OPERATING SEGMENTS (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017
Summarized financial information for the company's segments
Revenues	$ 1,063,511	$ 1,047,356
Pre-tax Adjusted Operating Income (Loss)	65,152	109,293
Realized (losses) gains on investments and derivatives	(43,216)	(22,649)
Income before income tax	21,936	86,644
Income tax expense	(3,661)	(28,305)
Net income	18,275	58,339
Adjusted operating income tax (expense) benefit	(12,736)	(36,232)
After-tax adjusted operating income	52,416	73,061
Income tax benefit (expense) on adjustments	9,075	7,927
Realized investment (losses) gains:
Derivative financial instruments	46,826	(60,900)
All other investments	(87,551)	22,841
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings	(3,645)	(5,201)
Less: related amortization	9,156	(10,744)
Less: VA GLWB economic cost	(10,310)	(9,867)
Operating Segment Assets
Investments and other assets	73,634,249		$ 75,451,948
DAC and VOBA	2,439,189		2,205,401
Other intangibles	651,071		662,916
Goodwill	793,470		793,470
Total assets	77,517,979		79,113,735
Life Marketing
Summarized financial information for the company's segments
Revenues	403,882	397,072
Pre-tax Adjusted Operating Income (Loss)	(15,168)	20,077
Operating Segment Assets
Investments and other assets	14,754,579		14,917,752
DAC and VOBA	1,374,149		1,320,776
Other intangibles	276,853		281,705
Goodwill	200,274		200,274
Total assets	16,605,855		16,720,507
Acquisitions
Summarized financial information for the company's segments
Revenues	379,094	401,367
Pre-tax Adjusted Operating Income (Loss)	55,520	53,667
Operating Segment Assets
Investments and other assets	19,275,508		19,588,133
DAC and VOBA	90,466		74,862
Other intangibles	33,909		34,548
Goodwill	14,524		14,524
Total assets	19,414,407		19,712,067
Annuities
Summarized financial information for the company's segments
Revenues	85,795	109,856
Pre-tax Adjusted Operating Income (Loss)	30,168	42,061
Operating Segment Assets
Investments and other assets	20,503,773		20,774,566
DAC and VOBA	800,941		772,634
Other intangibles	166,784		170,117
Goodwill	336,677		336,677
Total assets	21,808,175		22,053,994
Stable Value Products
Summarized financial information for the company's segments
Revenues	53,868	40,843
Pre-tax Adjusted Operating Income (Loss)	29,080	23,899
Operating Segment Assets
Investments and other assets	4,571,793		4,569,639
DAC and VOBA	6,133		6,864
Other intangibles	7,889		8,056
Goodwill	113,813		113,813
Total assets	4,699,628		4,698,372
Asset Protection
Summarized financial information for the company's segments
Revenues	87,691	90,344
Pre-tax Adjusted Operating Income (Loss)	4,299	3,951
Operating Segment Assets
Investments and other assets	826,956		708,605
DAC and VOBA	167,500		30,265
Other intangibles	130,573		133,234
Goodwill	128,182		128,182
Total assets	1,253,211		1,000,286
Corporate and Other
Summarized financial information for the company's segments
Revenues	53,181	7,874
Pre-tax Adjusted Operating Income (Loss)	(38,747)	$ (34,362)
Operating Segment Assets
Investments and other assets	13,701,640		14,893,253
DAC and VOBA	0		0
Other intangibles	35,063		35,256
Goodwill	0		0
Total assets	$ 13,736,703		$ 14,928,509