Commitments, Contingent Liabilities and Litigation and Regulatory Matters	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments, Contingent Liabilities and Litigation and Regulatory Matters	COMMITMENTS AND GUARANTEES, CONTINGENT LIABILITIES AND LITIGATION AND REGULATORY MATTERS Commitments The Company has made commitments to fund commercial loans. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the outstanding balances on these commitments were $15 million and $49 million, respectively. The Company also made commitments to purchase or fund investments, mostly private fixed maturities. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, $196 million and $133 million, respectively, of these commitments were outstanding. Guarantees In July 2017, the Company formed a joint venture with CT Corp to provide life insurance solutions in Indonesia. The Company owns a 49% interest in the joint venture and has entered into a shareholders agreement with CT Corp that set out their respective rights and obligations with respect to the joint venture. Among other things, the shareholders agreement obligates the Company and CT Corp to provide capital to the joint venture, as necessary to comply with applicable law or to maintain a specified minimum amount of capital in the joint venture. This obligation is not limited to a maximum amount. The Company does not expect to make any payments on this guarantee and is not carrying any liabilities associated with the guarantee. Contingent Liabilities On an ongoing basis, the Company reviews its operations including, but not limited to, practices and procedures for meeting obligations to our customers and other parties. This review may result in the modification or enhancement of processes, including concerning the timing or computation of payments to customers and other parties. In certain cases, if appropriate, the Company may offer customers or other parties remediation and may incur charges, including the cost of such remediation, administrative costs and regulatory fines. The Company is subject to the laws and regulations of states and other jurisdictions concerning the identification, reporting and escheatment of unclaimed or abandoned funds, and is subject to audit and examination for compliance with these requirements. For additional discussion of these matters, see “Litigation and Regulatory Matters” below. It is possible that the results of operations or the cash flows of the Company in a particular quarterly or annual period could be materially affected as a result of payments in connection with the matters discussed above or other matters depending, in part, upon the results of operations or cash flows for such period. Management believes, however, that ultimate payments in connection with these matters, after consideration of applicable reserves and rights to indemnification, should not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position. Litigation and Regulatory Matters The Company is subject to legal and regulatory actions in the ordinary course of its business. Pending legal and regulatory actions include proceedings specific to the Company and proceedings generally applicable to business practices in the industry in which it operates. The Company is subject to class action lawsuits and other litigation involving a variety of issues and allegations involving sales practices, claims payments and procedures, premium charges, policy servicing and breach of fiduciary duty to customers. The Company is also subject to litigation arising out of its general business activities, such as its investments, contracts, leases and labor and employment relationships, including claims of discrimination and harassment, and could be exposed to claims or litigation concerning certain business or process patents. In addition, the Company, along with other participants in the businesses in which it engages, may be subject from time to time to investigations, examinations and inquiries, in some cases industry-wide, concerning issues or matters upon which such regulators have determined to focus. In some of the Company’s pending legal and regulatory actions, parties are seeking large and/or indeterminate amounts, including punitive or exemplary damages. The outcome of litigation or a regulatory matter, and the amount or range of potential loss at any particular time, is often inherently uncertain. The Company establishes accruals for litigation and regulatory matters when it is probable that a loss has been incurred and the amount of that loss can be reasonably estimated. For litigation and regulatory matters where a loss may be reasonably possible, but not probable, or is probable but not reasonably estimable, no accrual is established, but the matter, if material, is disclosed, including matters discussed below. The Company estimates that as of December 31, 2017, the aggregate range of reasonably possible losses in excess of accruals established for those litigation and regulatory matters for which such an estimate currently can be made is less than $30 million. This estimate is not an indication of expected loss, if any, or the Company's maximum possible loss exposure on such matters. The Company reviews relevant information with respect to its litigation and regulatory matters on a quarterly and annual basis and updates its accruals, disclosures and estimates of reasonably possible loss based on such reviews. Wells Fargo MyTerm Sales In December 2016, Prudential Financial announced that it suspended sales of its MyTerm life insurance product through Wells Fargo pending completion of a Prudential Financial-initiated review of how the product was being sold through Wells Fargo. Prudential Financial has offered to reimburse the full amount of premium with interest, to any Wells Fargo customers with concerns about the way in which the product was purchased. Wells Fargo distributed the product from June 2014 until sales were suspended, and Prudential Financial's total annualized new business premiums associated with sales through Wells Fargo were approximately $4 million. Annualized new business premiums include 100% of scheduled first year premiums for policies sold during this period. Prudential Financial has received inquiries, requests for information, subpoenas and a civil investigative demand related to this matter from state and federal regulators, including its lead state insurance regulator, the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance ("NJDOBI"), state attorneys general and federal legislators, and is responding to these requests. Prudential Financial has also received shareholder demands for certain books and records under New Jersey law. Litigation related to this matter is described below. Prudential Financial may become subject to additional regulatory inquiries and other investigations and actions, shareholder demands and litigation related to this matter. Prudential Financial has provided notice to Wells Fargo that it may seek indemnification under the MyTerm