SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Schedule of Restatements made to the Consolidated Statement of Earnings (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Universal life and investment-type product policy fee income	$ 865	$ 841	$ 1,761	$ 1,656	$ 3,435	$ 3,340	$ 3,181
Premiums	216	197	441	412	854	828	847
Increase (decrease) in the fair value of the reinsurance contract asset	1,495	1,104	981	2,733	(269)	(141)	3,962
Revenues	4,575	4,299	6,717	9,328	9,683	9,925	15,677
Policyholders' benefits	1,467	1,284	2,300	2,402	2,828	2,840	4,047
Future policy benefits			1,388	1,303	718	1,001	2,013
Interest credited to policyholders' account balances	393	325	941	570	1,655	906	1,077
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs	(82)	(74)	43	(74)	222	(313)	(374)
Other operating costs and expenses	155	373	539	751	1,458	1,497	1,668
Amortization of deferred cost of reinsurance asset			(171)	64	159	121	278
Total benefits and other deductions	2,778	2,705	5,493	5,231	9,369	8,238	9,770
Earnings (loss) from operations, before income taxes	1,797	1,594	1,224	4,097	314	1,687	5,907
Income tax (expense) benefit	(338)	(523)	(78)	(1,274)	192	(197)	(1,621)
Net earnings (loss)	1,459	1,071	1,146	2,823	506	1,490	4,286
Less: net (earnings) loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest	(113)	(91)	(231)	(208)	(496)	(403)	(387)
Net Earnings (Loss) Attributable to AXA Equitable	$ 1,346	980	$ 915	2,615	10	1,087	3,899
As previously reported
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Universal life and investment-type product policy fee income		915		1,816	3,423	3,208	3,115
Premiums		121		247	880	854	874
Increase (decrease) in the fair value of the reinsurance contract asset		1,104		2,741	(261)	(141)	3,964
Revenues		4,297		9,331	9,705	9,819	15,640
Policyholders' benefits		1,276		2,426	2,893	2,799	3,708
Future policy benefits				1,314	783	934	1,647
Interest credited to policyholders' account balances		349		626	1,555	978	1,186
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs		(74)		(84)	162	(331)	(413)
Other operating costs and expenses					1,458	1,415	1,692
Amortization of deferred cost of reinsurance asset					159	39	302
Total benefits and other deductions		2,721		5,301	9,274	8,169	9,525
Earnings (loss) from operations, before income taxes		1,576		4,030	431	1,650	6,115
Income tax (expense) benefit		(515)		(1,249)	113	(186)	(1,695)
Net earnings (loss)		1,061		2,781	544	1,464	4,420
Less: net (earnings) loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest		(92)		(209)	(469)	(403)	(387)
Net Earnings (Loss) Attributable to AXA Equitable		969		2,572	75	1,061	4,033
Adjustments
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Universal life and investment-type product policy fee income		(74)		(160)	12	132	66
Premiums		76		165	(26)	(26)	(27)
Increase (decrease) in the fair value of the reinsurance contract asset		0		(8)	(8)	0	(2)
Revenues		2		(3)	(22)	106	37
Policyholders' benefits		8		(24)
Future policy benefits				(11)	(65)	41	339
Interest credited to policyholders' account balances		(24)		(56)	100	(72)	(109)
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs		0		10	(60)	(18)	(39)
Amortization of deferred cost of reinsurance asset					0	82	(24)
Total benefits and other deductions		(16)		(70)	95	69	245
Earnings (loss) from operations, before income taxes		18		67	(117)	37	(208)
Income tax (expense) benefit		(8)		(25)	79	(11)	74
Net earnings (loss)		10		42	(38)	26	(134)
Less: net (earnings) loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest		1		1	(27)	0	0
Net Earnings (Loss) Attributable to AXA Equitable		$ 11		$ 43	$ (65)	$ 26	$ (134)