INVESTMENTS (Details 4) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
TRADING SECURITIES
Trading Securities, Fair Value	$ 24,489	$ 32,834
Trading Securities, Percent of Total	100.00%	100.00%
Fixed maturity securities
TRADING SECURITIES
Trading Securities, Fair Value	24,364	26,182
Trading Securities, Percent of Total	99.00%	79.00%
Fixed maturity securities \| U.S. government and government sponsored entities
TRADING SECURITIES
Trading Securities, Fair Value	7,504	6,902
Trading Securities, Percent of Total	31.00%	21.00%
Fixed maturity securities \| Non-U.S. government
TRADING SECURITIES
Trading Securities, Fair Value	35	125
Fixed maturity securities \| Corporate debt
TRADING SECURITIES
Trading Securities, Fair Value	816	912
Trading Securities, Percent of Total	3.00%	3.00%
Fixed maturity securities \| Obligations of states, municipalities and political subdivisions
TRADING SECURITIES
Trading Securities, Fair Value	257	316
Trading Securities, Percent of Total	1.00%	1.00%
Fixed maturity securities \| Mortgage backed, asset backed and collateralized
TRADING SECURITIES
Trading Securities, Fair Value	8,767	10,337
Trading Securities, Percent of Total	36.00%	31.00%
Fixed maturity securities \| Residential mortgage backed securities (RMBS)
TRADING SECURITIES
Trading Securities, Fair Value	1,648	1,928
Trading Securities, Percent of Total	7.00%	6.00%
Fixed maturity securities \| Commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS)
TRADING SECURITIES
Trading Securities, Fair Value	1,837	2,078
Trading Securities, Percent of Total	7.00%	6.00%
Fixed maturity securities \| Collateralized Debt Obligations/Asset Backed Securities (CDO/ABS)
TRADING SECURITIES
Trading Securities, Fair Value	5,282	6,331
Trading Securities, Percent of Total	22.00%	19.00%
Fixed maturity securities \| Maiden Lane II
TRADING SECURITIES
Trading Securities, Fair Value	1,321	1,279
Trading Securities, Percent of Total	5.00%	4.00%
Fixed maturity securities \| Maiden Lane III
TRADING SECURITIES
Trading Securities, Fair Value	5,664	6,311
Trading Securities, Percent of Total	23.00%	19.00%
Equity securities
TRADING SECURITIES
Trading Securities, Fair Value	125	6,652
Trading Securities, Percent of Total	1.00%	21.00%
Equity securities \| MetLife
TRADING SECURITIES
Trading Securities, Fair Value		6,494
Trading Securities, Percent of Total		20.00%
Equity securities \| All other
TRADING SECURITIES
Trading Securities, Fair Value	$ 125	$ 158
Trading Securities, Percent of Total	1.00%	1.00%

- Definition

This element represents the portion of the balance sheet assertion valued at fair value by the entity whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission. This item represents Trading Securities which consist of all investments in certain debt and equity securities that are bought and held principally for the purpose of selling them in the near term (thus held for only a short period of time) or for which an entity has elected the fair value option. Trading generally reflects active and frequent buying and selling, and trading securities are generally used with the objective of generating profits on short-term differences in price, but this category of investments may also include items which are not intended to be sold in the near term or for which the fair value option has been elected.

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