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BUSINESS SEGMENT INFORMATION - Operations by Segment - Revenues (Details) $ in Millions | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) | Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) segment | Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Number of Reportable Insurance Business Segments | segment |  |  |  | 2 |
Net earned premiums |  | $ 4,648 | $ 5,022 | $ 13,951 | $ 14,447
Net investment income |  | 811 | 842 | 2,408 | 2,465
Total revenues |  | 5,506 | 5,716 | 16,243 | 16,604
Total operating revenues |  | 5,435 | 5,846 | 16,300 | 16,902
Realized investment gains (losses), non-operating | [1],[2],[3],[4],[5],[6] | 71 | (130) | (57) | (298)
Gain (loss) on change in fair value of derivative, interest rate component, operating |  | 19 | 20 | 60 | 64
Aflac Japan |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Net earned premiums |  | 3,200 | 3,596 | 9,616 | 10,177
Net investment income, less amortized hedge costs | [1] | 561 | 607 | 1,676 | 1,802
Other income (loss) |  | 11 | 10 | 31 | 29
Total revenues |  | 3,772 | 4,213 | 11,323 | 12,008
Hedge costs |  | 60 | 54 | 168 | 123
Aflac U.S. |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Net earned premiums |  | 1,393 | 1,365 | 4,172 | 4,093
Other income (loss) |  | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5
Net investment income |  | 181 | 176 | 539 | 526
Total revenues |  | 1,575 | 1,542 | 4,714 | 4,624
Other business segments |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues |  | 69 | 71 | 204 | 207
Total Business Segments |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues |  | 5,416 | 5,826 | 16,241 | 16,839
Corporate and eliminations |  |  |  |  |
Segment Reporting, Revenue Reconciling Item [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues |  | $ 19 | $ 20 | $ 59 | $ 63
[1] | Amortized hedge costs related to hedging U.S. dollar-denominated investments held in Aflac Japan were $60 and $54 for the three-month periods and $168 and $123 for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2017, and 2016, respectively, and have been reclassified from realized investment gains (losses) and reported as a deduction from net investment income when analyzing segment operations to conform to current year reporting.
[2] | Amortized hedge costs related to hedging U.S. dollar-denominated investments held in Aflac Japan were $60 and $54 for the three-month periods and $168 and $123 for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2017, and 2016, respectively, and have been reclassified from realized investment gains (losses) and reported as a deduction from pretax operating earnings when analyzing segment operations to conform to current year reporting.
[3] | Excluding a gain of $19 and $20 for the three-month periods and $60 and $64 for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2017, and 2016, respectively, related to the interest rate component of the change in fair value of foreign currency swaps on notes payable which is classified as an operating gain when analyzing segment operations
[4] | Excluding a gain of $19 and $20 for the three-month periods and $60 and $64 for the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2017, and 2016, respectively, related to the interest rate component of the change in fair value of foreign currency swaps on notes payable which is classified as an operating gain when analyzing segment operations
[5] | Prior year foreign currency transaction gains and losses have been reclassified from other non-operating income (loss) to realized investment gains (losses) to conform to current-year reporting classifications. These reclassifications had no impact on total earnings before income taxes.
[6] | Prior year foreign currency transaction gains and losses have been reclassified from other non-operating income (loss) to realized investment gains (losses) to conform to current-year reporting classifications. These reclassifications had no impact on total revenues

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