Fair Value of Financial Instruments - Fair Value by Level (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Assets
Fair Value	$ 4,458.2	$ 4,221.8
Separate account assets	1,707.9us-gaap_SeparateAccountAssets	1,757.5us-gaap_SeparateAccountAssets
U.S. government and agency
Assets
Fair Value	90.3	89.3
State and political subdivision
Assets
Fair Value	244.7	229.2
Foreign government
Assets
Fair Value	84.4	73.8
Corporate
Assets
Fair Value	3,075.7	2,831.9
Commercial mortgage-backed (“CMBS”)
Assets
Fair Value	257.9	255.6
Residential mortgage-backed (“RMBS”)
Assets
Fair Value	521.6	576.4
Collateralized debt obligations (“CDO”) / collateralized loan obligations (“CLO”)
Assets
Fair Value	96.5	83.5
Other asset-backed (“ABS”)
Assets
Fair Value	87.1	82.1
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring
Assets
Fair Value	4,458.2	4,221.8
Available-for-sale equity securities	29.5	28.7
Short-term investments	69.9	79.8
Derivative assets	135.4	157.5
Fair value investments	47.1	46.7
Separate account assets	1,707.9	1,757.5
Total assets	6,448.0	6,292.0
Liabilities
Derivative liabilities	77.1	85.6
Embedded derivatives	175.1	160.3
Total liabilities	252.2	245.9
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| U.S. government and agency
Assets
Fair Value	90.3	89.3
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| State and political subdivision
Assets
Fair Value	244.7	229.2
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Foreign government
Assets
Fair Value	84.4	73.8
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Corporate
Assets
Fair Value	3,075.7	2,831.9
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Commercial mortgage-backed (“CMBS”)
Assets
Fair Value	257.9	255.6
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Residential mortgage-backed (“RMBS”)
Assets
Fair Value	521.6	576.4
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Collateralized debt obligations (“CDO”) / collateralized loan obligations (“CLO”)
Assets
Fair Value	96.5	83.5
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Other asset-backed (“ABS”)
Assets
Fair Value	87.1	82.1
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 1
Assets
Fair Value	0	0
Available-for-sale equity securities	0	0
Short-term investments	69.9	79.8
Derivative assets	0	0
Fair value investments	0	0
Separate account assets	1,707.9	1,757.5
Total assets	1,777.8	1,837.3
Liabilities
Derivative liabilities	0	0.5
Embedded derivatives	0	0
Total liabilities	0	0.5
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 1 \| U.S. government and agency
Assets
Fair Value	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 1 \| State and political subdivision
Assets
Fair Value	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 1 \| Foreign government
Assets
Fair Value	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 1 \| Corporate
Assets
Fair Value	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 1 \| Commercial mortgage-backed (“CMBS”)
Assets
Fair Value	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 1 \| Residential mortgage-backed (“RMBS”)
Assets
Fair Value	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 1 \| Collateralized debt obligations (“CDO”) / collateralized loan obligations (“CLO”)
Assets
Fair Value	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 1 \| Other asset-backed (“ABS”)
Assets
Fair Value	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 2
Assets
Fair Value	2,380.0	2,137.4
Available-for-sale equity securities	0	0
Short-term investments	0	0
Derivative assets	135.4	157.5
Fair value investments	13.2	13.0
Separate account assets	0	0
Total assets	2,528.6	2,307.9
Liabilities
Derivative liabilities	77.1	85.1
Embedded derivatives	0	0
Total liabilities	77.1	85.1
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 2 \| U.S. government and agency
Assets
Fair Value	9.2	9.1
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 2 \| State and political subdivision
Assets
Fair Value	43.5	35.9
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 2 \| Foreign government
Assets
Fair Value	73.9	57.7
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 2 \| Corporate
Assets
Fair Value	1,623.2	1,414.7
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 2 \| Commercial mortgage-backed (“CMBS”)
Assets
Fair Value	251.0	191.0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 2 \| Residential mortgage-backed (“RMBS”)
Assets
Fair Value	363.3	424.8
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 2 \| Collateralized debt obligations (“CDO”) / collateralized loan obligations (“CLO”)
Assets
Fair Value	0	0
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 2 \| Other asset-backed (“ABS”)
Assets
Fair Value	15.9	4.2
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 3
Assets
Fair Value	2,078.2	2,084.4
Available-for-sale equity securities	29.5	28.7
Short-term investments	0	0
Derivative assets	0	0
Fair value investments	33.9	33.7
Separate account assets	0	0
Total assets	2,141.6	2,146.8
Liabilities
Derivative liabilities	0	0
Embedded derivatives	175.1	160.3
Total liabilities	175.1	160.3
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 3 \| U.S. government and agency
Assets
Fair Value	81.1	80.2
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 3 \| State and political subdivision
Assets
Fair Value	201.2	193.3
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 3 \| Foreign government
Assets
Fair Value	10.5	16.1
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 3 \| Corporate
Assets
Fair Value	1,452.5	1,417.2
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 3 \| Commercial mortgage-backed (“CMBS”)
Assets
Fair Value	6.9	64.6
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 3 \| Residential mortgage-backed (“RMBS”)
Assets
Fair Value	158.3	151.6
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 3 \| Collateralized debt obligations (“CDO”) / collateralized loan obligations (“CLO”)
Assets
Fair Value	96.5	83.5
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring \| Level 3 \| Other asset-backed (“ABS”)
Assets
Fair Value	$ 71.2	$ 77.9

No authoritative reference available.

No definition available.

Name:	phlvic_AvailableforsaleEquitySecuritiesFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	phlvic_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

No authoritative reference available.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	phlvic_DerivativeAssetsFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	phlvic_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

No authoritative reference available.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	phlvic_EmbeddedDerivativesFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	phlvic_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

No authoritative reference available.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	phlvic_OptionInvestmentsFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	phlvic_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Short-term Investments, Fair Value Disclosure

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	phlvic_ShorttermInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	phlvic_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value portion of probable future economic benefits obtained or controlled by an entity as a result of past transactions or events.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36462937&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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

- Definition

Amount of debt securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28360136&loc=d3e22054-111558

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (aa)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=d3e27161-111563

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6871852&loc=d3e26610-111562

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 320

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (b)-(g)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6957658&loc=d3e62557-112803

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value, after the effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial liability or contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset. Includes liabilities not subject to a master netting arrangement and not elected to be offset.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 825

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 10

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35750535&loc=d3e13433-108611

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 815

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 5

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6945355&loc=d3e41228-113958

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 825

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 15

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35750535&loc=d3e13495-108611

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34720828&loc=SL20225862-175312

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 815

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 6

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6945355&loc=d3e41271-113958

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 20

-Section 55

-Paragraph 10

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36459792&loc=SL20226008-175313

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeLiabilities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Fair value of financial and nonfinancial obligations.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LiabilitiesFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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

- Definition

The fair value of the assets held by the Entity for the benefit of separate account policyholders.

+ References

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 10

-Article 9

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 80

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6484091&loc=d3e19268-158472

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-Glossary Separate Account

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6524887

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 11

-Article 7

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SeparateAccountAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis=us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsNonrecurringMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=phlvic_CdoOrCloDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_AssetBackedSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_CommercialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_ForeignGovernmentDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_USGovernmentAgenciesDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: