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Investments (Activity For Accretable Yield on PCI Investments) (Details) (Fixed maturity securities, USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Accretable yield on purchased distressed assets acquired    
Accretable yield, January 1, $ 2,431us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYield $ 2,357us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYield
Accretion recognized in earnings (217)us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldAccretion (236)us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldAccretion
Disposals (47)us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldDisposalsOfLoans (144)us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldDisposalsOfLoans
Reclassification (to) from nonaccretable difference (495)us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldReclassificationsFromNonaccretableDifference 47us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldReclassificationsFromNonaccretableDifference
Accretable yield, December 31, 1,883us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYield 2,431us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYield
Investments Purchased [Member]    
Accretable yield on purchased distressed assets acquired    
Investments purchased $ 211us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldAdditions
/ mlic_LoansAcquiredInTransferAxis
= mlic_InvestmentsPurchasedMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
$ 407us-gaap_CertainLoansAcquiredInTransferAccountedForAsDebtSecuritiesAccretableYieldAdditions
/ mlic_LoansAcquiredInTransferAxis
= mlic_InvestmentsPurchasedMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember