Employee Benefit Plans

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Retirement Benefits [Abstract]

Employee Benefit Plans

10. Employee Benefit Plans

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans

Metropolitan Life Insurance Company sponsors nonqualified defined benefit pension plans covering employees who meet specified eligibility requirements and provides certain postretirement medical and life insurance benefits for retired employees.

The components of net periodic benefit costs, reported in other expenses, were as follows:

	Three Months   Ended   September 30,
	2020				2019
	Pension Benefits		Other Postretirement Benefits		Pension Benefits		Other Postretirement Benefits
	(In millions)
Service costs	$	4	$	—	$	4	$	—
Interest costs	10		—		12		1
Expected return on plan assets	—		—		—		(1)
Amortization of net actuarial (gains) losses	10		—		6		—
Amortization of prior service costs (credit)	(1)		—		(1)		—
Allocated to affiliates	(5)		—		(6)		—
Net periodic benefit costs (credit)	$	18	$	—	$	15	$	—

	Nine Months Ended September 30,
	2020				2019
	Pension Benefits		Other Postretirement Benefits		Pension Benefits		Other Postretirement Benefits
	(In millions)
Service costs	$	13	$	—	$	13	$	—
Interest costs	30		—		35		1
Expected return on plan assets	—		—		—		(1)
Amortization of net actuarial (gains) losses	30		—		20		—
Amortization of prior service costs (credit)	(2)		—		(2)		—
Allocated to affiliates	(15)		—		(17)		—
Net periodic benefit costs (credit)	$	56	$	—	$	49	$	—