Segment Information (Reconciliation of Adjusted Operating Income and Net Income (Loss)) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017		Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	$ 250	$ 608		$ 1,943	$ 2,350
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	1,661	1,228		3,382	2,888
Operating Segments | Total U.S. Individual Solutions division
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	550	55	[1]	1,105	641	[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]
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	507	612		1,026	1,080
Operating Segments | Total U.S. Individual Solutions division | Individual Life
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	43	(557)		79	(439)
Operating Segments | Total U.S. Workplace Solutions division
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	359	444	[1]	731	875	[1]
Operating Segments | Total U.S. Workplace Solutions division | Retirement
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	277	308		594	705
Operating Segments | Total U.S. Workplace Solutions division | Group Insurance
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	82	136		137	170
Operating Segments | Total PGIM division
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	254	218	[1]	486	414	[1]
Operating Segments | Total PGIM division | PGIM
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	254	218		486	414
Operating Segments | Total International Insurance division
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	784	823		1,640	1,622
Operating Segments | Total International Insurance division | International Insurance
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	784	823		1,640	1,622
Operating Segments | Total Corporate and Other
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	(286)	(312)		(580)	(664)
Operating Segments | Total Corporate and Other | Corporate and Other operations
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	(286)	(312)		(580)	(664)
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]
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	393	(1,377)		480	(1,443)
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]
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	(116)	698		(139)	802
Segment Reconciling Items | Investment gains (losses) on assets supporting experience-rated contractholder liabilities, net
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	(193)	201		(596)	245
Segment Reconciling Items | Change in experience-rated contractholder liabilities due to asset value changes
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	85	(145)		503	(157)
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]
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	(23)	(14)		(49)	(42)
Segment Reconciling Items | Closed Block division
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	(31)	(18)		(40)	16
Segment Reconciling Items | Other divested businesses
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Consolidated income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures	$ (1,526)	$ 35		$ (1,598)	$ 41

[1] Prior period divisional subtotals are presented on a basis consistent with the Company’s new organizational structure effective in the fourth quarter of 2017. Individual segment results and consolidated totals remain unchanged. See Note 22 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017.