CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Millions	Total	Parent	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Retained Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) Attributable to AXA Equitable	Noncontrolling Interest
Equity balance, beginning of year at Dec. 31, 2014			$ 2	$ 5,957	$ 7,240	$ 289	$ 2,967
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Deferred tax on dividend of AB Units				(35)
Non cash capital contribution from AXA Financial (See Note 12)				137
Transfer of unrecognized net actuarial loss of the AXA Equitable Qualified Pension Plan to AXA Financial (see Note 12)				(772)		772
Capital contribution from Parent	$ 0			0
Repurchase of AB Holding units							(154)
Net income (loss)	662				662
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	1,060						398
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest							(414)
Shareholder dividends					(912)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(861)					(846)	(15)
Dividend of AB Units by AXA Equitable to AXA Financial							145
Other				34			132
Equity balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2015	15,587	$ 12,528		5,321	6,990	215	3,059
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Deferred tax on dividend of AB Units				0
Non cash capital contribution from AXA Financial (See Note 12)				0
Transfer of unrecognized net actuarial loss of the AXA Equitable Qualified Pension Plan to AXA Financial (see Note 12)				0		0
Capital contribution from Parent	0			0
Repurchase of AB Holding units							(168)
Net income (loss)	210				210
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	706						491
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest							(384)
Shareholder dividends					(1,050)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(215)					(198)	(17)
Dividend of AB Units by AXA Equitable to AXA Financial							0
Other				18			115
Equity balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2016	14,604	11,508	2	5,339	6,150	17	3,096
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	(172)				(172)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	(54)
Other comprehensive income (loss)	127					120
Equity balance, end of year at Mar. 31, 2017	14,505	11,459			5,978	137	3,046
Equity balance, beginning of year at Dec. 31, 2016	14,604	11,508	2	5,339	6,150	17	3,096
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	1,328				1,328
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	1,559
Other comprehensive income (loss)	401					414
Equity balance, end of year at Jun. 30, 2017	16,257	13,273			7,479	431	2,984
Equity balance, beginning of year at Dec. 31, 2016	14,604	11,508	2	5,339	6,150	17	3,096
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	1,326				1,326
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	1,679
Other comprehensive income (loss)	333					314
Equity balance, end of year at Sep. 30, 2017	16,139	13,170			7,476	331
Equity balance, beginning of year at Dec. 31, 2016	14,604	11,508	2	5,339	6,150	17	3,096
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Deferred tax on dividend of AB Units				0
Non cash capital contribution from AXA Financial (See Note 12)				0
Transfer of unrecognized net actuarial loss of the AXA Equitable Qualified Pension Plan to AXA Financial (see Note 12)				0		0
Capital contribution from Parent	(1,500)			1,500
Repurchase of AB Holding units							(158)
Net income (loss)	2,860				2,860
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	3,394						485
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interest							(457)
Shareholder dividends					0
Other comprehensive income (loss)	599					581	18
Dividend of AB Units by AXA Equitable to AXA Financial							0
Other				20			111
Equity balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2017	19,564	16,469	2	6,859	9,010	598	3,095
Equity balance, beginning of year at Mar. 31, 2017	14,505	11,459			5,978	137	3,046
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	1,502
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	1,615
Other comprehensive income (loss)	273
Equity balance, end of year at Jun. 30, 2017	16,257	13,273			7,479	431	2,984
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss)	(1)
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	121
Other comprehensive income (loss)	(76)
Equity balance, end of year at Sep. 30, 2017	16,139	13,170			7,476	331
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	1,712
Equity balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2017	$ 19,564	$ 16,469	$ 2	$ 6,859	$ 9,010	$ 598	$ 3,095