QUARTERLY INTERIM FINANCIAL INFORMATION (UNAUDITED) - REVISION OF PRIOR PERIOD FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - BALANCE SHEETS (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2017		Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016		Dec. 31, 2015
ASSETS
Other equity investments	$ 1,351	[1]		$ 1,456	$ 1,440	$ 1,323	[1]
Other invested assets	3,121	[1]		2,654	2,084	2,226	[1]
Total investments	68,098			62,122	60,417	58,427
Deferred policy acquisition costs	4,547		$ 4,903	4,913	4,961	5,058		$ 5,088
Loans to affiliates	703		5,004	4,889	4,647	703
Guaranteed minimum income benefit reinsurance asset, at fair value	10,488		10,900	11,260	9,798	10,314
Other assets	4,432	[1]	4,276			4,260	[1]
Total Assets	225,985		219,395	215,713	210,013	204,556
LIABILITIES
Policyholders' account balances	43,805			41,516	40,292	38,825
Future policy benefits and other policyholders liabilities	29,034		29,452	29,679	28,691	28,901
Current and deferred income taxes	1,973		3,265	3,267	2,726	2,834
Other liabilities	2,663	[1]		2,522	2,493	2,108	[1]
Total liabilities	205,795		202,815	199,095	195,091	189,549
EQUITY
Retained earnings	9,010		7,476	7,479	5,978	6,150
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)	598		331	431	137	17
AXA Equitable Equity	16,469		13,170	13,273	11,459	11,508
Noncontrolling interest	3,095			2,984	3,046	3,096
Equity	19,564		16,139	16,257	14,505	14,604		$ 15,587
Total Liabilities, Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest and Equity	$ 225,985		219,395	215,713	210,013	204,556
As Previously Reported
ASSETS
Other equity investments				1,477	1,463
Other invested assets				2,622	2,050
Total investments				62,111	60,406
Deferred policy acquisition costs			4,550	4,141	4,068	4,852
Loans to affiliates			5,016	4,870	4,639
Guaranteed minimum income benefit reinsurance asset, at fair value			10,933	11,290	9,795	10,316
Other assets			4,258
Total Assets			219,069	214,941	209,098	204,352
LIABILITIES
Policyholders' account balances				41,531	40,308
Future policy benefits and other policyholders liabilities			29,423	26,799	25,496	28,939
Current and deferred income taxes			3,148	4,000	3,523
Other liabilities				2,531	2,496
Total liabilities			202,669	196,972	192,712	189,504
EQUITY
Retained earnings			7,265	8,779	7,411	6,005
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)			362	493	179	3
AXA Equitable Equity			12,990	14,635	12,934	11,349
Noncontrolling interest				2,973	3,035
Equity			15,959	17,608	15,969	14,445
Total Liabilities, Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest and Equity			219,069	214,941	209,098	204,352
Impact of Revisions
ASSETS
Deferred policy acquisition costs			353			206
Loans to affiliates			(12)
Guaranteed minimum income benefit reinsurance asset, at fair value			(33)			(2)
Other assets			18
Total Assets			326			204
LIABILITIES
Future policy benefits and other policyholders liabilities			29			(38)
Current and deferred income taxes			117
Total liabilities			146			45
EQUITY
Retained earnings			211			145
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)			(31)			14
AXA Equitable Equity			180			159
Equity			180			159
Total Liabilities, Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest and Equity			$ 326			$ 204
Impact of Revisions
ASSETS
Other equity investments				(21)	(23)
Other invested assets				32	34
Total investments				11	11
Deferred policy acquisition costs				247	367
Loans to affiliates				19	8
Guaranteed minimum income benefit reinsurance asset, at fair value				(30)	3
Total Assets				247	389
LIABILITIES
Policyholders' account balances				(15)	(16)
Future policy benefits and other policyholders liabilities				79	51
Current and deferred income taxes				65	120
Other liabilities				(9)	(3)
Total liabilities				120	152
EQUITY
Retained earnings				150	232
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)				(34)	(6)
AXA Equitable Equity				116	226
Noncontrolling interest				11	11
Equity				127	237
Total Liabilities, Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest and Equity				247	389
As Revised and Adjusted Herein
ASSETS
Other equity investments				1,456	1,440
Other invested assets				2,654	2,084
Total investments				62,122	60,417
Deferred policy acquisition costs				4,388	4,435
Loans to affiliates				4,889	4,647
Guaranteed minimum income benefit reinsurance asset, at fair value				11,260	9,798
Total Assets				215,188	209,487
LIABILITIES
Policyholders' account balances				41,516	40,292
Future policy benefits and other policyholders liabilities				26,878	25,547
Current and deferred income taxes				4,065	3,643
Other liabilities				2,522	2,493
Total liabilities				197,092	192,864
EQUITY
Retained earnings				8,929	7,643
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)				459	173
AXA Equitable Equity				14,751	13,160
Noncontrolling interest				2,984	3,046
Equity				17,735	16,206
Total Liabilities, Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest and Equity				215,188	209,487
Impact of Accounting Change
ASSETS
Other equity investments				0	0
Other invested assets				0	0
Total investments				0	0
Deferred policy acquisition costs				525	526
Loans to affiliates				0	0
Guaranteed minimum income benefit reinsurance asset, at fair value				0	0
Total Assets				525	526
LIABILITIES
Policyholders' account balances				0	0
Future policy benefits and other policyholders liabilities				2,801	3,144
Current and deferred income taxes				(798)	(917)
Other liabilities				0	0
Total liabilities				2,003	2,227
EQUITY
Retained earnings				(1,450)	(1,665)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)				(28)	(36)
AXA Equitable Equity				(1,478)	(1,701)
Noncontrolling interest				0	0
Equity				(1,478)	(1,701)
Total Liabilities, Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest and Equity				$ 525	$ 526

[1] See Note 2 for details of balances with variable interest entities.