Business and Basis of Presentation	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Business and Basis of Presentation [Abstract]
Business and Basis of Presentation	1. 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. The Company has organized its principal operations into the Financial Services Businesses and the Closed Block Business. The Financial Services Businesses operate through three operating divisions: U.S. Retirement Solutions and Investment Management, U.S. Individual Life and Group Insurance, and International Insurance. The Company's businesses that are not sufficiently material to warrant separate disclosure and divested businesses are included in Corporate and Other operations within the Financial Services Businesses. The Closed Block Business, which includes the Closed Block (see Note 6), is managed separately from the Financial Services Businesses. The Closed Block Business was established on the date of demutualization and includes the Company's in force participating insurance and annuity products and assets that are used for the payment of benefits and policyholders' dividends on these products, as well as other assets and equity that support these products and related liabilities. In connection with the demutualization, the Company ceased offering these participating products. Basis of Presentation The Unaudited Interim 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 in which the Company is considered the primary beneficiary. See Note 5 for more information on the Company's consolidated variable interest entities. The Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) on a basis consistent with reporting interim financial information in accordance with instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the financial position and results of operations have been made. All such adjustments are of a normal, recurring nature. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company's Audited Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013. 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. Therefore, the Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements as of September 30, 2014, include the assets and liabilities of Gibraltar Life and its results of operations as of, and for the three and nine months ended, August 31, 2014, respectively. 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 and related amortization; value of business acquired and its amortization; amortization of sales inducements; measurement of goodwill and any related impairment; valuation of investments including derivatives and the recognition of other-than-temporary impairments; future policy benefits including guarantees; pension and other postretirement benefits; provision for income taxes and valuation of deferred tax assets; and reserves for contingent liabilities, including reserves for losses in connection with unresolved legal matters. Out of Period Adjustments During the third quarter of 2014, the Company recorded out of period adjustments resulting in an aggregate net decrease of $156 million to “Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures” for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014. Such adjustments were primarily comprised of: 1) a charge of $48 million from an increase in reserves for group long-term disability products and 2) a charge of $45 million from an increase in reserves, net of a related increase in deferred policy amortization costs, for certain variable annuities products with optional living benefit guarantees. These items were identified during the Company's annual review and update of assumptions used in calculating these reserves. Management has evaluated the adjustments and concluded that they are not material to the current quarter or to any previously reported quarterly or annual financial statements. Reclassifications Certain amounts in prior periods have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.

Business and Basis of Presentation

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2014

Business and Basis of Presentation [Abstract]

1. 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. The Company has organized its principal operations into the Financial Services Businesses and the Closed Block Business. The Financial Services Businesses operate through three operating divisions: U.S. Retirement Solutions and Investment Management, U.S. Individual Life and Group Insurance, and International Insurance. The Company's businesses that are not sufficiently material to warrant separate disclosure and divested businesses are included in Corporate and Other operations within the Financial Services Businesses. The Closed Block Business, which includes the Closed Block (see Note 6), is managed separately from the Financial Services Businesses. The Closed Block Business was established on the date of demutualization and includes the Company's in force participating insurance and annuity products and assets that are used for the payment of benefits and policyholders' dividends on these products, as well as other assets and equity that support these products and related liabilities. In connection with the demutualization, the Company ceased offering these participating products.

Basis of Presentation

The Unaudited Interim 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 in which the Company is considered the primary beneficiary. See Note 5 for more information on the Company's consolidated variable interest entities. The Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) on a basis consistent with reporting interim financial information in accordance with instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the financial position and results of operations have been made. All such adjustments are of a normal, recurring nature. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company's Audited Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013.

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. Therefore, the Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements as of September 30, 2014, include the assets and liabilities of Gibraltar Life and its results of operations as of, and for the three and nine months ended, August 31, 2014, respectively.

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 and related amortization; value of business acquired and its amortization; amortization of sales inducements; measurement of goodwill and any related impairment; valuation of investments including derivatives and the recognition of other-than-temporary impairments; future policy benefits including guarantees; pension and other postretirement benefits; provision for income taxes and valuation of deferred tax assets; and reserves for contingent liabilities, including reserves for losses in connection with unresolved legal matters.

Out of Period Adjustments

During the third quarter of 2014, the Company recorded out of period adjustments resulting in an aggregate net decrease of $156 million to “Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in earnings of operating joint ventures” for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014. Such adjustments were primarily comprised of: 1) a charge of $48 million from an increase in reserves for group long-term disability products and 2) a charge of $45 million from an increase in reserves, net of a related increase in deferred policy amortization costs, for certain variable annuities products with optional living benefit guarantees. These items were identified during the Company's annual review and update of assumptions used in calculating these reserves. Management has evaluated the adjustments and concluded that they are not material to the current quarter or to any previously reported quarterly or annual financial statements.

Reclassifications

Certain amounts in prior periods have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.

- Definition

The entire disclosure for organization, consolidation and basis of presentation of financial statements disclosure.

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