plan, employer matching contribution, percent (up to)								4.00%
Defined contribution plan, cost recognized								$ 10,000,000	10,000,000	8,000,000
Number of Corporate Owned Life Insurance policies sold | policy								5
Prudential Financial
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Company's share of corporate expenses								$ 66,000,000	58,000,000	51,000,000
Number of Corporate Owned Life Insurance policies sold | policy								1
Affiliated Entity
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Accrued interested receivable related to long-tern notes receivable	1,000,000							$ 1,000,000	1,000,000
Revenues related to long-term notes receivable								5,000,000	6,000,000	7,000,000
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity	2,200,000,000.0							2,200,000,000.0
Interest expense related to loans payable								800,000	13,000,000	51,000,000
Prepaid debt											$ 125,000,000
Debt outstanding	0							0	0
Affiliated Entity | PAD
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Commissions and fees								633,000,000	709,000,000	771,000,000
Affiliated Entity | ASTISI and Prudential Investments
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Revenue administrative sharing agreement								323,000,000	295,000,000	347,000,000
Affiliated Entity | Prudential Investments
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Revenue administrative sharing agreement								14,000,000	13,000,000	13,000,000
Affiliated Entity | PGIM
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Net investment income								14,000,000	15,000,000	17,000,000
Prudential Financial Joint Venture
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Other long-term investments	$ 79,000,000							79,000,000	100,000,000
Net investment income								$ 8,000,000	$ 2,000,000	$ 0