FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (Details) - Successor - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	$ 35,379,427	$ 33,736,825
Total fixed maturity securities	37,027,831	35,507,098
Equity securities	687,006	699,925
Fair Value, Other long-term investments	448,380	323,570
Short-term investments	363,611	263,837
Assets related to separate accounts
Variable annuity	12,789,776	12,829,188
Variable universal life	819,259	827,610
Fixed maturities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	34,293,002	32,843,049
Trading securities	2,700,000	2,700,000
Residential mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,865,849	1,765,273
Commercial mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,457,529	1,285,864
Other asset-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	963,538	797,051
States, municipals, and political subdivisions
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,661,560	1,603,600
Other government-related securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	18,636	17,740
Corporate securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	26,824,047	25,778,657
Level 3 | Other asset-backed securities
Assets related to separate accounts
Total assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	530,374	587,031
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Assets:
Total fixed maturity securities	37,027,831	35,507,098
Equity securities	687,006	699,925
Fair Value, Other long-term investments	448,380	323,570
Short-term investments	363,611	263,837
Total investments	38,526,828	36,794,430
Cash	232,345	212,358
Assets related to separate accounts
Variable annuity	12,789,776	12,829,188
Variable universal life	819,259	827,610
Total assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	52,368,208	50,663,586
Liabilities:
Annuity account balances	90,123	92,512
Fair Value, Other Liabilities	659,444	522,225
Total liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	749,567	614,737
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Fixed maturities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	34,293,002	32,843,049
Trading securities	2,734,829	2,664,049
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Residential mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,865,849	1,765,273
Trading securities	279,763	286,658
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Commercial mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,457,529	1,285,864
Trading securities	150,744	146,743
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Other asset-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	963,538	797,051
Trading securities	280,268	275,423
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | U.S. government-related securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,438,880	1,532,177
Trading securities	192,591	238,347
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | States, municipals, and political subdivisions
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,661,560	1,603,600
Trading securities	325,347	313,354
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Other government-related securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	18,636	17,740
Trading securities	60,209	58,827
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Corporate securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	26,824,047	25,778,657
Trading securities	1,442,196	1,340,501
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Preferred Stock
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	62,963	62,687
Trading securities	3,711	4,196
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 1
Assets:
Total fixed maturity securities	1,326,684	1,333,895
Equity securities	620,502	620,358
Fair Value, Other long-term investments	181,093	113,699
Short-term investments	360,300	261,659
Total investments	2,488,579	2,329,611
Cash	232,345	212,358
Assets related to separate accounts
Variable annuity	12,789,776	12,829,188
Variable universal life	819,259	827,610
Total assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	16,329,959	16,198,767
Liabilities:
Annuity account balances	0	0
Fair Value, Other Liabilities	55,545	40,067
Total liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	55,545	40,067
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 1 | Fixed maturities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,135,776	1,097,509
Trading securities	190,908	236,386
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 1 | Residential mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	0	0
Trading securities	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 1 | Commercial mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	0	0
Trading securities	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 1 | Other asset-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	0	0
Trading securities	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 1 | U.S. government-related securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,092,324	1,054,353
Trading securities	187,753	233,592
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 1 | States, municipals, and political subdivisions
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	0	0
Trading securities	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 1 | Other government-related securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	0	0
Trading securities	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 1 | Corporate securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	0	83
Trading securities	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 1 | Preferred Stock
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	43,452	43,073
Trading securities	3,155	2,794
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2
Assets:
Total fixed maturity securities	34,173,216	32,512,913
Equity securities	0	13,063
Fair Value, Other long-term investments	210,239	141,487
Short-term investments	3,311	2,178
Total investments	34,386,766	32,669,641
Cash	0	0
Assets related to separate accounts
Variable annuity	0	0
Variable universal life	0	0
Total assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	34,386,766	32,669,641
Liabilities:
Annuity account balances	0	0
Fair Value, Other Liabilities	107,661	106,310
Total liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	107,661	106,310
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | Fixed maturities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	31,785,655	30,256,387
Trading securities	2,387,561	2,256,526
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | Residential mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,865,846	1,765,270
Trading securities	279,763	286,658
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | Commercial mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,457,529	1,285,864
Trading securities	150,744	146,743
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | Other asset-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	425,707	210,020
Trading securities	129,585	122,511
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | U.S. government-related securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	346,556	477,824
Trading securities	4,838	4,755
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | States, municipals, and political subdivisions
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,661,560	1,603,600
Trading securities	325,347	313,354
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | Other government-related securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	18,636	17,740
Trading securities	60,209	58,827
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | Corporate securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	25,990,310	24,876,455
Trading securities	1,436,519	1,322,276
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | Preferred Stock
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	19,511	19,614
Trading securities	556	1,402
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 3
Assets:
Total fixed maturity securities	1,527,931	1,660,290
Equity securities	66,504	66,504
Fair Value, Other long-term investments	57,048	68,384
Short-term investments	0	0
Total investments	1,651,483	1,795,178
Cash	0	0
Assets related to separate accounts
Variable annuity	0	0
Variable universal life	0	0
Total assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	1,651,483	1,795,178
Liabilities:
Annuity account balances	90,123	92,512
Fair Value, Other Liabilities	496,238	375,848
Total liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	586,361	468,360
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 3 | Fixed maturities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,371,571	1,489,153
Trading securities	156,360	171,137
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 3 | Residential mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	3	3
Trading securities	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 3 | Commercial mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	0	0
Trading securities	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 3 | Other asset-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	537,831	587,031
Trading securities	150,683	152,912
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 3 | U.S. government-related securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	0	0
Trading securities	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 3 | States, municipals, and political subdivisions
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	0	0
Trading securities	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 3 | Other government-related securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	0	0
Trading securities	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 3 | Corporate securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	833,737	902,119
Trading securities	5,677	18,225
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 3 | Preferred Stock
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	0	0
Trading securities	$ 0	$ 0