Equity (Narrative) (Details) $ / shares in Units, ¥ in Billions					6 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Jan. 02, 2015 USD ($) shares	Jan. 02, 2015 USD ($) shares	Dec. 01, 2014 USD ($) shares	Dec. 18, 2001 $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) shares	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) shares	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2015 JPY (¥)	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) shares	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($) shares	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($) shares	Jun. 30, 2013 USD ($)
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Cost of Treasury Stock Acquired								$ 1,013,000,000			$ 1,000,000,000		$ 738,000,000
Class B Stock Held In Treasury, at cost					$ 0			0			651,000,000
Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit)					$ 18,931,000,000			$ 18,931,000,000			$ 14,888,000,000
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding | shares					0			0			0		0
Prudential Financial
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Cost of Treasury Stock Acquired								$ 1,664,000,000			$ 999,000,000		$ 738,000,000
Class B Stock Held In Treasury, at cost	$ 651,000,000	$ 651,000,000
Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit)					$ 18,931,000,000			18,931,000,000			14,888,000,000
Cash and ST Investments, excluding ELA					5,062,000,000			5,062,000,000
Prudential Insurance
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Unassigned Surplus					9,781,000,000			9,781,000,000
Cumulative Unrealized Investment Gains					$ 1,399,000,000			$ 1,399,000,000
Percentage of Statutory Surplus					10.00%			10.00%
Statutory Surplus Balance					$ 11,543,000,000			$ 11,543,000,000
Statutory Net Gains From Operations					2,555,000,000			2,555,000,000
Dividend permitted to be paid without prior approval					2,555,000,000			2,555,000,000
Dividend permitted to be paid without prior approval, deadline one					605,000,000			605,000,000
Dividend permitted to be paid without prior approval, deadline two					1,950,000,000			1,950,000,000
Statutory Net Income								5,253,000,000			901,000,000		1,358,000,000
Statutory Capital and Surplus					$ 11,543,000,000			$ 11,543,000,000			10,331,000,000
RBC or solvency margin ratio multiple					4			4
Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corporation
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Dividend permitted to be paid with prior approval					$ 48,000,000			$ 48,000,000
Statutory Net Income								340,000,000			393,000,000		406,000,000
Statutory Capital and Surplus					$ 482,000,000			$ 482,000,000			606,000,000
RBC or solvency margin ratio multiple					4.0			4.0
POJ
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Japan Permitted Percentage of Statutory Earnings w/o approval					83.00%			83.00%
Japan-Retained Earnings Level- Permitted Percentage of Prior Year Statutory Earnings					100.00%			100.00%
Proceeds from Dividends Received								$ 86,000,000	¥ 10.3
RBC or solvency margin ratio multiple					3.50			3.50
Gibraltar Life
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Japan Permitted Percentage of Statutory Earnings w/o approval					83.00%			83.00%
Proceeds from Dividends Received								$ 137,000,000	¥ 16.5
RBC or solvency margin ratio multiple					3.50			3.50
Under June 2013 Board Of Directors Authorization
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Number of Treasury Stock Shares Acquired | shares							5,900,000					12,000,000
Amount of Stock Repurchases Authorized by the Board of Directors														$ 1,000,000,000
Cost of Treasury Stock Acquired							$ 500,000,000					$ 1,000,000,000
Under June 2014 Board Of Directors Authorization
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Number of Treasury Stock Shares Acquired | shares						6,000,000				11,700,000
Amount of Stock Repurchases Authorized by the Board of Directors							$ 1,000,000,000					$ 1,000,000,000
Cost of Treasury Stock Acquired						$ 500,000,000				$ 1,000,000,000
Under June 2015 Board Of Directors Authorization
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Number of Treasury Stock Shares Acquired | shares					6,100,000
Amount of Stock Repurchases Authorized by the Board of Directors						$ 1,000,000,000				$ 1,000,000,000
Cost of Treasury Stock Acquired					$ 500,000,000
Under December 2015 Board Of Directors Authorization
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Amount of Stock Repurchases Authorized by the Board of Directors					1,500,000,000			$ 1,500,000,000
Common Stock | IPO
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Price Per Share (in dollars per share) | $ / shares				$ 27.50
Common Class B Stock
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Number of Treasury Stock Shares Acquired | shares	2,000,000	2,000,000	2,000,000
Cost of Treasury Stock Acquired								651,000,000			0		$ 0
Common Stock, shares outstanding | shares													2,000,000
Common Class B Stock | Private Placement
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Price Per Share (in dollars per share) | $ / shares				$ 87.50
Number of Common Stock Shares Issued | shares				2,000,000
Class B Stock Held in Treasury
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Class B Stock Held In Treasury, at cost			$ 650,800,000
Retained Earnings (Accumulated Deficit)	$ (483,800,000)	$ (483,800,000)
Decrease in Additional Paid In Capital	$ 167,000,000	$ 167,000,000
Class B Stock Held in Treasury | Prudential Financial
Class of Stock [Line Items]
Number of Treasury Stock Shares Acquired | shares		2,000,000
Class B Stock Held In Treasury, at cost					$ 0			$ 0			$ 651,000,000