DEBT AND OTHER OBLIGATIONS - Non-Recourse Funding Obligations (Details)			1 Months Ended	8 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
	Jan. 15, 2016 USD ($)	Oct. 10, 2012 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) reinsurer
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Non-recourse funding obligation, carrying value	$ 1,150,000,000
Financing Arrangement with Golden Gate and Syndicate if Risk Takers
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Term of financing agreement	18 years
Financing capacity under the arrangement	$ 2,188,000,000.000
Golden Gate | Non-recourse Funding Obligations Series
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding non-recourse funding obligations	800,000,000
Golden Gate | Surplus Notes | Steel City Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of debt issued	2,188,000,000.000
Steel City | Surplus Notes | Golden Gate Surplus Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount of debt issued	$ 2,188,000,000.000
Golden Gate V and Red Mountain
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Transaction period of financing for reserves related to a block of universal life insurance policies with secondary guarantees		20 years
Maximum amount to be financed for reserves related to a block of universal life insurance policies with secondary guarantees		$ 945,000,000
Red Mountain
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum amount to be financed for reserves related to a block of universal life insurance policies with secondary guarantees		945,000,000
Initial principal amount of note for deposit to a reinsurance trust		$ 275,000,000
Successor
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding non-recourse funding obligations repurchased at a discount				$ (50,000,000)	$ (2,173,700,000)
Non-recourse funding obligations					2,978,052,000	$ 1,951,563,000
Successor | Golden Gate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Payments made under the agreements					0
Successor | Golden Gate | Steel City Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding non-recourse funding obligations					$ 2,135,000,000
Fixed interest rate (as a percent)					4.75%
Successor | Golden Gate | Non-recourse Funding Obligations Series
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding non-recourse funding obligations						800,000,000
Successor | Golden Gate | Series A1 Non-recourse Funding Obligation
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding non-recourse funding obligations						$ 400,000,000
Fixed interest rate (as a percent)						7.375%
Successor | Golden Gate | Series A2 Non-recourse Funding Obligation
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding non-recourse funding obligations						$ 100,000,000
Fixed interest rate (as a percent)						8.00%
Successor | Golden Gate | Series A3 Non-recourse Funding Obligation
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding non-recourse funding obligations						$ 300,000,000
Fixed interest rate (as a percent)						8.45%
Successor | Golden Gate | Surplus Notes | Steel City Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt					$ 2,135,000,000
Successor | Golden Gate Captive Insurance Company
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Non-recourse funding obligations					$ 2,135,000,000
Non-recourse funding obligation, year-to-date weighted-average interest rate					4.75%
Successor | Golden Gate Captive Insurance Company | Non Recourse Funding Obligations
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of series of non-recourse funding obligations | reinsurer						3
Successor | Golden Gate I I
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Nonrecourse Funding Obligations, Outstanding Principal					$ 278,949,000
Outstanding non-recourse funding obligations					575,000,000
Non-recourse funding obligations held by external parties					58,600,000
Non-recourse funding obligations held by nonconsolidated affiliates					220,300,000
Non-recourse funding obligations held by consolidated subsidiaries of the Company					296,100,000
Payments made under the agreements					0
Amount of collateralized support agreement obligations by PLC					1,500,000
Outstanding non-recourse funding obligations repurchased at a discount				$ 0	11,300,000
Non-recourse funding obligations					$ 227,124,000
Non-recourse funding obligation, year-to-date weighted-average interest rate					1.28%
Successor | Golden Gate V and Red Mountain
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Payments made under the agreements					$ 0
Successor | Red Mountain
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Initial principal amount of note for deposit to a reinsurance trust					550,000,000
Future scheduled capital contributions to prefund credit enhancements fees amount					134,200,000
Successor | Golden Gate V
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Nonrecourse Funding Obligations, Outstanding Principal					550,000,000
Outstanding non-recourse funding obligations					$ 550,000,000
Fixed interest rate (as a percent)					6.25%
Maximum amount to be financed for reserves related to a block of universal life insurance policies with secondary guarantees					$ 945,000,000
Non-recourse funding obligations					$ 613,447,000
Non-recourse funding obligation, year-to-date weighted-average interest rate					5.12%
Successor | MONY
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Nonrecourse Funding Obligations, Outstanding Principal					$ 1,091,000
Non-recourse funding obligations					$ 2,481,000
Non-recourse funding obligation, year-to-date weighted-average interest rate					6.19%
Predecessor
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding non-recourse funding obligations repurchased at a discount			$ 0
Predecessor | Golden Gate I I
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Outstanding non-recourse funding obligations repurchased at a discount			$ 0