OPERATING SEGMENTS (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($) numberOfSegments	Mar. 31, 2019 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Summarized financial information for the company's segments
Number of operating segments | numberOfSegments	6
Revenues	$ 1,684,886	$ 1,364,805
Pre-tax Adjusted Operating Income (Loss)	57,882	108,806
Realized gains (losses) and adjustments	33,591	67,921
Income before income tax	91,473	176,727
Income tax expense	(17,508)	(34,629)
Net income	73,965	142,098
Adjusted operating income tax expense	(10,454)	(20,365)
After-tax adjusted operating income	47,428	88,441
Income tax (expense) benefit on adjustments	(7,054)	(14,264)
Realized gains (losses) and adjustments:
Derivative financial instruments	238,140	(73,308)
Investments	(276,251)	126,386
Less: related amortization	(58,426)	(4,361)
Less: VA GLWB economic cost	(13,276)	(10,482)
Net investment income	752,980	641,422
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired	53,963	30,373
Operating Segment Assets
Investments and other assets	110,337,119		$ 115,549,177
DAC and VOBA	3,760,783		3,519,555
Other intangibles	574,158		583,426
Goodwill	825,511		825,511
Total assets	115,497,571		120,477,669
Retail Life and Annuity
Summarized financial information for the company's segments
Revenues	776,644	592,754
Pre-tax Adjusted Operating Income (Loss)	(12,320)	47,012
Realized gains (losses) and adjustments:
Net investment income	252,419	230,898
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired	(13,756)	14,948
Operating Segment Assets
Investments and other assets	35,487,628		37,448,239
DAC and VOBA	2,606,704		2,416,616
Other intangibles	392,895		401,178
Goodwill	558,501		558,501
Total assets	39,045,728		40,824,534
Acquisitions
Summarized financial information for the company's segments
Revenues	799,601	609,942
Pre-tax Adjusted Operating Income (Loss)	75,125	74,912
Realized gains (losses) and adjustments:
Net investment income	416,427	324,511
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired	51,961	(1,076)
Operating Segment Assets
Investments and other assets	52,420,826		54,074,450
DAC and VOBA	978,587		924,090
Other intangibles	35,518		36,321
Goodwill	23,862		23,862
Total assets	53,458,793		55,058,723
Stable Value Products
Summarized financial information for the company's segments
Revenues	36,602	59,579
Pre-tax Adjusted Operating Income (Loss)	25,325	22,239
Realized gains (losses) and adjustments:
Net investment income	62,670	57,621
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired	797	873
Operating Segment Assets
Investments and other assets	5,760,834		5,317,885
DAC and VOBA	4,424		5,221
Other intangibles	6,556		6,722
Goodwill	113,924		113,924
Total assets	5,885,738		5,443,752
Asset Protection
Summarized financial information for the company's segments
Revenues	72,489	73,195
Pre-tax Adjusted Operating Income (Loss)	10,627	8,849
Realized gains (losses) and adjustments:
Net investment income	7,215	6,802
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired	14,961	15,628
Operating Segment Assets
Investments and other assets	866,728		878,386
DAC and VOBA	171,068		173,628
Other intangibles	109,360		112,032
Goodwill	129,224		129,224
Total assets	1,276,380		1,293,270
Corporate and Other
Summarized financial information for the company's segments
Revenues	(450)	29,335
Pre-tax Adjusted Operating Income (Loss)	(40,875)	(44,206)
Realized gains (losses) and adjustments:
Net investment income	14,249	21,590
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired	0	$ 0
Operating Segment Assets
Investments and other assets	15,801,103		17,830,217
DAC and VOBA	0		0
Other intangibles	29,829		27,173
Goodwill	0		0
Total assets	$ 15,830,932		$ 17,857,390