SCHEDULE III - SUPPLEMENTARY INSURANCE INFORMATION (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended									12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Supplementary insurance information
Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs and Value of Businesses Acquired	$ 3,225,356				$ 3,223,220	[1]				$ 3,225,356	$ 3,223,220	[1]	$ 3,063,409
Future Policy Benefits and Claims	21,626,065				20,867,727					21,626,065	20,867,727		18,530,265
Unearned Premiums	1,352,872				1,218,258					1,352,872	1,218,258		1,141,925
Stable Value Products, Annuity Contracts and Other Policyholders' Funds	13,736,007				14,262,874					13,736,007	14,262,874		14,245,762
Net Premiums and Policy Fees	352,127	369,462	371,601	396,103	353,083		373,429	355,869	337,839	1,489,293	1,420,220	[1]	1,228,645	[1]
Net Investment Income										1,789,338	1,753,444		1,624,845
Benefits and Settlement Expenses										2,317,121	2,222,220		2,076,392
Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisitions Costs and Value of Businesses Acquired										192,183	249,520	[1]	144,496	[1]
Other Operating Expenses										487,177	461,570		382,920
Premiums Written										209,418	205,076		193,735
Life Marketing
Supplementary insurance information
Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs and Value of Businesses Acquired	2,001,708				1,912,916					2,001,708	1,912,916		1,826,001
Future Policy Benefits and Claims	12,733,602				11,755,841					12,733,602	11,755,841		10,910,433
Unearned Premiums	698,862				589,027					698,862	589,027		520,589
Stable Value Products, Annuity Contracts and Other Policyholders' Funds	277,919				274,870					277,919	274,870		275,325
Net Premiums and Policy Fees										743,361	744,819		736,252
Net Investment Income										486,374	446,014		387,953
Benefits and Settlement Expenses										1,054,645	978,098		921,765
Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisitions Costs and Value of Businesses Acquired										45,079	87,461		47,809
Other Operating Expenses										31,816	32,258		34,855
Premiums Written										161	196		246
Acquisitions
Supplementary insurance information
Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs and Value of Businesses Acquired	679,746				824,277					679,746	824,277		810,681
Future Policy Benefits and Claims	7,666,423				7,804,207					7,666,423	7,804,207		6,241,033
Unearned Premiums	8,367				6,792					8,367	6,792		16,329
Stable Value Products, Annuity Contracts and Other Policyholders' Funds	3,514,838				3,669,366					3,514,838	3,669,366		3,857,946
Net Premiums and Policy Fees										459,835	414,823		246,698
Net Investment Income										550,334	529,261		458,703
Benefits and Settlement Expenses										716,893	662,293		512,433
Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisitions Costs and Value of Businesses Acquired										77,251	75,041		64,410
Other Operating Expenses										51,714	55,792		25,559
Premiums Written										29,874	22,386		766
Annuities
Supplementary insurance information
Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs and Value of Businesses Acquired	491,184				435,462					491,184	435,462		368,279
Future Policy Benefits and Claims	1,102,577				1,175,690					1,102,577	1,175,690		1,231,374
Unearned Premiums	103,316				103,314					103,316	103,314		93,609
Stable Value Products, Annuity Contracts and Other Policyholders' Funds	7,372,471				7,497,370					7,372,471	7,497,370		6,985,784
Net Premiums and Policy Fees										97,902	68,319		42,650
Net Investment Income										504,342	507,229		482,264
Benefits and Settlement Expenses										369,622	390,788		407,455
Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisitions Costs and Value of Businesses Acquired										45,319	57,201		76
Other Operating Expenses										100,848	84,996		68,106
Stable Value Products
Supplementary insurance information
Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs and Value of Businesses Acquired	1,399				2,347					1,399	2,347		6,903
Stable Value Products, Annuity Contracts and Other Policyholders' Funds	2,510,559				2,769,510					2,510,559	2,769,510		3,076,233
Net Investment Income										128,239	145,150		171,327
Benefits and Settlement Expenses										64,790	81,256		123,365
Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisitions Costs and Value of Businesses Acquired										947	4,556		5,430
Other Operating Expenses										2,174	2,557		3,325
Asset Protection
Supplementary insurance information
Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs and Value of Businesses Acquired	50,253				46,606					50,253	46,606		48,048
Future Policy Benefits and Claims	51,279				53,987					51,279	53,987		63,357
Unearned Premiums	540,766				517,274					540,766	517,274		509,273
Stable Value Products, Annuity Contracts and Other Policyholders' Funds	1,790				1,645					1,790	1,645		2,258
Net Premiums and Policy Fees										168,656	170,898		178,883
Net Investment Income										19,698	21,650		23,959
Benefits and Settlement Expenses										91,778	88,257		86,799
Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisitions Costs and Value of Businesses Acquired										22,569	22,607		25,077
Other Operating Expenses										170,034	154,831		133,454
Premiums Written										159,927	161,387		168,762
Corporate and Other
Supplementary insurance information
Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs and Value of Businesses Acquired	1,066				1,612					1,066	1,612		3,497
Future Policy Benefits and Claims	72,184				78,002					72,184	78,002		84,068
Unearned Premiums	1,561				1,851					1,561	1,851		2,125
Stable Value Products, Annuity Contracts and Other Policyholders' Funds	58,430				50,113					58,430	50,113		48,216
Net Premiums and Policy Fees										19,539	21,361		24,162
Net Investment Income										100,351	104,140		100,639
Benefits and Settlement Expenses										19,393	21,528		24,575
Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisitions Costs and Value of Businesses Acquired										1,018	2,654		1,694
Other Operating Expenses										130,591	131,136		117,621
Premiums Written										$ 19,456	$ 21,107		$ 23,961

[1] Recast from previously reported information