Reinsurance (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Effects Of Reinsurance [Line Items]

Components of reinsurance recoverables

(Dollars in millions)
	Line of Business	Reinsurer(s)	December 31, 2017		December 31, 2016		Collateral and Other Termsat December 31, 2017
Ongoing Operations
	Global Health Care, Global Supplemental Benefits, Group Disability and Life, COLI	Various	$	454	$	478	Recoverables from approximately 90 reinsurers, used in the ordinary course of business. Current balances range from less than $1 million up to $80 million. Over 70% of the balance is from companies rated as investment grade by Standard & Poor's, and 11% is secured by assets in trusts or letters of credit.
	Total recoverables related to ongoing operations			454		478
Acquisition, disposition or runoff activities
	Individual Life and Annuity (sold in 1998)	Lincoln National Life and Lincoln Life & Annuity of New York		3,436		3,586	Both companies' ratings were sufficient to avoid triggering a contractual obligation to fully secure the outstanding balance.
	GMDB (effectively exited in 2013)	Berkshire		928		1,085	100% secured by assets in a trust.
		Other		34		44	100% secured by assets in a trust or letters of credit.
	Retirement Benefits Business (sold in 2004)	Prudential Retirement Insurance and Annuity		850		921	100% secured by assets in a trust.
	Supplemental Benefits Business (2012 acquisition)	Great American Life		283		297	100% secured by assets in a trust.
	Other run-off reinsurance	Various		61		67	100% secured by assets in a trust or other deposits.
	Total recoverables related to acquisition, disposition or runoff activities			5,592		6,000
Total reinsurance recoverables			$	6,046	$	6,478

Effects of Reinsurance

(In millions)	2017		2016		2015
Premiums
Short-duration contracts
Direct	$	28,654	$	27,496	$	26,751
Assumed		199		247		289
Ceded		(150)		(229)		(254)
Total short-duration contract premiums		28,703		27,514		26,786
Long-duration contracts
Direct		3,748		3,259		3,061
Assumed		130		137		111
Ceded
Individual life insurance and annuity business sold		(143)		(153)		(158)
Other		(131)		(131)		(158)
Total long-duration contract premiums		3,604		3,112		2,856
Total premiums	$	32,307	$	30,626	$	29,642
Reinsurance recoveries
Individual life insurance and annuity business sold	$	259	$	279	$	301
Other		66		261		436
Total reinsurance recoveries	$	325	$	540	$	737

Variable Annuity [Member] | Guaranteed Minimum Death Benefit [Member]

Effects Of Reinsurance [Line Items]

Account value, net amount at risk, contractholder average age

(Dollars in millions, excludes impact of reinsurance ceded)	2017		2016
Account value	$	10,109	$	10,650
Net amount at risk	$	2,112	$	2,458
Average attained age of contractholders (weighted by exposure)		75		75
Number of contractholders		245,000		285,000

Variable Annuity [Member] | Guaranteed Minimum Income Benefit [Member]

Effects Of Reinsurance [Line Items]

Effects of Reinsurance

(In millions)
Line of Business	Reinsurer	December 31, 2017		December 31, 2016		Collateral and Other Termsat December 31, 2017
GMIB	Berkshire	$	359	$	370	100% were secured by assets in a trust.
	Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada		221		227
	Liberty Re (Bermuda) Ltd.		197		202	100% were secured by assets in a trust.
Total GMIB recoverables reported in other assets		$	777	$	799