distribution agreement between the parties. In December 2017, NJDOBI ended its investigation and concluded that there was no evidence of improper activity by Prudential regarding the sale and marketing of MyTerm policies to Wells Fargo customers. Alex Perea, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated v. The Prudential Insurance Company of America, et al. In December 2016, a putative class action complaint entitled Alex Perea, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated v. The Prudential Insurance Company of America, Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey, and Pruco Life Insurance Company, was filed in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. The complaint: (i) alleges that defendants conspired with Wells Fargo to sell a life insurance product to Wells Fargo customers without their knowledge or consent and violated federal law (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act ("RICO")) and New Jersey law (Consumer Fraud Act); and (ii) seeks injunctive relief, compensatory damages, exemplary and statutory penalties, treble damages, interest and attorneys’ fees and costs. In January 2017, plaintiff filed an amended complaint in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, alleging the same claims contained in the complaint. In February 2017, the amended complaint was withdrawn with prejudice. This case is now closed. Behfarin v. Pruco Life In July 2017, a putative class action complaint entitled Richard Behfarin v. Pruco Life Insurance Company was filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, alleging that the Company imposes charges on owners of universal life policies to cure defaults and/or reinstate lapses, that are inconsistent with the applicable universal life policy. The complaint includes claims for breach of contract, breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and violation of California law, and seeks unspecified damages along with declaratory and injunctive relief. In September 2017, the Company filed its answer to the complaint. Escheatment Litigation State of West Virginia ex. Rel. John D. Perdue v. Pruco Life In October 2012, the State of West Virginia commenced a second action against Pruco Life making the same allegations stated in the action against Prudential Insurance. In April 2013, Pruco Life filed motions to dismiss the complaints in both of the West Virginia actions. In December 2013, the Court granted Pruco Life’s motions and dismissed the complaints with prejudice. In January 2014, the State of West Virginia appealed the decisions. In June 2015, the West Virginia Supreme Court issued a decision: (i) reversing the trial court’s dismissal of the West Virginia Treasurer’s complaint alleging violations of West Virginia’s unclaimed property law; and (ii) remanding the case to the Circuit Court of Putnam County for proceedings consistent with its decision. In July 2015, a petition for rehearing was filed with the West Virginia Supreme Court. In September 2015, the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals denied Pruco Life's rehearing petition. In November 2015, Pruco Life filed its answer. Escheatment Audit and Claims Settlement Practices Market Conduct Exam In January 2012, a Global Resolution Agreement entered into by the Company and a third-party auditor became effective upon its acceptance by the unclaimed property departments of 20 states and jurisdictions. Under the terms of the Global Resolution Agreement, the third-party auditor acting on behalf of the signatory states will compare expanded matching criteria to the Social Security Master Death File (“SSMDF") to identify deceased insureds and contractholders where a valid claim has not been made. In February 2012, a Regulatory Settlement Agreement entered into by the Company to resolve a multi-state market conduct examination regarding its adherence to state claim settlement practices became effective upon its acceptance by the insurance departments of 20 states and jurisdictions. The Regulatory Settlement Agreement applies prospectively and requires the Company to adopt and implement additional procedures comparing its records to the SSMDF to identify unclaimed death benefits and prescribes procedures for identifying and locating beneficiaries once deaths are identified. Substantially all other jurisdictions that are not signatories to the Global Resolution Agreement or the Regulatory Settlement Agreement have entered into similar agreements with the Company. During 2017, audits were satisfactorily completed by the third party auditor of the Global Resolution Agreement and by the regulators for the Regulatory Settlement Agreement to assure that the Company had complied with the terms of both agreements. The New York Attorney General has subpoenaed the Company, along with other companies, regarding its unclaimed property procedures and may ultimately seek remediation and other relief, including damages. Additionally, the New York Office of Unclaimed Funds is conducting an audit of the Company’s compliance with New York’s unclaimed property laws. Securities Lending Matter In 2016, Prudential Financial self-reported to the SEC and the DOL, and notified other regulators, that in some cases it failed to maximize securities lending income for the benefit of certain separate account investments due to a long-standing restriction benefiting Prudential Financial that limited the availability of loanable securities. Prudential Financial has removed the restriction and substantially implemented a remediation plan for the benefit of customers. Prudential Financial is cooperating with regulators in their review of this matter (which includes a review of the remediation plan) and has entered into discussions with the SEC staff regarding a possible settlement that would potentially involve charges under the Investment Advisers Act and financial remedies. Prudential Financial cannot predict the outcome of these discussions. Summary The Company’s litigation and regulatory matters are subject to many uncertainties, and given their complexity and scope, their outcome cannot be predicted. It is possible that the Company’s results of operations or cash flows in a particular quarterly or annual period could be materially affected by an ultimate unfavorable resolution of pending litigation and regulatory matters depending, in part, upon the results of operations or cash flows for such period. In light of the unpredictability of the Company’s litigation and regulatory matters, it is also possible that in certain cases an ultimate unfavorable resolution of one or more pending litigation or regulatory matters could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position. Management believes, however, that, based on information currently known to it, the ultimate outcome of all pending litigation and regulatory matters, after consideration of applicable reserves and rights to indemnification, is not likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position.

