OPERATING SEGMENTS (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								9 Months Ended					3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011		Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2012 Life Marketing	Sep. 30, 2011 Life Marketing	Sep. 30, 2012 Life Marketing	Sep. 30, 2011 Life Marketing	Dec. 31, 2011 Life Marketing	Sep. 30, 2012 Acquisitions	Sep. 30, 2011 Acquisitions	Sep. 30, 2012 Acquisitions	Sep. 30, 2011 Acquisitions	Dec. 31, 2011 Acquisitions	Sep. 30, 2012 Annuities	Sep. 30, 2011 Annuities	Sep. 30, 2012 Annuities	Sep. 30, 2011 Annuities	Dec. 31, 2011 Annuities	Sep. 30, 2012 Stable Value Products	Sep. 30, 2011 Stable Value Products	Sep. 30, 2012 Stable Value Products	Sep. 30, 2011 Stable Value Products	Dec. 31, 2011 Stable Value Products	Sep. 30, 2012 Asset Protection	Sep. 30, 2011 Asset Protection	Sep. 30, 2012 Asset Protection	Sep. 30, 2011 Asset Protection	Dec. 31, 2011 Asset Protection	Sep. 30, 2012 Corporate and Other	Sep. 30, 2011 Corporate and Other	Mar. 31, 2011 Corporate and Other	Sep. 30, 2012 Corporate and Other	Sep. 30, 2011 Corporate and Other	Dec. 31, 2011 Corporate and Other	Sep. 30, 2012 Adjustments	Dec. 31, 2011 Adjustments
Summarized financial information for the Company's segments
Pre-tax earnings relating to settlement of a dispute																																									$ 8,500,000
Revenues	864,196,000						898,499,000	[1]	2,632,990,000	2,565,901,000	[1]			313,170,000	304,964,000	938,920,000	906,340,000		251,550,000	273,066,000	812,355,000	715,960,000		140,563,000	182,901,000	460,822,000	466,087,000		26,933,000	45,248,000	96,374,000	136,587,000		75,217,000	72,104,000	222,984,000	211,876,000		56,763,000	20,216,000		101,535,000	129,051,000
Segment Operating Income (Loss)	92,988,000						92,524,000		340,277,000	303,337,000				27,885,000	11,620,000	87,678,000	61,597,000		46,155,000	44,028,000	128,869,000	115,848,000		9,041,000	19,924,000	72,864,000	55,405,000		13,050,000	14,217,000	41,654,000	42,554,000		2,825,000	4,142,000	10,171,000	12,184,000		(5,968,000)	(1,407,000)		(959,000)	15,749,000
Realized investment (losses) gains - investments	120,723,000						121,577,000		193,649,000	184,678,000
Realized investment (losses) gains - derivatives	(107,022,000)						(91,543,000)		(169,104,000)	(129,954,000)
Income tax expense	(35,778,000)						(39,579,000)	[1]	(116,428,000)	(121,359,000)	[1]
Net income	70,911,000	[1]	81,627,000	[1]	95,856,000	[1]	82,979,000	[1]	248,394,000	236,702,000	[1]
Realized gain (losses) on investments
Realized investment (losses) gains - investments, gross	113,977,000						129,325,000		185,301,000	189,222,000
Less: related amortization of DAC	(6,746,000)						7,748,000		(8,348,000)	4,544,000
Realized investment (losses) gains - investments	120,723,000						121,577,000		193,649,000	184,678,000
Realized gain (losses) on derivatives
Realized investment gains (losses) - derivatives, gross	(116,663,000)						(97,445,000)	[1]	(194,340,000)	(145,354,000)	[1]
Less: derivative activity related to certain annuities	(9,641,000)						(5,902,000)		(25,236,000)	(15,400,000)
Realized investment (losses) gains - derivatives	(107,022,000)						(91,543,000)		(169,104,000)	(129,954,000)
Other-than-temporary impairments	8,499,000						9,777,000	[1]	40,537,000	24,875,000	[1]
Operating Segment Assets
Investments and other assets	52,419,606,000								52,419,606,000			48,693,092,000		11,864,887,000		11,864,887,000		10,885,785,000	11,401,071,000		11,401,071,000		11,471,856,000	17,087,855,000		17,087,855,000		14,945,002,000	2,326,726,000		2,326,726,000		2,767,163,000	741,435,000		741,435,000		707,181,000	8,978,347,000			8,978,347,000		7,894,614,000	19,285,000	21,491,000
Deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired	3,191,377,000								3,191,377,000			3,223,220,000	[1]	1,983,432,000		1,983,432,000		1,912,916,000	698,467,000		698,467,000		824,277,000	458,025,000		458,025,000		435,462,000	1,511,000		1,511,000		2,347,000	48,761,000		48,761,000		46,606,000	1,181,000			1,181,000		1,612,000
Goodwill	84,547,000								84,547,000			86,871,000	[1]						36,389,000		36,389,000		38,713,000											48,158,000		48,158,000		48,158,000
Total Assets	$ 55,695,530,000								$ 55,695,530,000			$ 52,003,183,000	[1]	$ 13,848,319,000		$ 13,848,319,000		$ 12,798,701,000	$ 12,135,927,000		$ 12,135,927,000		$ 12,334,846,000	$ 17,545,880,000		$ 17,545,880,000		$ 15,380,464,000	$ 2,328,237,000		$ 2,328,237,000		$ 2,769,510,000	$ 838,354,000		$ 838,354,000		$ 801,945,000	$ 8,979,528,000			$ 8,979,528,000		$ 7,896,226,000	$ 19,285,000	$ 21,491,000

[1] Recast from previously reported information