Basis of Presentation Basis of Presentation (Out-of-period-correction) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Quantifying Misstatement in Current Year Financial Statements [Line Items]
Management and financial advice fees	$ 1,691	$ 1,568	$ 3,360	$ 3,055
Distribution fees	465	425	933	866
Net investment income	419	391	815	782
Premiums	357	348	700	687
Other revenues	284	292	592	570
Total revenues	3,216	3,024	6,400	5,960
Banking and deposit interest expense	20	12	36	22
Total net revenues	3,196	3,012	6,364	5,938
Distribution expenses	902	831	1,807	1,654
Interest credited to fixed accounts	180	171	321	333
Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses	635	611	1,129	1,178
Amortization of deferred acquisition costs	63	69	155	141
Interest and debt expense	80	52	131	102
General and administrative expense	788	767	1,577	1,544
Total expenses	2,648	2,501	5,120	4,952
Pretax income	548	511	1,244	986
Income tax provision	86	118	188	190
Net income	$ 462	393	$ 1,056	796
Income Tax Provision [Member]
Quantifying Misstatement in Current Year Financial Statements [Line Items]
Benefit related to an out-of-period correction for a reversal of a tax reserve				20
Previously reported [Member]
Quantifying Misstatement in Current Year Financial Statements [Line Items]
Management and financial advice fees		1,561		3,043
Distribution fees		430		873
Net investment income		391		782
Premiums		348		687
Other revenues		267		523
Total revenues		2,997		5,908
Banking and deposit interest expense		12		22
Total net revenues		2,985		5,886
Distribution expenses		832		1,655
Interest credited to fixed accounts		171		333
Benefits, claims, losses and settlement expenses		611		1,178
Amortization of deferred acquisition costs		69		141
Interest and debt expense		52		102
General and administrative expense		739		1,491
Total expenses		2,474		4,900
Pretax income		511		986
Income tax provision		118		190
Net income		393		796
Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 [Member] | Effect of change [Member]
Quantifying Misstatement in Current Year Financial Statements [Line Items]
Management and financial advice fees		7		12
Distribution fees		(5)		(7)
Other revenues		25		47
Total revenues		27		52
Total net revenues		27		52
Distribution expenses		(1)		(1)
General and administrative expense		28		53
Total expenses		27		52
Net income		$ 0		$ 0