Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($) $ in Millions		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Cash flows from operating activities
Net income		$ 1,053	$ 1,358	$ 773
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Amortization of deferred sales inducements		61	67	36
Policy acquisition costs deferred		(2,481)	(493)	(601)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Net cash provided by operating activities		2,874	3,170	1,199
Purchases of:
Deconsolidation of Athora Holding Ltd.		(296)	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities		(8,173)	(5,769)	(2,661)
Cash flows from financing activities
Proceeds from short-term debt		183	0	0
Proceeds from long-term debt		998	0	0
Net cash provided by financing activities		3,707	5,048	1,155
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents		0	32	(13)
Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents		(1,592)	2,481	(320)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year	[1]	4,997	2,516	2,836
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year	[1]	3,405	4,997	2,516
Supplementary information
Cash paid (refunded) for taxes		52	(64)	(31)
Cash paid for interest		26	0	9
Non-cash transactions
Deposits on investment-type policies and contracts through reinsurance agreements (related party: 2018 – $17,619, 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $0)		26,532	663	3,441
Withdrawals on investment-type policies and contracts through reinsurance agreements (related party: 2018 – $1,050, 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $0)		1,843	482	448
Consolidated Entity Excluding Variable Interest Entities (VIE)
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Amortization of deferred acquisition costs and value of business acquired		174	344	304
Amortization of deferred sales inducements		54	63	39
Accretion of net investment premiums, discounts and other		(178)	(192)	(172)
Reinsurance Agreement Payments		(394)	0	0
Stock-based compensation		26	45	84
Net investment (income) loss (related party: 2018 – $(103), 2017 – $(63) and 2016 – $(51))		(84)	(53)	(25)
Net recognized (gains) losses on investments and derivatives		1,095	(2,180)	(342)
Policy acquisition costs deferred		(919)	(493)	(601)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accrued investment income (related party: 2018 – $(15), 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $0)		(66)	(91)	(34)
Interest sensitive contract liabilities (related party: 2018 – $30, 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $0)		(365)	2,564	956
Future policy benefits, other policy claims and benefits, dividends payable to policyholders and reinsurance recoverable (related party: 2018 – $109, 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $0)		2,457	2,019	331
Funds withheld assets and liabilities (related party: 2018 – $113, 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $0)		270	(419)	(128)
Other assets and liabilities		(266)	238	(42)
Sales, maturities and repayments of:
Available-for-sale securities (related party: 2018 – $181, 2017 – $131 and 2016 – $78)		12,121	12,634
Trading securities (related party: 2018 – $30, 2017 – $55 and 2016 – $26)		348	156	356
Mortgage loans (related party: 2018 – $13, 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $0)		1,373	1,669	1,176
Investment funds (related party: 2018 – $305, 2017 – $349 and 2016 – $293)		481	496	420
Derivative instruments and other invested assets (related party: 2018 – $2, 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $0)		1,859	1,503	468
Real estate		0	4	36
Short-term investments (related party: 2018 – $172, 2017 – $65 and 2016 – $55)		538	351	870
Purchases of:
Available-for-sale securities (related party: 2018 – $(811), 2017 – $(186) and 2016 – $(86))		(15,435)	(18,883)	(11,797)
Trading securities (related party: 2018 – $(4), 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $(39))		(54)	(89)	(473)
Payments to Acquire Marketable Securities				714
Mortgage loans (related party: 2018 – $(389), 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $0)		(5,745)	(2,428)	(1,157)
Investment funds (related party: 2018 – $(1,140), 2017 – $(509) and 2016 – $(441))		(1,375)	(660)	(535)
Derivative instruments and other invested assets (related party: 2018 – $(150), 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $0)		(1,348)	(738)	(686)
Real estate		0	(76)	(39)
Short-term investments (related party: 2018 – $(121), 2017 – $(117) and 2016 – $0)		(478)	(421)	(873)
Cash settlement of derivatives		18	(4)	34
Other investing activities, net		(112)	507	(185)
Cash flows from financing activities
Capital contributions		2	1	1
Repayment of short-term debt		(183)	0	0
Deposits on investment-type policies and contracts (related party: 2018 – $151, 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $0)		10,262	9,056	5,791
Withdrawals on investment-type policies and contracts (related party: 2018 – $(252), 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $0)		(6,205)	(4,843)	(4,617)
Payments for coinsurance agreements on investment-type contracts, net		(2)	(33)	(89)
Net change in cash collateral posted for derivative transactions		(1,354)	940	516
Repurchase of common stock		(105)	(10)	(20)
Other financing activities, net		111	(63)	73
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year		2,911	4,888
Consolidated Entity Excluding Variable Interest Entities (VIE) | Fixed Maturity Securities
Sales, maturities and repayments of:
Available-for-sale securities (related party: 2018 – $181, 2017 – $131 and 2016 – $78)				9,211
