Document and Entity Information	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Aug. 10, 2012
Document And Entity Information
Entity Registrant Name	PHL VARIABLE INSURANCE CO /CT/
Entity Central Index Key	0001031223
Document Type	10-Q
Document Period End Date	Jun. 30, 2012
Amendment Flag	false
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Is Entity a Well-known Seasoned Issuer?	No
Is Entity a Voluntary Filer?	No
Is Entity's Reporting Status Current?	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		500
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q2
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2012