v3.8.0.1

Investments (Commercial Mortgage and Other Loans) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Commercial Mortgage and Other Loans [Line Items]
Total commercial mortgage and agricultural property loans by property type		$ 55,287	$ 51,985
Other loans		864	900
Total commercial mortgage and other loans	[1]	$ 56,045	$ 52,779
% of Total		100.00%	100.00%
Net carrying value of commercial loans held for sale		$ 593	$ 519
Commercial Mortgage Loans
Commercial Mortgage and Other Loans [Line Items]
Total commercial mortgage and agricultural property loans by property type		$ 52,084	$ 49,027
% of Total		94.20%	94.30%
Commercial mortgage and agricultural property loans
Commercial Mortgage and Other Loans [Line Items]
Valuation allowance, Commercial mortgage and agricultural property loans		$ (100)	$ (98)
Total net loans		55,187	51,887
Uncollateralized loans
Commercial Mortgage and Other Loans [Line Items]
Other loans		663	638
Residential property loans
Commercial Mortgage and Other Loans [Line Items]
Other loans		196	252
Other collateralized loans
Commercial Mortgage and Other Loans [Line Items]
Other loans		5	10
Other loans
Commercial Mortgage and Other Loans [Line Items]
Total net loans		858	892
Valuation allowance, Other loans		(6)	(8)
Office
Commercial Mortgage and Other Loans [Line Items]
Total commercial mortgage and agricultural property loans by property type		$ 12,670	$ 12,424
% of Total		22.90%	23.90%
Retail
Commercial Mortgage and Other Loans [Line Items]
Total commercial mortgage and agricultural property loans by property type		$ 8,543	$ 8,555
% of Total		15.50%	16.50%
Apartment/Multi-Family
Commercial Mortgage and Other Loans [Line Items]
Total commercial mortgage and agricultural property loans by property type		$ 15,465	$ 13,733
% of Total		28.00%	26.40%
Industrial
Commercial Mortgage and Other Loans [Line Items]
Total commercial mortgage and agricultural property loans by property type		$ 9,451	$ 8,075
% of Total		17.10%	15.50%
Hospitality
Commercial Mortgage and Other Loans [Line Items]
Total commercial mortgage and agricultural property loans by property type		$ 2,067	$ 2,274
% of Total		3.70%	4.40%
Other
Commercial Mortgage and Other Loans [Line Items]
Total commercial mortgage and agricultural property loans by property type		$ 3,888	$ 3,966
% of Total		7.00%	7.60%
Agricultural property loans
Commercial Mortgage and Other Loans [Line Items]
Total commercial mortgage and agricultural property loans by property type		$ 3,203	$ 2,958
% of Total		5.80%	5.70%
[1] See Note 5 for details of balances associated with variable interest entities.

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