SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012 item	Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Valuation of investment securities
Number of primary sources of information used for determining fair value	1
Total number of primary sources of information available for determining fair value	3
Other-than-temporary impairments of investments recorded	$ 67,130,000	$ 62,210,000	[1]	$ 74,970,000	[1]
Other-than-temporary impairments of investments recorded in earnings	(58,144,000)	(47,321,000)	[1]	(41,364,000)	[1]
Other-than-temporary impairments of investments recorded in other comprehensive income (loss)	(8,986,000)	(14,889,000)	[1]	(33,606,000)	[1]
Cash
Negative balances due to outstanding checks and drafts	$ 96,600,000	$ 900,000
Deferred policy acquisition costs
Interest rate assumptions to compute liabilities for future policy benefits, low end of the range (as a percent)	1.00%
Interest rate assumptions to compute liabilities for future policy benefits, high end of the range (as a percent)	7.95%
Value of business acquired
Maximum percentage of accrued interest credited to account balances in case of interest sensitive products	8.75%

[1] Recast from previously reported information