Investments (excluding Consolidated Investment Entities) - Net Investment Income (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019
Schedule of Investment Income, Reported Amounts, by Category [Line Items]
Gross investment income	$ 2,842,000,000	$ 2,982,000,000	$ 2,862,000,000
Less: Investment expenses	68,000,000	73,000,000	70,000,000
Net investment income	$ 2,774,000,000	2,909,000,000	2,792,000,000
Equity interest in VA Capital	9.99%
Net gains (losses)	$ 1,423,000,000	(365,000,000)	(164,000,000)
Discontinued Operations
Schedule of Investment Income, Reported Amounts, by Category [Line Items]
Net gains (losses)	95
Fixed maturities
Schedule of Investment Income, Reported Amounts, by Category [Line Items]
Trading Gain (Loss)	0	0
Investment Income, Interest	1,000,000	0
Fixed maturities
Schedule of Investment Income, Reported Amounts, by Category [Line Items]
Gross investment income	1,996,000,000	2,401,000,000	2,241,000,000
Investments in fixed maturities that did not produce net investment income	0	2,000,000
Equity securities
Schedule of Investment Income, Reported Amounts, by Category [Line Items]
Gross investment income	20,000,000	14,000,000	11,000,000
Mortgage loans on real estate
Schedule of Investment Income, Reported Amounts, by Category [Line Items]
Gross investment income	247,000,000	295,000,000	334,000,000
Net gains (losses)	182,000,000	(75,000,000)	0
Policy loans
Schedule of Investment Income, Reported Amounts, by Category [Line Items]
Gross investment income	23,000,000	45,000,000	42,000,000
Short-term investments and cash equivalents
Schedule of Investment Income, Reported Amounts, by Category [Line Items]
Gross investment income	8,000,000	4,000,000	12,000,000
Other
Schedule of Investment Income, Reported Amounts, by Category [Line Items]
Gross investment income	548,000,000	223,000,000	222,000,000
Net gains (losses)	$ 102,000,000	$ (8,000,000)	$ 0