COMMITMENTS AND GUARANTEES, CONTINGENT LIABILITIES AND LITIGATION AND REGULATORY MATTERS

Commitments

The Company has made commitments to fund commercial loans. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the outstanding balances on these commitments were $15 million and $49 million, respectively. The Company also made commitments to purchase or fund investments, mostly private fixed maturities. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, $196 million and $133 million, respectively, of these commitments were outstanding.

Guarantees

In July 2017, the Company formed a joint venture with CT Corp to provide life insurance solutions in Indonesia. The Company owns a 49% interest in the joint venture and has entered into a shareholders agreement with CT Corp that set out their respective rights and obligations with respect to the joint venture. Among other things, the shareholders agreement obligates the Company and CT Corp to provide capital to the joint venture, as necessary to comply with applicable law or to maintain a specified minimum amount of capital in the joint venture. This obligation is not limited to a maximum amount. The Company does not expect to make any payments on this guarantee and is not carrying any liabilities associated with the guarantee.

Contingent Liabilities

On an ongoing basis, the Company reviews its operations including, but not limited to, practices and procedures for meeting obligations to our customers and other parties. This review may result in the modification or enhancement of processes, including concerning the timing or computation of payments to customers and other parties. In certain cases, if appropriate, the Company may offer customers or other parties remediation and may incur charges, including the cost of such remediation, administrative costs and regulatory fines.

The Company is subject to the laws and regulations of states and other jurisdictions concerning the identification, reporting and escheatment of unclaimed or abandoned funds, and is subject to audit and examination for compliance with these requirements. For additional discussion of these matters, see “Litigation and Regulatory Matters” below.

It is possible that the results of operations or the cash flows of the Company in a particular quarterly or annual period could be materially affected as a result of payments in connection with the matters discussed above or other matters depending, in part, upon the results of operations or cash flows for such period. Management believes, however, that ultimate payments in connection with these matters, after consideration of applicable reserves and rights to indemnification, should not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position.

