FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (Details 3) (Level 3, USD $)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012
Unobservable Input
Financial instruments that are valued using broker quotes	74,100,000
Financial instruments with book value approximating to fair value	69,600,000
Other asset-backed securities
Unobservable Input
Financial instruments that are valued using broker quotes	74,100,000
Equity securities
Unobservable Input
FHLB stock	65,300,000
Other fixed maturity securities
Unobservable Input
Financial instruments with book value approximating to fair value	4,300,000
Embedded derivatives - GMWB
Valuation of Level 3 Financial Instruments
Fair Value of Liabilities	179,273,000
Embedded derivatives - GMWB | Actuarial cash flow model | Low end of range
Unobservable Input
Lapse (as a percent)	0.00%
Utilization (as a percent)	93.00%
Non-performance risk (as a percent)	0.31%
Embedded derivatives - GMWB | Actuarial cash flow model | High end of range
Unobservable Input
Lapse (as a percent)	24.00%
Utilization (as a percent)	100.00%
Non-performance risk (as a percent)	1.60%
Embedded derivatives - GMWB | Actuarial cash flow model | Weighted Average
Unobservable Input
Mortality (as a percent)	57.00%
Annuity account balances
Valuation of Level 3 Financial Instruments
Fair Value of Liabilities	134,569,000
Annuity account balances | Actuarial cash flow model | Low end of range
Unobservable Input
Lapse (as a percent)	2.20%
Non-performance risk (as a percent)	0.31%
Expenses per policy	88
Return on assets (as a percent)	1.50%
Annuity account balances | Actuarial cash flow model | High end of range
Unobservable Input
Lapse (as a percent)	45.00%
Non-performance risk (as a percent)	1.60%
Expenses per policy	108
Return on assets (as a percent)	1.85%
Annuity account balances | Actuarial cash flow model | Weighted Average
Unobservable Input
Mortality (as a percent)	64.00%
Asset earned rate (as a percent)	5.81%
Withdrawal rate (as a percent)	2.20%
Asset-backed securities
Valuation of Level 3 Financial Instruments
Fair Value of Assets	589,638,000
Asset-backed securities | Discounted cash flow | Low end of range
Unobservable Input
Liquidity premium (as a percent)	0.56%
Paydown rate (as a percent)	8.48%
Asset-backed securities | Discounted cash flow | High end of range
Unobservable Input
Liquidity premium (as a percent)	1.66%
Paydown rate (as a percent)	15.81%
Asset-backed securities | Discounted cash flow | Weighted Average
Unobservable Input
Liquidity premium (as a percent)	1.16%
Paydown rate (as a percent)	10.36%
Other government securities
Valuation of Level 3 Financial Instruments
Fair Value of Assets	20,005,000
Other government securities | Discounted cash flow | Weighted Average
Unobservable Input
Spread over treasury (as a percent)	0.05%
Corporate bonds
Valuation of Level 3 Financial Instruments
Fair Value of Assets	148,613,000
Corporate bonds | Discounted cash flow | Low end of range
Unobservable Input
Spread over treasury (as a percent)	0.20%
Corporate bonds | Discounted cash flow | High end of range
Unobservable Input
Spread over treasury (as a percent)	4.02%
Corporate bonds | Discounted cash flow | Weighted Average
Unobservable Input
Spread over treasury (as a percent)	0.77%