INVESTMENTS - Investments in Consolidated Variable Interest Entities (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions		Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Other investments, amortized cost	[1]	$ 3,402	$ 1,450
Asset derivatives		331	1,207
Assets, fair value		89,215	83,044
Liability derivatives, fair value		474	1,998
Liabilities, amortized cost		112,619	109,337
Liabilities, fair value disclosure		474	1,998
Variable Interest Entity, Consolidated
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Securities available for sale, fixed maturities, amortized cost		4,300	4,168
Securities available for sale, fixed maturities, fair value		5,294	4,982
Securities available for sale, perpetual securities, amortized cost		238	237
Securities available for sale, perpetual securities, fair value		215	208
Securities available for sale, equity securities, cost		606	972
Securities available for sale, equity securities, fair value		753	1,044
Other investments, amortized cost	[2]	2,341	819
Other investments, fair value disclosure	[2]	2,328	789
Asset derivatives, amortized cost	[3]	151	127
Asset derivatives	[3]	151	127
Assets, amortized cost		7,636	6,323
Assets, fair value		8,741	7,150
Liability derivatives, amortized cost	[3]	128	146
Liability derivatives, fair value	[3]	128	146
Liabilities, amortized cost		128	146
Liabilities, fair value disclosure		$ 128	$ 146

[1] Includes $2,341 in 2017 and $819 in 2016 of loan receivables and limited partnerships from consolidated variable interest entities

[2] Consists of TREs, CMLs, MMLs, and alternative investments in limited partnerships

[3] Consists entirely of derivatives