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Reinsurance (Reinsurance - Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Reinsurance Disclosures [Abstract]    
Deposit assets in premiums, reinsurance, and other receivables or secondary guarantee risk for reinsurance $ 13,800,000,000us-gaap_DepositContractsAssets $ 13,800,000,000us-gaap_DepositContractsAssets
Deposit liabilities in other liabilities for reinsurance 6,800,000,000us-gaap_DepositContractsLiabilities 6,500,000,000us-gaap_DepositContractsLiabilities
Ceded Credit Risk [Line Items]    
Reinsurance recoverables 5,400,000,000mlic_ReinsuranceRecoverablesCeded 5,400,000,000mlic_ReinsuranceRecoverablesCeded
Mortality Risk [Member]    
Reinsurance Retention Policy [Line Items]    
Percentage of reinsured risk in, excess of stated amount 90.00%us-gaap_ReinsuranceRetentionPolicyExcessRetentionPercentage
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePolicyTypeAxis
= mlic_MortalityRiskMember
 
Retention amount 2,000,000us-gaap_ReinsuranceRetentionPolicyAmountRetained
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePolicyTypeAxis
= mlic_MortalityRiskMember
 
Mortality Risk on Case by Case Basis [Member]    
Reinsurance Retention Policy [Line Items]    
Percentage of reinsured risk in, excess of stated amount 100.00%us-gaap_ReinsuranceRetentionPolicyExcessRetentionPercentage
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePolicyTypeAxis
= mlic_MortalityRiskOnCaseByCaseBasisMember
 
Retention amount 20,000,000us-gaap_ReinsuranceRetentionPolicyAmountRetained
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePolicyTypeAxis
= mlic_MortalityRiskOnCaseByCaseBasisMember
 
Modified Coinsurance of Closed Block [Member]    
Reinsurance Retention Policy [Line Items]    
Reinsured risk percentage 59.25%us-gaap_ReinsuranceRetentionPolicyReinsuredRiskPercentage
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePolicyTypeAxis
= mlic_ModifiedCoinsuranceOfClosedBlockMember
 
Living And Death Benefit Guarantees [Member]    
Reinsurance Retention Policy [Line Items]    
Reinsured risk percentage 100.00%us-gaap_ReinsuranceRetentionPolicyReinsuredRiskPercentage
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePolicyTypeAxis
= mlic_LivingAndDeathBenefitGuaranteesMember
 
Assumed Fixed Maturities [Member]    
Reinsurance Retention Policy [Line Items]    
Reinsured risk percentage 90.00%us-gaap_ReinsuranceRetentionPolicyReinsuredRiskPercentage
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePolicyTypeAxis
= mlic_AssumedFixedAnnuitiesMember
 
Certain Variable Annuity [Member]    
Reinsurance Retention Policy [Line Items]    
Reinsured risk percentage 100.00%us-gaap_ReinsuranceRetentionPolicyReinsuredRiskPercentage
/ us-gaap_ReinsurancePolicyTypeAxis
= mlic_CertainVariableAnnuityMember
 
Ceded Credit Risk, Unsecured [Member]    
Ceded Credit Risk [Line Items]    
Reinsurance recoverables 2,300,000,000mlic_ReinsuranceRecoverablesCeded
/ us-gaap_CededCreditRiskCollateralizationAxis
= us-gaap_CededCreditRiskUnsecuredMember
2,400,000,000mlic_ReinsuranceRecoverablesCeded
/ us-gaap_CededCreditRiskCollateralizationAxis
= us-gaap_CededCreditRiskUnsecuredMember
Five Largest Ceded Reinsurers [Member]    
Ceded Credit Risk [Line Items]    
Five largest reinsurers, reinsurance recoverables amount 4,400,000,000mlic_CededCreditRiskReinsuranceRecoverablesNet
/ us-gaap_CededCreditRiskAxis
= mlic_FiveLargestCededReinsurersMember
4,400,000,000mlic_CededCreditRiskReinsuranceRecoverablesNet
/ us-gaap_CededCreditRiskAxis
= mlic_FiveLargestCededReinsurersMember
Five largest reinsurers, reinsurance recoverables percentage 82.00%mlic_CededCreditRiskReinsuranceRecoverablesPercentage
/ us-gaap_CededCreditRiskAxis
= mlic_FiveLargestCededReinsurersMember
82.00%mlic_CededCreditRiskReinsuranceRecoverablesPercentage
/ us-gaap_CededCreditRiskAxis
= mlic_FiveLargestCededReinsurersMember
Five Largest Ceded Reinsurers [Member] | Ceded Credit Risk, Unsecured [Member]    
Ceded Credit Risk [Line Items]    
Five largest reinsurers, reinsurance recoverables amount $ 1,800,000,000mlic_CededCreditRiskReinsuranceRecoverablesNet
/ us-gaap_CededCreditRiskAxis
= mlic_FiveLargestCededReinsurersMember
/ us-gaap_CededCreditRiskCollateralizationAxis
= us-gaap_CededCreditRiskUnsecuredMember
$ 1,800,000,000mlic_CededCreditRiskReinsuranceRecoverablesNet
/ us-gaap_CededCreditRiskAxis
= mlic_FiveLargestCededReinsurersMember
/ us-gaap_CededCreditRiskCollateralizationAxis
= us-gaap_CededCreditRiskUnsecuredMember