Derivative Financial Instruments - Gains and losses from valuation and settlements reported on derivatives not designated as accounting hedges (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	$ 27	$ (4)	$ 73	$ 16
Realized capital gains and losses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	5	(17)	17	(40)
Life contract benefits
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	2	(4)	7	4
Interest credited to contractholder funds
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	11	8	38	26
Operating costs and expenses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	9	9	11	26
Interest rate contracts
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(1)
Interest rate contracts | Realized capital gains and losses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(1)
Interest rate contracts | Life contract benefits
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	0
Interest rate contracts | Interest credited to contractholder funds
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	0
Interest rate contracts | Operating costs and expenses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	0
Equity and index contracts
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	16	9	22	36
Equity and index contracts | Realized capital gains and losses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(12)	(10)	(15)	(17)
Equity and index contracts | Life contract benefits
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	0	0	0	0
Equity and index contracts | Interest credited to contractholder funds
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	19	11	25	33
Equity and index contracts | Operating costs and expenses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	9	8	12	20
Embedded derivative financial instruments
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(6)	(7)	20	(3)
Embedded derivative financial instruments | Realized capital gains and losses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	0	0	0	0
Embedded derivative financial instruments | Life contract benefits
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	2	(4)	7	4
Embedded derivative financial instruments | Interest credited to contractholder funds
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	(8)	(3)	13	(7)
Embedded derivative financial instruments | Operating costs and expenses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	0	0	0	0
Foreign currency contracts
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	7	(4)	18	(14)
Foreign currency contracts | Realized capital gains and losses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	7	(5)	19	(20)
Foreign currency contracts | Life contract benefits
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	0	0	0	0
Foreign currency contracts | Interest credited to contractholder funds
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	0	0	0	0
Foreign currency contracts | Operating costs and expenses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	0	1	(1)	6
Total return swaps
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	11		12
Total return swaps | Realized capital gains and losses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	11		12
Total return swaps | Life contract benefits
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	0		0
Total return swaps | Interest credited to contractholder funds
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	0		0
Total return swaps | Operating costs and expenses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives	$ 0		0
Credit default contracts
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives		(2)	1	(3)
Credit default contracts | Realized capital gains and losses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives		(2)	1	(3)
Credit default contracts | Life contract benefits
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives		0	0	0
Credit default contracts | Interest credited to contractholder funds
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives		0	0	0
Credit default contracts | Operating costs and expenses
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss)
Derivatives not designated as accounting hedging instruments, total gain (loss) recognized in net income on derivatives		$ 0	$ 0	$ 0