QUARTERLY INTERIM FINANCIAL INFORMATION (UNAUDITED) - REVISION OF PRIOR PERIOD FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - STATEMENTS OF EQUITY (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year	$ 16,257	$ 14,505	$ 14,604	$ 14,604	$ 14,604	$ 14,604	$ 15,587
Net income (loss)	(1)	1,502	(172)	1,328	1,326	2,860	210	$ 662
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(76)	273	127	401	333	599	(215)	(861)
Equity balance, end of year	16,139	16,257	14,505	16,257	16,139	19,564	14,604	15,587
As Previously Reported
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year	17,608	15,969	14,445	14,445	14,445	14,445
Net income (loss)	(56)	1,346	(431)	915	1,324		57	667
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(52)	294	179	473	380		(229)	(857)
Equity balance, end of year	15,959	17,608	15,969	17,608	15,959		14,445
Impact of Revisions
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year			159	159	159	159
Net income (loss)	55				2		153	(5)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(24)				(47)		14	(4)
Equity balance, end of year	180				180		159
Impact of Revisions
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year	127	237
Net income (loss)		(59)	50	(11)
Other comprehensive income (loss)		(29)	(20)	(48)
Equity balance, end of year		127	237	127
As Revised and Adjusted Herein
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year	17,735	16,206
Net income (loss)		1,287	(381)	904
Other comprehensive income (loss)		265	159	425
Equity balance, end of year		17,735	16,206	17,735
Impact of Accounting Change
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year	(1,478)	(1,701)
Net income (loss)		215	209	424
Other comprehensive income (loss)		8	(32)	(24)
Equity balance, end of year		(1,478)	(1,701)	(1,478)
Retained Earnings
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year	7,479	5,978	6,150	6,150	6,150	6,150	6,990	7,240
Equity balance, as revised, beginning of year							6,150
Equity balance, as revised and adjusted, beginning of year							6,151
Equity balance, previously reported, as revised							6,150
Net income (loss)			(172)	1,328	1,326	2,860	210	662
Equity balance, end of year	7,476	7,479	5,978	7,479	7,476	9,010	6,150	6,990
Retained Earnings | As Previously Reported
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year	8,779	7,411	6,005	6,005	6,005	6,005	6,998
Equity balance, as revised, beginning of year							5,941
Equity balance, as revised and adjusted, beginning of year							7,864
Equity balance, previously reported, as revised							7,842
Net income (loss)			(431)	915	1,324		57	667
Equity balance, end of year	7,265	8,779	7,411	8,779	7,265		6,005	6,998
Retained Earnings | Impact of Revisions
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year			145	145	145	145	(8)
Equity balance, as revised, beginning of year							209
Net income (loss)					2		153	(5)
Equity balance, end of year	211				211		145	(8)
Retained Earnings | Impact of Revisions
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year	150	232
Equity balance, as revised and adjusted, beginning of year							161
Equity balance, previously reported, as revised							182
Net income (loss)			50	(11)
Equity balance, end of year		150	232	150
Retained Earnings | As Revised and Adjusted Herein
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year	8,929	7,643
Equity balance, as revised and adjusted, beginning of year							8,025
Equity balance, previously reported, as revised							8,024
Net income (loss)			(381)	904
Equity balance, end of year		8,929	7,643	8,929
Retained Earnings | Impact of Accounting Change
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year	(1,450)	(1,665)
Equity balance, as revised and adjusted, beginning of year							(1,874)
Equity balance, previously reported, as revised							(1,874)
Net income (loss)			209	424
Equity balance, end of year		(1,450)	(1,665)	(1,450)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Attributable to AXA Equitable
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year	431	137	17	17	17	17	215	289
Equity balance, as revised, beginning of year							17
Equity balance, as revised and adjusted, beginning of year							17
Equity balance, previously reported, as revised							17
Other comprehensive income (loss)			120	414	314	581	(198)	(846)
Equity balance, end of year	331	431	137	431	331	598	17	215
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Attributable to AXA Equitable | As Previously Reported
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year	493	179	3	3	3	3	215
Equity balance, as revised, beginning of year							1
Equity balance, as revised and adjusted, beginning of year							7
Equity balance, previously reported, as revised							7
Other comprehensive income (loss)			172	486	361		(212)	(842)
Equity balance, end of year	362	493	179	493	362		3	215
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Attributable to AXA Equitable | Impact of Revisions
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year			14	14	14	14	0
Equity balance, as revised, beginning of year							16
Other comprehensive income (loss)					(47)		14	(4)
Equity balance, end of year	(31)				(31)		14	0
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Attributable to AXA Equitable | Impact of Revisions
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year	(34)	(6)
Equity balance, as revised and adjusted, beginning of year							14
Equity balance, previously reported, as revised							14
Other comprehensive income (loss)			(20)	(48)
Equity balance, end of year		(34)	(6)	(34)
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Attributable to AXA Equitable | As Revised and Adjusted Herein
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year	459	173
Equity balance, as revised and adjusted, beginning of year							21
Equity balance, previously reported, as revised							21
Other comprehensive income (loss)			152	438
Equity balance, end of year		459	173	459
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Attributable to AXA Equitable | Impact of Accounting Change
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year	(28)	(36)
Equity balance, as revised and adjusted, beginning of year							(4)
Equity balance, previously reported, as revised							(4)
Other comprehensive income (loss)			(32)	(24)
Equity balance, end of year		(28)	(36)	(28)
Parent
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year	13,273	11,459	11,508	11,508	11,508	11,508	12,528
Equity balance, as revised, beginning of year							14,604	15,587
Equity balance, end of year	13,170	13,273	11,459	13,273	13,170	16,469	11,508	12,528
Parent | As Previously Reported
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year	14,635	12,934	11,349	11,349	11,349	11,349	12,536
Equity balance, as revised, beginning of year							14,445	15,595
Equity balance, end of year	12,990	14,635	12,934	14,635	12,990		11,349	12,536
Parent | Impact of Revisions
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year			159	159	159	159	(8)
Equity balance, as revised, beginning of year							159	(8)
Equity balance, end of year	180				180		159	(8)
Parent | Impact of Revisions
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year	116	226
Equity balance, end of year		116	226	116
Parent | As Revised and Adjusted Herein
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year	14,751	13,160
Equity balance, end of year		14,751	13,160	14,751
Parent | Impact of Accounting Change
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year	(1,478)	(1,701)
Equity balance, end of year		(1,478)	(1,701)	(1,478)
Noncontrolling Interest
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year	2,984	3,046	3,096	3,096	3,096	3,096	3,059	2,967
Other comprehensive income (loss)						18	(17)	(15)
Equity balance, end of year		2,984	3,046	2,984		3,095	3,096	$ 3,059
Noncontrolling Interest | As Previously Reported
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year	2,973	3,035	3,085	3,085	3,085	3,085
Equity balance, end of year		2,973	3,035	2,973			3,085
Noncontrolling Interest | Impact of Revisions
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year	11	11	11	11	11	11
Equity balance, end of year		11	11	11			11
Noncontrolling Interest | As Revised and Adjusted Herein
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year	2,984	3,046	3,096	3,096	3,096	3,096
Equity balance, end of year		2,984	3,046	2,984			3,096
Noncontrolling Interest | Impact of Accounting Change
Error Corrections and Prior Period Adjustments Restatement [Line Items]
Equity balance, beginning of year	$ 0	0	0	0	$ 0	$ 0
Equity balance, end of year		$ 0	$ 0	$ 0			$ 0