Business and Basis of Presentation	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Business and Basis of Presentation	BUSINESS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION Prudential Financial, Inc. (“Prudential Financial”) and its subsidiaries (collectively, “Prudential” or the “Company”) provide a wide range of insurance, investment management, and other financial products and services to both individual and institutional customers throughout the United States and in many other countries. Principal products and services provided include life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds and investment management. During the fourth quarter of 2017, the Company introduced a new organizational structure for its U.S. businesses that reflects its focus on leveraging its mix of businesses and its digital and customer engagement capabilities to expand its value proposition for the benefit of customers and stakeholders. This new organizational structure retains the Company’s segments but realigns them under new divisions. Under the new structure, the Company’s principal operations are comprised of five divisions, which together encompass seven segments, and its Corporate and Other operations. The U.S. Individual Solutions division consists of the Individual Annuities and Individual Life segments. The U.S. Workplace Solutions division consists of the Retirement and Group Insurance segments. The Investment Management division is comprised of the Investment Management segment (formerly named the Asset Management segment). The International Insurance division continues to consist of the International Insurance segment, and the Closed Block division continues to consist of the Closed Block segment. The Closed Block division is accounted for as a divested business that is reported separately from the divested businesses that are included in the Company’s Corporate and Other operations. The Company’s Corporate and Other operations continue to include corporate items and initiatives that are not allocated to business segments and businesses that have been or will be divested, excluding the Closed Block division. There are no changes to the Company’s reporting segments nor to its measure of segment profitability as a result of the new organizational structure. Basis of Presentation The Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Prudential Financial, entities over which the Company exercises control, including majority-owned subsidiaries and minority-owned entities such as limited partnerships in which the Company is the general partner, and variable interest entities (“VIEs”) in which the Company is considered the primary beneficiary. See Note 5 for more information on the Company’s consolidated variable interest entities. The Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. The Company’s Gibraltar Life Insurance Company, Ltd. (“Gibraltar Life”) consolidated operations use a November 30 fiscal year end for purposes of inclusion in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements. The Company’s consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, include the assets and liabilities of Gibraltar Life as of November 30 for each respective year. The Company’s consolidated income statement data for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, include Gibraltar Life’s results of operations for the twelve months ended November 30 for each respective year. Beginning in 2018, the Company intends to eliminate this one-month reporting lag, which is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The most significant estimates include those used in determining deferred policy acquisition costs (“DAC”) and related amortization; value of business acquired (“VOBA”) and its amortization; amortization of deferred sales inducements (“DSI”); measurement of goodwill and any related impairment; valuation of investments including derivatives and the recognition of other-than-temporary impairments (“OTTI”); future policy benefits including guarantees; pension and other postretirement benefits; provision for income taxes and valuation of deferred tax assets; and accruals for contingent liabilities, including estimates for losses in connection with unresolved legal and regulatory matters. Out of Period Adjustments As previously disclosed in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, during 2016, the Company recorded out of period adjustments that resulted in an aggregate net decrease of $134 million to “Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures” for the year ended December 31, 2016. Such adjustments primarily consisted of a charge of $141 million to increase reserves, net of a related increase in DAC, for certain universal life products within the Individual Life business. Management evaluated the adjustments, both individually and in the aggregate, and concluded that they were not material to any previously reported quarterly or annual financial statements. For additional information on the impact of these adjustments to the Company’s operating segments, see Note 22. Reclassifications Certain amounts in prior years have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.

BUSINESS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Prudential Financial, Inc. (“Prudential Financial”) and its subsidiaries (collectively, “Prudential” or the “Company”) provide a wide range of insurance, investment management, and other financial products and services to both individual and institutional customers throughout the United States and in many other countries. Principal products and services provided include life insurance, annuities, retirement-related services, mutual funds and investment management.

During the fourth quarter of 2017, the Company introduced a new organizational structure for its U.S. businesses that reflects its focus on leveraging its mix of businesses and its digital and customer engagement capabilities to expand its value proposition for the benefit of customers and stakeholders. This new organizational structure retains the Company’s segments but realigns them under new divisions. Under the new structure, the Company’s principal operations are comprised of five divisions, which together encompass seven segments, and its Corporate and Other operations. The U.S. Individual Solutions division consists of the Individual Annuities and Individual Life segments. The U.S. Workplace Solutions division consists of the Retirement and Group Insurance segments. The Investment Management division is comprised of the Investment Management segment (formerly named the Asset Management segment). The International Insurance division continues to consist of the International Insurance segment, and the Closed Block division continues to consist of the Closed Block segment. The Closed Block division is accounted for as a divested business that is reported separately from the divested businesses that are included in the Company’s Corporate and Other operations. The Company’s Corporate and Other operations continue to include corporate items and initiatives that are not allocated to business segments and businesses that have been or will be divested, excluding the Closed Block division. There are no changes to the Company’s reporting segments nor to its measure of segment profitability as a result of the new organizational structure.

Basis of Presentation

The Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Prudential Financial, entities over which the Company exercises control, including majority-owned subsidiaries and minority-owned entities such as limited partnerships in which the Company is the general partner, and variable interest entities (“VIEs”) in which the Company is considered the primary beneficiary. See Note 5 for more information on the Company’s consolidated variable interest entities. The Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

The Company’s Gibraltar Life Insurance Company, Ltd. (“Gibraltar Life”) consolidated operations use a November 30 fiscal year end for purposes of inclusion in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements. The Company’s consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2017 and 2016, include the assets and liabilities of Gibraltar Life as of November 30 for each respective year. The Company’s consolidated income statement data for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, include Gibraltar Life’s results of operations for the twelve months ended November 30 for each respective year. Beginning in 2018, the Company intends to eliminate this one-month reporting lag, which is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

The most significant estimates include those used in determining deferred policy acquisition costs (“DAC”) and related amortization; value of business acquired (“VOBA”) and its amortization; amortization of deferred sales inducements (“DSI”); measurement of goodwill and any related impairment; valuation of investments including derivatives and the recognition of other-than-temporary impairments (“OTTI”); future policy benefits including guarantees; pension and other postretirement benefits; provision for income taxes and valuation of deferred tax assets; and accruals for contingent liabilities, including estimates for losses in connection with unresolved legal and regulatory matters.

Out of Period Adjustments

As previously disclosed in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, during 2016, the Company recorded out of period adjustments that resulted in an aggregate net decrease of $134 million to “Income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures” for the year ended December 31, 2016. Such adjustments primarily consisted of a charge of $141 million to increase reserves, net of a related increase in DAC, for certain universal life products within the Individual Life business. Management evaluated the adjustments, both individually and in the aggregate, and concluded that they were not material to any previously reported quarterly or annual financial statements. For additional information on the impact of these adjustments to the Company’s operating segments, see Note 22.

Reclassifications

Certain amounts in prior years have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.