Contingent Liabilities (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended				0 Months Ended	9 Months Ended						9 Months Ended
	Feb. 12, 2014	Jul. 16, 2014 Settled Litigation SEC Cease-and-Desist Order	Apr. 09, 2014 Pending Litigation United States District Court for the District of Delaware claim	Jun. 05, 2012 Pending Litigation United States District Court for the District of Delaware treaty unnamed_trust	Jul. 12, 2013 Pending Litigation United States District Court for the Southern District of New York case claim	Sep. 30, 2014 Pending Litigation United States District Court for the Southern District of New York case	Aug. 26, 2013 Pending Litigation United States District Court for the Southern District of New York claim	Jul. 12, 2013 Pending Litigation United States District Court for the Southern District of New York claim	Jul. 12, 2013 Pending Litigation Policyholder Complaint to State Insurance Departments [Member] state	Sep. 30, 2014 UPCH state	Sep. 30, 2014 Kelmar state	Sep. 30, 2014 PHL Variable Pending Litigation United States District Court for the Southern District of New York case	Sep. 30, 2014 PHL Variable and Phoenix Life Pending Litigation United States District Court for the Southern District of New York case
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Civil monetary penalties	$ 475,000
Penalty per filing for first week in which filing is delinquent		20,000
Penalty fee for each week after one week delinquent		20,000
Penalty fee multiplier for number of complete weeks after one week		$ 5,000
Number of unnamed trusts				60
Number of treaties				1
Number of claims dismissed			7
Number of claims			10					2
Number of claims partially dismissed			2
Number of states investigating COI adjustments										32	7
Loss Contingency, Pending Claims, Number Decertified							1
Loss Contingency, New Claims Filed, Number					4	6						5	1
Loss Contingency, Number of States Issuing Letters Directing to take Remedial Action									2