FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (Details) - Successor - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	$ 37,481,901	$ 33,736,825
Total fixed maturity securities	39,435,064	35,507,098
Equity securities	699,686	699,925
Fair Value, Other long-term investments	673,817	323,570
Short-term investments	168,552	263,837
Assets related to separate accounts
Variable annuity	13,164,747	12,829,188
Variable universal life	868,818	827,610
Fixed maturities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	36,646,623	32,843,049
Trading securities	2,800,000	2,700,000
Residential mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,886,713	1,765,273
Commercial mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,683,226	1,285,864
Other asset-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,201,916	797,051
States, municipals, and political subdivisions
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,727,261	1,603,600
Other government-related securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	18,532	17,740
Corporate securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	28,724,022	25,778,657
Level 3 | Other asset-backed securities
Assets related to separate accounts
Total assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	554,230	587,031
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Assets:
Total fixed maturity securities	39,435,064	35,507,098
Equity securities	699,686	699,925
Fair Value, Other long-term investments	673,817	323,570
Short-term investments	168,552	263,837
Total investments	40,977,119	36,794,430
Cash	407,578	212,358
Assets related to separate accounts
Variable annuity	13,164,747	12,829,188
Variable universal life	868,818	827,610
Total assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	55,418,262	50,663,586
Liabilities:
Annuity account balances	88,857	92,512
Fair Value, Other Liabilities	846,911	522,225
Total liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	935,768	614,737
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Fixed maturities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	36,646,623	32,843,049
Trading securities	2,788,441	2,664,049
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Residential mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,886,713	1,765,273
Trading securities	264,142	286,658
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Commercial mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,683,226	1,285,864
Trading securities	157,152	146,743
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Other asset-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,201,916	797,051
Trading securities	263,213	275,423
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | U.S. government-related securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,311,179	1,532,177
Trading securities	36,878	238,347
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | States, municipals, and political subdivisions
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,727,261	1,603,600
Trading securities	340,983	313,354
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Other government-related securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	18,532	17,740
Trading securities	60,774	58,827
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Corporate securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	28,724,022	25,778,657
Trading securities	1,661,511	1,340,501
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Preferred Stock
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	93,774	62,687
Trading securities	3,788	4,196
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 1
Assets:
Total fixed maturity securities	1,180,569	1,333,895
Equity securities	633,160	620,358
Fair Value, Other long-term investments	316,007	113,699
Short-term investments	164,702	261,659
Total investments	2,294,438	2,329,611
Cash	407,578	212,358
Assets related to separate accounts
Variable annuity	13,164,747	12,829,188
Variable universal life	868,818	827,610
Total assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	16,735,581	16,198,767
Liabilities:
Annuity account balances	0	0
Fair Value, Other Liabilities	102,318	40,067
Total liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	102,318	40,067
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 1 | Fixed maturities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,144,638	1,097,509
Trading securities	35,931	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	1,070,116	1,054,353
Trading securities	32,143	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	74,522	43,073
Trading securities	3,788	2,794
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2
Assets:
Total fixed maturity securities	36,772,776	32,512,913
Equity securities	0	13,063
Fair Value, Other long-term investments	270,661	141,487
Short-term investments	3,850	2,178
Total investments	37,047,287	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	37,047,287	32,669,641
Liabilities:
Annuity account balances	0	0
Fair Value, Other Liabilities	139,766	106,310
Total liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	139,766	106,310
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | Fixed maturities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	34,171,798	30,256,387
Trading securities	2,600,978	2,256,526
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | Residential mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,886,710	1,765,270
Trading securities	264,142	286,658
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | Commercial mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,659,667	1,285,864
Trading securities	157,152	146,743
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | Other asset-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	648,687	210,020
Trading securities	117,380	122,511
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | U.S. government-related securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	241,063	477,824
Trading securities	4,735	4,755
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | States, municipals, and political subdivisions
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,727,261	1,603,600
Trading securities	340,983	313,354
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | Other government-related securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	18,532	17,740
Trading securities	60,774	58,827
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | Corporate securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	27,970,626	24,876,455
Trading securities	1,655,812	1,322,276
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | Preferred Stock
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	19,252	19,614
Trading securities	0	1,402
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 3
Assets:
Total fixed maturity securities	1,481,719	1,660,290
Equity securities	66,526	66,504
Fair Value, Other long-term investments	87,149	68,384
Short-term investments	0	0
Total investments	1,635,394	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	1,635,394	1,795,178
Liabilities:
Annuity account balances	88,857	92,512
Fair Value, Other Liabilities	604,827	375,848
Total liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	693,684	468,360
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 3 | Fixed maturities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	1,330,187	1,489,153
Trading securities	151,532	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	23,559	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	553,229	587,031
Trading securities	145,833	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	753,396	902,119
Trading securities	5,699	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