FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS - Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on Recurring Basis (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	$ 51,688,233	$ 49,898,408
Fixed maturity securities - trading	2,537,299	2,457,010
Total fixed maturity securities	53,574,677	51,679,226
Equity securities	581,376	557,708
Other long-term investments	561,937	414,827
Short-term investments	641,648	666,301
Assets related to separate accounts
Variable annuity	12,737,450	12,288,919
Variable universal life	1,041,397	937,732
Fixed maturities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	51,081,216	49,263,033
Fixed maturity securities - trading	2,493,461	2,416,192
Residential mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	3,899,531	3,602,991
Fixed maturity securities - trading	213,259	241,836
Commercial mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	2,324,098	2,266,387
Fixed maturity securities - trading	209,482	188,925
Other asset-backed securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	1,362,611	1,391,893
Fixed maturity securities - trading	149,541	159,907
States, municipals, and political subdivisions
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	3,691,664	3,588,841
Fixed maturity securities - trading	292,796	286,413
Other government-related securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	522,125	514,036
Fixed maturity securities - trading	23,640	44,207
Corporate securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	37,786,258	36,201,578
Fixed maturity securities - trading	1,533,256	1,423,833
Level 3 \| Other asset-backed securities
Assets:
Total investments	419,915	421,458
Level 3 \| Corporate securities
Assets:
Total investments	648,608	631,068
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Assets:
Total fixed maturity securities	53,574,678	51,679,225
Equity securities	581,376	557,708
Other long-term investments	561,937	414,827
Short-term investments	641,648	666,301
Total investments	55,359,639	53,318,061
Cash	217,554	151,400
Assets related to separate accounts
Variable annuity	12,737,450	12,288,919
Variable universal life	1,041,397	937,732
Total assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	69,356,040	66,696,112
Liabilities:
Annuity account balances	74,613	76,119
Other liabilities	882,987	658,788
Total liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	957,600	734,907
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Fixed maturities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	51,081,217	49,263,033
Fixed maturity securities - trading	2,493,461	2,416,192
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Residential mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	3,899,531	3,602,991
Fixed maturity securities - trading	213,259	241,836
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Commercial mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	2,324,098	2,266,387
Fixed maturity securities - trading	209,482	188,925
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Other asset-backed securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	1,362,611	1,391,893
Fixed maturity securities - trading	149,541	159,907
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| U.S. government-related securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	1,411,106	1,614,505
Fixed maturity securities - trading	59,627	59,794
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| States, municipals, and political subdivisions
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	3,691,664	3,588,841
Fixed maturity securities - trading	292,796	286,413
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Other government-related securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	522,126	514,036
Fixed maturity securities - trading	23,640	44,207
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Corporate securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	37,786,258	36,201,578
Fixed maturity securities - trading	1,533,256	1,423,833
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Redeemable preferred stocks
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	83,823	82,802
Fixed maturity securities - trading	11,860	11,277
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 1
Assets:
Total fixed maturity securities	1,016,527	1,089,751
Equity securities	517,967	494,287
Other long-term investments	68,379	83,047
Short-term investments	546,912	589,084
Total investments	2,149,785	2,256,169
Cash	217,554	151,400
Assets related to separate accounts
Variable annuity	12,737,450	12,288,919
Variable universal life	1,041,397	937,732
Total assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	16,146,186	15,634,220
Liabilities:
Annuity account balances	0	0
Other liabilities	18,581	56,018
Total liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	18,581	56,018
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 1 \| Fixed maturities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	977,787	1,051,021
Fixed maturity securities - trading	38,740	38,730
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 1 \| Residential mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	0	0
Fixed maturity securities - trading	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 1 \| Commercial mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	0	0
Fixed maturity securities - trading	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 1 \| Other asset-backed securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	0	0
Fixed maturity securities - trading	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 1 \| U.S. government-related securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	911,137	985,485
Fixed maturity securities - trading	26,880	27,453
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 1 \| States, municipals, and political subdivisions
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	0	0
Fixed maturity securities - trading	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 1 \| Other government-related securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	0	0
Fixed maturity securities - trading	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 1 \| Corporate securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	0	0
Fixed maturity securities - trading	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 1 \| Redeemable preferred stocks
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	66,650	65,536
Fixed maturity securities - trading	11,860	11,277
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 2
Assets:
Total fixed maturity securities	51,417,717	49,497,258
Equity securities	0	0
Other long-term investments	359,864	180,438
Short-term investments	94,736	77,217
Total investments	51,872,317	49,754,913
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	51,872,317	49,754,913
Liabilities:
Annuity account balances	0	0
Other liabilities	257,751	164,643
Total liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	257,751	164,643
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 2 \| Fixed maturities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	49,034,731	47,152,094
Fixed maturity securities - trading	2,382,986	2,345,164
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 2 \| Residential mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	3,899,531	3,602,991
Fixed maturity securities - trading	213,259	241,836
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 2 \| Commercial mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	2,324,098	2,266,387
Fixed maturity securities - trading	209,482	188,925
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 2 \| Other asset-backed securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	942,520	970,251
Fixed maturity securities - trading	83,057	133,851
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 2 \| U.S. government-related securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	499,969	629,020
Fixed maturity securities - trading	32,747	32,341
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 2 \| States, municipals, and political subdivisions
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	3,691,664	3,588,841
Fixed maturity securities - trading	292,796	286,413
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 2 \| Other government-related securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	522,126	514,036
Fixed maturity securities - trading	23,640	44,207
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 2 \| Corporate securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	37,137,650	35,563,302
Fixed maturity securities - trading	1,528,005	1,417,591
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 2 \| Redeemable preferred stocks
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	17,173	17,266
Fixed maturity securities - trading	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 3
Assets:
Total fixed maturity securities	1,140,434	1,092,216
Equity securities	63,409	63,421
Other long-term investments	133,694	151,342
Short-term investments	0	0
Total investments	1,337,537	1,306,979
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	1,337,537	1,306,979
Liabilities:
Annuity account balances	74,613	76,119
Other liabilities	606,655	438,127
Total liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	681,268	514,246
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 3 \| Fixed maturities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	1,068,699	1,059,918
Fixed maturity securities - trading	71,735	32,298
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 3 \| Residential mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	0	0
Fixed maturity securities - trading	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 3 \| Commercial mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	0	0
Fixed maturity securities - trading	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 3 \| Other asset-backed securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	420,091	421,642
Fixed maturity securities - trading	66,484	26,056
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 3 \| U.S. government-related securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	0	0
Fixed maturity securities - trading	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 3 \| States, municipals, and political subdivisions
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	0	0
Fixed maturity securities - trading	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 3 \| Other government-related securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	0	0
Fixed maturity securities - trading	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 3 \| Corporate securities
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	648,608	638,276
Fixed maturity securities - trading	5,251	6,242
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis \| Level 3 \| Redeemable preferred stocks
Assets:
Fixed maturity securities - available-for-sale	0	0
Fixed maturity securities - trading	$ 0	$ 0

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