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Investments (Net Investment Income) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]      
Net investment income $ 11,893us-gaap_NetInvestmentIncome $ 11,785us-gaap_NetInvestmentIncome $ 11,852us-gaap_NetInvestmentIncome
Less: Investment expenses 838us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeInvestmentExpense 844us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeInvestmentExpense 743us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeInvestmentExpense
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary, Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member]      
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]      
Net investment income 1us-gaap_NetInvestmentIncome
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= mlic_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryConsolidatedSecuritizationEntitiesMember
3us-gaap_NetInvestmentIncome
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= mlic_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryConsolidatedSecuritizationEntitiesMember
4us-gaap_NetInvestmentIncome
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= mlic_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryConsolidatedSecuritizationEntitiesMember
Debt Securities [Member]      
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]      
Gross Investment Income, Operating 8,260us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
8,279us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
8,295us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
Equity securities      
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]      
Gross Investment Income, Operating 86us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
78us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
68us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
Actively Traded Securities At Estimated Fair Value And Fvo General Account Securities [Member]      
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]      
Gross Investment Income, Operating 23us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= mlic_ActivelyTradedSecuritiesAtEstimatedFairValueAndFvoGeneralAccountSecuritiesMember
43us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= mlic_ActivelyTradedSecuritiesAtEstimatedFairValueAndFvoGeneralAccountSecuritiesMember
77us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= mlic_ActivelyTradedSecuritiesAtEstimatedFairValueAndFvoGeneralAccountSecuritiesMember
Mortgage loans      
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]      
Gross Investment Income, Operating 2,378us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateMember
2,405us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateMember
2,528us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateMember
Policy loans      
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]      
Gross Investment Income, Operating 448us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_PolicyLoansMember
440us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_PolicyLoansMember
451us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_PolicyLoansMember
Real estate and real estate joint ventures      
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]      
Gross Investment Income, Operating 725us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RealEstateInvestmentMember
699us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RealEstateInvestmentMember
593us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_RealEstateInvestmentMember
Other limited partnership interests      
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]      
Gross Investment Income, Operating 721us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_PartnershipInterestMember
633us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_PartnershipInterestMember
555us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_PartnershipInterestMember
Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments      
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]      
Gross Investment Income, Operating 26us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsMember
32us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsMember
19us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsMember
Operating joint ventures      
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]      
Gross Investment Income, Operating 2us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= mlic_InternationalJointVentureMember
(4)us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= mlic_InternationalJointVentureMember
(2)us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= mlic_InternationalJointVentureMember
Other Investments [Member]      
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]      
Gross Investment Income, Operating 61us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OtherInvestmentsMember
21us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OtherInvestmentsMember
7us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_OtherInvestmentsMember
Securities Investment [Member]      
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]      
Net investment income 11,892us-gaap_NetInvestmentIncome
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SecuritiesInvestmentMember
11,782us-gaap_NetInvestmentIncome
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SecuritiesInvestmentMember
11,848us-gaap_NetInvestmentIncome
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SecuritiesInvestmentMember
Gross Investment Income, Operating 12,730us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SecuritiesInvestmentMember
12,626us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SecuritiesInvestmentMember
12,591us-gaap_GrossInvestmentIncomeOperating
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SecuritiesInvestmentMember
Available-for-sale Securities [Member] | Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary, Consolidated Securitization Entities [Member]      
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]      
Net investment income $ 1us-gaap_NetInvestmentIncome
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= mlic_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryConsolidatedSecuritizationEntitiesMember
$ 3us-gaap_NetInvestmentIncome
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= mlic_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryConsolidatedSecuritizationEntitiesMember
$ 4us-gaap_NetInvestmentIncome
/ us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis
= us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= mlic_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryConsolidatedSecuritizationEntitiesMember