Reinsurance - Other Reinsurance Activity (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Reinsurance Disclosures [Abstract]
Direct premiums	$ 17.0us-gaap_DirectPremiumsWritten	$ 17.5us-gaap_DirectPremiumsWritten
Premiums ceded to non-affiliate reinsurers	(14.0)us-gaap_CededPremiumsWritten	(14.7)us-gaap_CededPremiumsWritten
Premiums	3.0	2.8
Direct policy benefits incurred	121.3phlvic_DirectPolicyBenefitsIncurred	37.9phlvic_DirectPolicyBenefitsIncurred
Policy benefits assumed from non-affiliates	0.2	0.1
Policy benefits ceded to:
Affiliates	(14.9)	0
Non-affiliates	(41.3)	(19.3)
Policy benefits ceded	(56.2)phlvic_PolicyBenefitsCededToReinsurers	(19.3)phlvic_PolicyBenefitsCededToReinsurers
Premiums paid to:
Affiliates	6.1	6.2
Non-affiliates	14.5	13.5
Premiums paid to reinsurers	20.6phlvic_PremiumsPaidToReinsurers	19.7phlvic_PremiumsPaidToReinsurers
Policy benefits	85.9	38.4
Changes in reserves, interest credited to policyholders and withdrawals amount	$ 13.8	$ 33.7

Changes in reserves, interest credited to policyholders and withdrawals amount.

No definition available.

Name:	phlvic_ChangesInReservesInterestCreditedToPolicyholdersAndWithdrawalsAmount
Namespace Prefix:	phlvic_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Policy benefits.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	phlvic_DirectBusinessAndReinsuranceInContinuingOperationsPolicyBenefits
Namespace Prefix:	phlvic_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Direct business and reinsurance in continuing operations Permiums.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	phlvic_DirectBusinessAndReinsuranceInContinuingOperationsPremiums
Namespace Prefix:	phlvic_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Direct policy benefits incurred.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	phlvic_DirectPolicyBenefitsIncurred
Namespace Prefix:	phlvic_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Policy benefits assumed from reinsureds.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	phlvic_PolicyBenefitsAssumedFromReinsureds
Namespace Prefix:	phlvic_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	phlvic_PolicyBenefitsCededAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	phlvic_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Affiliate reinsurers.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	phlvic_PolicyBenefitsCededAffiliateReinsurers
Namespace Prefix:	phlvic_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

No authoritative reference available.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	phlvic_PolicyBenefitsCededToNonaffiliateReinsurers
Namespace Prefix:	phlvic_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Policy benefits ceded to reinsurers.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	phlvic_PolicyBenefitsCededToReinsurers
Namespace Prefix:	phlvic_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	phlvic_PremiumsPaidAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	phlvic_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

No authoritative reference available.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	phlvic_PremiumsPaidToAffiliateReinsurers
Namespace Prefix:	phlvic_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

No authoritative reference available.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	phlvic_PremiumsPaidToNonaffiliateReinsurers
Namespace Prefix:	phlvic_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Premiums paid to reinsurers.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	phlvic_PremiumsPaidToReinsurers
Namespace Prefix:	phlvic_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of written premiums ceded to other entities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 17

-Article 12

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 605

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (b),(c)(2)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6486672&loc=d3e27261-158547

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_CededPremiumsWritten
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount, before premiums ceded to other entities and premiums assumed by the entity, of premiums written.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 17

-Article 12

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 605

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (b),(c)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6486672&loc=d3e27261-158547

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DirectPremiumsWritten
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ReinsuranceDisclosuresAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration