Equity (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Equity [Abstract]

Statutory Accounting Practices Disclosure [Table Text Block]

The following table summarizes the two schedules of strengthening:

	2013 Schedule	2014 Schedule	Combined Schedule
	(In millions)
2013 Strengthening	$300	N/A	$300
2014 Strengthening	$200	$100	$300
2015 Strengthening (1)	$100	$100	$200
2016 Strengthening (1)	N/A	$100	$100

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(1) The actual 2015 and 2016 amounts may differ from those originally estimated in 2013 and 2014 due to changes in economic conditions, regulations, or policyholder behavior.

Statutory capital and surplus was as follows at:

	December 31,
Company	2014		2013
	(In millions)
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company	$	12,008	$	12,428
New England Life Insurance Company	$	675	$	571
General American Life Insurance Company	$	867	$	818

Statutory net income (loss) was as follows:

		Years Ended December 31,
Company	State of Domicile	2014		2013		2012
		(In millions)
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company	New York	$	1,487	$	369	$	1,320
New England Life Insurance Company	Massachusetts	$	303	$	103	$	79
General American Life Insurance Company	Missouri	$	129	$	60	$	19

The table below sets forth the dividends permitted to be paid by Metropolitan Life Insurance Company’s insurance subsidiaries without regulatory approval and dividends paid:

	2015		2014			2013
Company	Permitted Without Approval (1)		Paid (2)			Paid (2)
	(In millions)
New England Life Insurance Company	$	199	$	227	(3)	$	77
General American Life Insurance Company	$	88	$	—		$	—

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(1) Reflects dividend amounts that may be paid during 2015 without prior regulatory approval. However, because dividend tests may be based on dividends previously paid over a rolling 12-month period, if paid before a specified date during 2015, some or all of such dividends may require regulatory approval.

(2) Includes all amounts paid, including those requiring regulatory approval.

(3) During December 2014, New England Life Insurance Company (“NELICO”) distributed shares of an affiliate to Metropolitan Life Insurance Company as an extraordinary in-kind dividend of $113 million, as calculated on a statutory basis. Also during December 2014, NELICO paid an extraordinary cash dividend to Metropolitan Life Insurance Company in the amount of $114 million.

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

The table below sets forth dividends permitted to be paid by Metropolitan Life Insurance Company to MetLife, Inc. without insurance regulatory approval and dividends paid:

	2015		2014			2013
Company	Permitted Without Approval		Paid (1)			Paid (1)
	(In millions)
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company	$	1,200	$	821	(2)	$	1,428

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(1) Includes all amounts paid, including those requiring regulatory approval.

(2) During December 2014, Metropolitan Life Insurance Company distributed shares of an affiliate to MetLife, Inc. as an in-kind dividend of $113 million, as calculated on a statutory basis.

Components of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Information regarding changes in the balances of each component of AOCI attributable to Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, net of income tax, was as follows:

	Unrealized Investment Gains (Losses), Net of Related Offsets (1)			Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Derivatives			Foreign Currency Translation Adjustments			Defined Benefit Plans Adjustment			Total
	(In millions)
Balance at December 31, 2011	$	4,028		$	840		$	37		$	(1,851	)	$	3,054
OCI before reclassifications	2,406			(243		)	(30		)	(618		)	1,515
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)	(843		)	87			11			217			(528		)
OCI before reclassifications, net of income tax	5,591			684			18			(2,252		)	4,041
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	96			2			—			(148		)	(50		)
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)	(33		)	(1		)	—			51			17
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, net of income tax	63			1			—			(97		)	(33		)
Balance at December 31, 2012	5,654			685			18			(2,349		)	4,008
OCI before reclassifications	(3,321		)	(677		)	22			1,396			(2,580		)
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)	1,145			237			(9		)	(490		)	883
OCI before reclassifications, net of income tax	3,478			245			31			(1,443		)	2,311
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	(16		)	(14		)	—			(205		)	(235		)
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)	6			5			—			71			82
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, net of income tax	(10		)	(9		)	—			(134		)	(153		)
Balance at December 31, 2013	3,468			236			31			(1,577		)	2,158
OCI before reclassifications	4,095			606			(44		)	(1,181		)	3,476
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)	(1,409		)	(212		)	10			406			(1,205		)
OCI before reclassifications, net of income tax	6,154			630			(3		)	(2,352		)	4,429
Amounts reclassified from AOCI	70			682			—			180			932
Deferred income tax benefit (expense)	(24		)	(239		)	—			(64		)	(327		)
Amounts reclassified from AOCI, net of income tax	46			443			—			116			605
Balance at December 31, 2014	$	6,200		$	1,073		$	(3	)	$	(2,236	)	$	5,034

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(1) See Note 8 for information on offsets to investments related to future policy benefits, DAC, VOBA and DSI, and the policyholder dividend obligation.

Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

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

AOCI Components	Amounts Reclassified from AOCI									Consolidated Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss) Locations
	Years Ended December 31,
	2014			2013			2012
	(In millions)
Net unrealized investment gains (losses):
Net unrealized investment gains (losses)	$	(103	)	$	(9	)	$	(136	)	Net investment gains (losses)
Net unrealized investment gains (losses)	40			53			56			Net investment income
Net unrealized investment gains (losses)	(7		)	(28		)	(16		)	Net derivative gains (losses)
Net unrealized investment gains (losses), before income tax	(70		)	16			(96		)
Income tax (expense) benefit	24			(6		)	33
Net unrealized investment gains (losses), net of income tax	$	(46	)	$	10		$	(63	)
Unrealized gains (losses) on derivatives - cash flow hedges:
Interest rate swaps	$	41		$	20		$	3		Net derivative gains (losses)
Interest rate swaps	9			8			4			Net investment income
Interest rate forwards	(8		)	1			—			Net derivative gains (losses)
Interest rate forwards	2			2			2			Net investment income
Foreign currency swaps	(725		)	(15		)	(7		)	Net derivative gains (losses)
Foreign currency swaps	(2		)	(3		)	(5		)	Net investment income
Credit forwards	1			1			1			Net investment income
Gains (losses) on cash flow hedges, before income tax	(682		)	14			(2		)
Income tax (expense) benefit	239			(5		)	1
Gains (losses) on cash flow hedges, net of income tax	$	(443	)	$	9		$	(1	)
Defined benefit plans adjustment: (1)
Amortization of net actuarial gains (losses)	$	(180	)	$	274		$	246
Amortization of prior service (costs) credit	—			(69		)	(98		)
Amortization of defined benefit plan items, before income tax	(180		)	205			148
Income tax (expense) benefit	64			(71		)	(51		)
Amortization of defined benefit plan items, net of income tax	$	(116	)	$	134		$	97
Total reclassifications, net of income tax	$	(605	)	$	153		$	33

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(1) These AOCI components are included in the computation of net periodic benefit costs. See Note 15.