Investments - Loans by Loan to Value (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Loans, Loan-to-value ratio, Percent of total Loans	100.00%	100.00%
Benchmark loan to value ratio, greater than indicates unpaid loan amount exceeds underlying collateral	100.00%	100.00%
Total commercial mortgage loans	$ 4,812	$ 4,919
Loans Receivable, Gross, Commercial, Development	$ 58	$ 51
0% - 50%
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Loan to Value Ratio, minimum	0.00%	0.00%
Loan to Value Ratio, maximum	50.00%	50.00%
50% - 60%
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Loan to Value Ratio, minimum	50.00%	50.00%
Loan to Value Ratio, maximum	60.00%	60.00%
60% - 70%
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Loan to Value Ratio, minimum	60.00%	60.00%
Loan to Value Ratio, maximum	70.00%	70.00%
70% - 80%
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Loan to Value Ratio, minimum	70.00%	70.00%
Loan to Value Ratio, maximum	80.00%	80.00%
80% and above
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Loan to Value Ratio, minimum	80.00%	80.00%
LTV 80 to 100 Percent [Member]
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Total commercial mortgage loans	$ 57	$ 54
Loans Receivable, Gross, Commercial, Development	$ 21	$ 21
80% and above
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Loans, Loan-to-value ratio, Percent of total Loans	1.20%	1.10%
70% - 80%
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Loans, Loan-to-value ratio, Percent of total Loans	8.80%	7.90%
Total commercial mortgage loans	$ 423	$ 389
Loans Receivable, Gross, Commercial, Development	$ 6	$ 4
60% - 70%
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Loans, Loan-to-value ratio, Percent of total Loans	59.40%	60.20%
Total commercial mortgage loans	$ 2,858	$ 2,961
Loans Receivable, Gross, Commercial, Development	$ 31	$ 26
50% - 60%
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Loans, Loan-to-value ratio, Percent of total Loans	24.00%	24.10%
Total commercial mortgage loans	$ 1,154	$ 1,184
Loans Receivable, Gross, Commercial, Development	$ 0	$ 0
0% - 50%
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Loans, Loan-to-value ratio, Percent of total Loans	6.60%	6.70%
Total commercial mortgage loans	$ 320	$ 331
Loans Receivable, Gross, Commercial, Development	0	0
Loans Receivable, Debt Service Coverage Ratio, Range One [Member]
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans	3,478	3,718
Loans Receivable, Debt Service Coverage Ratio, Range One [Member] \| 80% and above
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans	5	18
Loans Receivable, Debt Service Coverage Ratio, Range One [Member] \| 70% - 80%
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans	181	213
Loans Receivable, Debt Service Coverage Ratio, Range One [Member] \| 60% - 70%
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans	1,912	2,070
Loans Receivable, Debt Service Coverage Ratio, Range One [Member] \| 50% - 60%
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans	1,107	1,133
Loans Receivable, Debt Service Coverage Ratio, Range One [Member] \| 0% - 50%
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans	273	284
Loans Receivable, Debt Service Coverage Ratio, Range Two [Member]
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans	562	484
Loans Receivable, Debt Service Coverage Ratio, Range Two [Member] \| 80% and above
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans	21	5
Loans Receivable, Debt Service Coverage Ratio, Range Two [Member] \| 70% - 80%
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans	153	87
Loans Receivable, Debt Service Coverage Ratio, Range Two [Member] \| 60% - 70%
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans	345	328
Loans Receivable, Debt Service Coverage Ratio, Range Two [Member] \| 50% - 60%
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans	19	40
Loans Receivable, Debt Service Coverage Ratio, Range Two [Member] \| 0% - 50%
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans	24	24
Loans Receivable, Debt Service Coverage Ratio, Range Three [Member]
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans	547	613
Loans Receivable, Debt Service Coverage Ratio, Range Three [Member] \| 80% and above
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans	10	10
Loans Receivable, Debt Service Coverage Ratio, Range Three [Member] \| 70% - 80%
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans	49	66
Loans Receivable, Debt Service Coverage Ratio, Range Three [Member] \| 60% - 70%
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans	441	503
Loans Receivable, Debt Service Coverage Ratio, Range Three [Member] \| 50% - 60%
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans	24	11
Loans Receivable, Debt Service Coverage Ratio, Range Three [Member] \| 0% - 50%
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans	23	23
Loans Receivable, Debt Service Coverage Ratio, Range Four [Member]
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans	167	53
Loans Receivable, Debt Service Coverage Ratio, Range Four [Member] \| 80% and above
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans	0	0
Loans Receivable, Debt Service Coverage Ratio, Range Four [Member] \| 70% - 80%
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans	34	19
Loans Receivable, Debt Service Coverage Ratio, Range Four [Member] \| 60% - 70%
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans	129	34
Loans Receivable, Debt Service Coverage Ratio, Range Four [Member] \| 50% - 60%
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans	4	0
Loans Receivable, Debt Service Coverage Ratio, Range Four [Member] \| 0% - 50%
Schedule of Loans by Loan to Value Ratio [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans	$ 0	$ 0

Amount before allowance of commercial loans to develop land for sale or construction thereon. Includes deferred interest and fees, undisbursed portion of loan balance, unamortized costs and premiums and discounts from face amounts. Excludes loans covered under loss sharing agreements.

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Amount before allowance of mortgage loans on existing land or building. Includes deferred interest and fees, undisbursed portion of loan balance, unamortized costs and premiums and discounts from face amounts. Excludes loans covered under loss sharing agreements.

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Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
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