Consolidated Entity Excluding Variable Interest Entities (VIE) | Equity securities
Sales, maturities and repayments of:
Proceeds from Sale and Maturity of Marketable Securities		132	985	742
Purchases of:
Payments to Acquire Marketable Securities		(334)	(847)
Variable Interest Entities
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Net recognized (gains) losses on investments and derivatives		17	(36)	25
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Other Noncash Income (Expense)		0	(3)	(31)
Purchases of:
Sales, maturities and repayments of investments (related party: 2018 – $203, 2017 – $85 and 2016 – $22)		217	95	504
Purchases of investments (related party: 2018 – $(31), 2017 – $(23) and 2016 – $(19))		(83)	(23)	(19)
Cash flows from financing activities
Repayment on borrowings		0	0	(500)
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year		2	4
Reinsurance Settlements [Member]
Non-cash transactions
Transfer to Investments		52	73	47
Pension Risk Transfer Premiums [Member]
Non-cash transactions
Transfer to Investments		435	334	0
Reinsurance Agreement [Member]
Non-cash transactions
Ceding commission on reinsurance agreements settled in investments		266	0	0
Investment funds | Exchange of Stock for Stock [Member]
Purchases of:
Investment funds (related party: 2018 – $(1,140), 2017 – $(509) and 2016 – $(441))		(108)	0	0
Related Party
Non-cash transactions
Transfer to Investments		115	0	0
Transfer from Investments		95	26	0
Related Party | Consolidated Entity Excluding Variable Interest Entities (VIE)
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Reinsurance Agreement Payments		(407)	0	0
Net investment (income) loss (related party: 2018 – $(103), 2017 – $(63) and 2016 – $(51))		(103)	(63)	(51)
Net recognized (gains) losses on investments and derivatives		(8)	8	34
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Accrued investment income (related party: 2018 – $(15), 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $0)		(15)	0	0
Interest sensitive contract liabilities (related party: 2018 – $30, 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $0)		30	0	0
Future policy benefits, other policy claims and benefits, dividends payable to policyholders and reinsurance recoverable (related party: 2018 – $109, 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $0)		109	0	0
Funds withheld assets and liabilities (related party: 2018 – $113, 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $0)		113	0	0
Sales, maturities and repayments of:
Available-for-sale securities (related party: 2018 – $181, 2017 – $131 and 2016 – $78)		181	131
Trading securities (related party: 2018 – $30, 2017 – $55 and 2016 – $26)		30	55	26
Mortgage loans (related party: 2018 – $13, 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $0)		13	0	0
Investment funds (related party: 2018 – $305, 2017 – $349 and 2016 – $293)		305	349	293
Derivative instruments and other invested assets (related party: 2018 – $2, 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $0)		2	0	0
Short-term investments (related party: 2018 – $172, 2017 – $65 and 2016 – $55)		172	65	55
Purchases of:
Available-for-sale securities (related party: 2018 – $(811), 2017 – $(186) and 2016 – $(86))		(811)	(186)	(86)
Trading securities (related party: 2018 – $(4), 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $(39))		(4)	0	(39)
Payments to Acquire Marketable Securities				20
Mortgage loans (related party: 2018 – $(389), 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $0)		(389)	0	0
Investment funds (related party: 2018 – $(1,140), 2017 – $(509) and 2016 – $(441))		(1,140)	(509)	(441)
Derivative instruments and other invested assets (related party: 2018 – $(150), 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $0)		(150)	0	0
Short-term investments (related party: 2018 – $(121), 2017 – $(117) and 2016 – $0)		(121)	(117)	0
Cash flows from financing activities
Deposits on investment-type policies and contracts (related party: 2018 – $151, 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $0)		151	0	0
Withdrawals on investment-type policies and contracts (related party: 2018 – $(252), 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $0)		(252)	0	0
Non-cash transactions
Deposits on investment-type policies and contracts through reinsurance agreements (related party: 2018 – $17,619, 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $0)		17,619	0	0
Withdrawals on investment-type policies and contracts through reinsurance agreements (related party: 2018 – $1,050, 2017 – $0 and 2016 – $0)		1,050	0	0
Related Party | Consolidated Entity Excluding Variable Interest Entities (VIE) | Fixed Maturity Securities
Sales, maturities and repayments of:
Available-for-sale securities (related party: 2018 – $181, 2017 – $131 and 2016 – $78)				78
Related Party | Consolidated Entity Excluding Variable Interest Entities (VIE) | Equity securities
Sales, maturities and repayments of:
Proceeds from Sale and Maturity of Marketable Securities		29	22	0
Purchases of:
Payments to Acquire Marketable Securities		149	0
Related Party | Variable Interest Entities
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Net recognized (gains) losses on investments and derivatives		20	(36)	3
Purchases of:
Sales, maturities and repayments of investments (related party: 2018 – $203, 2017 – $85 and 2016 – $22)		203	85	22
Purchases of investments (related party: 2018 – $(31), 2017 – $(23) and 2016 – $(19))		$ (31)	$ (23)	$ (19)

[1] Includes cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, and cash and cash equivalents of consolidated variable interest entities.