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Reconciliation of Revenue from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]

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Revenue Adjustments, Variable Annuity Product Features

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Revenue, Other Adjustments

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Amount of expenses related to the generation of investment income.

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Amount, excluding tax collected from customer, of revenue from satisfaction of performance obligation by transferring promised good or service to customer. Tax collected from customer is tax assessed by governmental authority that is both imposed on and concurrent with specific revenue-producing transaction, including, but not limited to, sales, use, value added and excise.

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Amount of revenue recognized from goods sold, services rendered, insurance premiums, or other activities that constitute an earning process. Includes, but is not limited to, investment and interest income before deduction of interest expense when recognized as a component of revenue, and sales and trading gain (loss).

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Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

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BUSINESS SEGMENT INFORMATION - RECONCILIATION OF REVENUE FROM SEGMENTS TO CONSOLIDATED (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended						6 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	$ 860	$ 2,445	$ 1,985	$ 2,412	$ 4,544	$ 2,299	$ 4,430	$ 6,843	$ 5,290	$ 9,255	$ 11,673	$ 8,979	$ 8,924
Adjustments related to:
Investment expenses	17			11					49	40
Operating Segments \| Individual Retirement
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	1,080			841					2,761	2,679
Operating Segments \| Group Retirement
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	259			266					745	704
Operating Segments \| Investment Management and Research
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	850			788					2,602	2,303
Operating Segments \| Protection Solutions
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	610			645					1,870	1,874
Corporate and Other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Revenues	185			240					580	710
Segment Reconciling Items
Adjustments related to:
Variable annuity product features	(2,120)			(384)					(3,299)	926
Investment gains (losses)	(9)			(8)					73	(9)
Other adjustments to segment revenues	5			24					(42)	68
Intersegment Eliminations
Adjustments related to:
Investment expenses	12			44					18	42
Investment Advice \| Intersegment Eliminations
Adjustments related to:
Revenues disaggregated by category	$ 19			$ 65					$ 29	$ 65