Litigation and Regulatory Matters

The Company is subject to legal and regulatory actions in the ordinary course of its business. Pending legal and regulatory actions include proceedings specific to the Company and proceedings generally applicable to business practices in the industry in which it operates. The Company is subject to class action lawsuits and other litigation involving a variety of issues and allegations involving sales practices, claims payments and procedures, premium charges, policy servicing and breach of fiduciary duty to customers. The Company is also subject to litigation arising out of its general business activities, such as its investments, contracts, leases and labor and employment relationships, including claims of discrimination and harassment, and could be exposed to claims or litigation concerning certain business or process patents. In addition, the Company, along with other participants in the businesses in which it engages, may be subject from time to time to investigations, examinations and inquiries, in some cases industry-wide, concerning issues or matters upon which such regulators have determined to focus. In some of the Company’s pending legal and regulatory actions, parties are seeking large and/or indeterminate amounts, including punitive or exemplary damages. The outcome of litigation or a regulatory matter, and the amount or range of potential loss at any particular time, is often inherently uncertain.

The Company establishes accruals for litigation and regulatory matters when it is probable that a loss has been incurred and the amount of that loss can be reasonably estimated. For litigation and regulatory matters where a loss may be reasonably possible, but not probable, or is probable but not reasonably estimable, no accrual is established, but the matter, if material, is disclosed, including matters discussed below. The Company estimates that as of December 31, 2017, the aggregate range of reasonably possible losses in excess of accruals established for those litigation and regulatory matters for which such an estimate currently can be made is less than $30 million. This estimate is not an indication of expected loss, if any, or the Company's maximum possible loss exposure on such matters. The Company reviews relevant information with respect to its litigation and regulatory matters on a quarterly and annual basis and updates its accruals, disclosures and estimates of reasonably possible loss based on such reviews.

Wells Fargo MyTerm Sales

In December 2016, Prudential Financial announced that it suspended sales of its MyTerm life insurance product through Wells Fargo pending completion of a Prudential Financial-initiated review of how the product was being sold through Wells Fargo. Prudential Financial has offered to reimburse the full amount of premium with interest, to any Wells Fargo customers with concerns about the way in which the product was purchased. Wells Fargo distributed the product from June 2014 until sales were suspended, and Prudential Financial's total annualized new business premiums associated with sales through Wells Fargo were approximately $4 million. Annualized new business premiums include 100% of scheduled first year premiums for policies sold during this period.

Prudential Financial has received inquiries, requests for information, subpoenas and a civil investigative demand related to this matter from state and federal regulators, including its lead state insurance regulator, the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance ("NJDOBI"), state attorneys general and federal legislators, and is responding to these requests. Prudential Financial has also received shareholder demands for certain books and records under New Jersey law. Litigation related to this matter is described below. Prudential Financial may become subject to additional regulatory inquiries and other investigations and actions, shareholder demands and litigation related to this matter. Prudential Financial has provided notice to Wells Fargo that it may seek indemnification under the MyTerm distribution agreement between the parties. In December 2017, NJDOBI ended its investigation and concluded that there was no evidence of improper activity by Prudential regarding the sale and marketing of MyTerm policies to Wells Fargo customers.

Alex Perea, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated v. The Prudential Insurance Company of America, et al.

In December 2016, a putative class action complaint entitled Alex Perea, individually and on behalf of all others similarly situated v. The Prudential Insurance Company of America, Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey, and Pruco Life Insurance Company, was filed in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. The complaint: (i) alleges that defendants conspired with Wells Fargo to sell a life insurance product to Wells Fargo customers without their knowledge or consent and violated federal law (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act ("RICO")) and New Jersey law (Consumer Fraud Act); and (ii) seeks injunctive relief, compensatory damages, exemplary and statutory penalties, treble damages, interest and attorneys’ fees and costs. In January 2017, plaintiff filed an amended complaint in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, alleging the same claims contained in the complaint. In February 2017, the amended complaint was withdrawn with prejudice. This case is now closed.

