v3.8.0.1

Segment Information (Operating Income of Reportable Segments) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	$ 6,487	$ 5,705		$ 7,769
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	6,244	5,399		6,231
Operating Segments | Total U.S. Individual Solutions division
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	2,007	1,844	[1]	2,432	[1]
Operating Segments | Total U.S. Individual Solutions division | Individual Annuities
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	2,198	1,765		1,797
Operating Segments | Total U.S. Individual Solutions division | Individual Life
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	(191)	79		635
Operating Segments | Total U.S. Workplace Solutions division
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	1,497	1,232	[1]	1,107	[1]
Operating Segments | Total U.S. Workplace Solutions division | Retirement
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	1,244	1,012		931
Operating Segments | Total U.S. Workplace Solutions division | Group Insurance
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	253	220		176
Operating Segments | Investment Management Division
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	979	787	[1]	779	[1]
Operating Segments | Investment Management Division | Investment Management
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	979	787		779
Operating Segments | Total International Insurance division
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	3,198	3,117		3,226
Operating Segments | Total International Insurance division | International Insurance
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	3,198	3,117		3,226
Operating Segments | Total Corporate and Other
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	(1,437)	(1,581)		(1,313)
Operating Segments | Total Corporate and Other | Total Corporate and Other
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	(1,437)	(1,581)		(1,313)
Segment Reconciling Items | Realized investment gains (losses), net, and related adjustments
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	(602)	989		2,258
Segment Reconciling Items | Charges related to realized investment gains (losses), net
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	544	(466)		(679)
Segment Reconciling Items | Investment gains (losses) on trading account assets supporting insurance liabilities, net
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	336	(17)		(524)
Segment Reconciling Items | Change in experience-rated contractholder liabilities due to assets value changes
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	(151)	21		433
Segment Reconciling Items | Equity in earnings of operating joint ventures and earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	33	(5)		58
Segment Reconciling Items | Closed Block division
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	45	(132)		58
Segment Reconciling Items | Other divested businesses
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	$ 38	$ (84)		$ (66)
[1] Prior period divisional subtotals are presented on a basis consistent with the Company’s new organizational structure. Individual segment results and consolidated totals remain unchanged. See Note 1 for additional information.

X

- Definition

Amount of income (loss) from continuing operations before deduction of income tax expense (benefit) and income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest, and addition of income (loss) from equity method investments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(1)(i))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

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