Behfarin v. Pruco Life

In July 2017, a putative class action complaint entitled Richard Behfarin v. Pruco Life Insurance Company was filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California, alleging that the Company imposes charges on owners of universal life policies to cure defaults and/or reinstate lapses, that are inconsistent with the applicable universal life policy. The complaint includes claims for breach of contract, breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing, and violation of California law, and seeks unspecified damages along with declaratory and injunctive relief. In September 2017, the Company filed its answer to the complaint.

Escheatment Litigation

State of West Virginia ex. Rel. John D. Perdue v. Pruco Life

In October 2012, the State of West Virginia commenced a second action against Pruco Life making the same allegations stated in the action against Prudential Insurance. In April 2013, Pruco Life filed motions to dismiss the complaints in both of the West Virginia actions. In December 2013, the Court granted Pruco Life’s motions and dismissed the complaints with prejudice. In January 2014, the State of West Virginia appealed the decisions. In June 2015, the West Virginia Supreme Court issued a decision: (i) reversing the trial court’s dismissal of the West Virginia Treasurer’s complaint alleging violations of West Virginia’s unclaimed property law; and (ii) remanding the case to the Circuit Court of Putnam County for proceedings consistent with its decision. In July 2015, a petition for rehearing was filed with the West Virginia Supreme Court. In September 2015, the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals denied Pruco Life's rehearing petition. In November 2015, Pruco Life filed its answer.

Escheatment Audit and Claims Settlement Practices Market Conduct Exam

In January 2012, a Global Resolution Agreement entered into by the Company and a third-party auditor became effective upon its acceptance by the unclaimed property departments of 20 states and jurisdictions. Under the terms of the Global Resolution Agreement, the third-party auditor acting on behalf of the signatory states will compare expanded matching criteria to the Social Security Master Death File (“SSMDF") to identify deceased insureds and contractholders where a valid claim has not been made. In February 2012, a Regulatory Settlement Agreement entered into by the Company to resolve a multi-state market conduct examination regarding its adherence to state claim settlement practices became effective upon its acceptance by the insurance departments of 20 states and jurisdictions. The Regulatory Settlement Agreement applies prospectively and requires the Company to adopt and implement additional procedures comparing its records to the SSMDF to identify unclaimed death benefits and prescribes procedures for identifying and locating beneficiaries once deaths are identified. Substantially all other jurisdictions that are not signatories to the Global Resolution Agreement or the Regulatory Settlement Agreement have entered into similar agreements with the Company. During 2017, audits were satisfactorily completed by the third party auditor of the Global Resolution Agreement and by the regulators for the Regulatory Settlement Agreement to assure that the Company had complied with the terms of both agreements.

The New York Attorney General has subpoenaed the Company, along with other companies, regarding its unclaimed property procedures and may ultimately seek remediation and other relief, including damages. Additionally, the New York Office of Unclaimed Funds is conducting an audit of the Company’s compliance with New York’s unclaimed property laws.

Securities Lending Matter

In 2016, Prudential Financial self-reported to the SEC and the DOL, and notified other regulators, that in some cases it failed to maximize securities lending income for the benefit of certain separate account investments due to a long-standing restriction benefiting Prudential Financial that limited the availability of loanable securities. Prudential Financial has removed the restriction and substantially implemented a remediation plan for the benefit of customers. Prudential Financial is cooperating with regulators in their review of this matter (which includes a review of the remediation plan) and has entered into discussions with the SEC staff regarding a possible settlement that would potentially involve charges under the Investment Advisers Act and financial remedies. Prudential Financial cannot predict the outcome of these discussions.

Summary

The Company’s litigation and regulatory matters are subject to many uncertainties, and given their complexity and scope, their outcome cannot be predicted. It is possible that the Company’s results of operations or cash flows in a particular quarterly or annual period could be materially affected by an ultimate unfavorable resolution of pending litigation and regulatory matters depending, in part, upon the results of operations or cash flows for such period. In light of the unpredictability of the Company’s litigation and regulatory matters, it is also possible that in certain cases an ultimate unfavorable resolution of one or more pending litigation or regulatory matters could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position. Management believes, however, that, based on information currently known to it, the ultimate outcome of all pending litigation and regulatory matters, after consideration of applicable reserves and rights to indemnification, is not likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position.