DEFERRED POLICY ACQUISITION COSTS AND VALUE OF BUSINESS ACQUIRED (Details 2) (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
Assets:
Deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired	$ 3,225,356				$ 3,223,220	[1]				$ 3,225,356		$ 3,223,220	[1]	$ 3,063,409
Total Assets	57,157,583				52,003,183	[1]				57,157,583		52,003,183	[1]
Liabilities:
Deferred income taxes	1,783,713				1,293,996	[1]				1,783,713		1,293,996	[1]
Total liabilities	51,470,370				47,125,833	[1]				51,470,370		47,125,833	[1]
Equity:
Retained earnings	2,507,829				2,456,293	[1]				2,507,829		2,456,293	[1]
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss):
Net unrealized gain (losses) on investments, net of income tax	1,818,608				1,096,079	[1]				1,818,608		1,096,079	[1]
Total Equity					4,877,350							4,877,350
Total liabilities and shareowner's equity	57,157,583				52,003,183	[1]				57,157,583		52,003,183	[1]
Expenses:
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired										192,183		249,520	[1]	144,496	[1]
Other operating expenses										487,177		461,570	[1]	382,920	[1]
Total benefits and expenses	728,313	757,507	749,974	760,687	725,470		775,941	726,214	705,685	2,996,481		2,933,310	[1]	2,603,808	[1]
Income before income tax	94,757	106,689	117,065	141,068	117,214		122,558	140,161	95,342	459,579		475,275	[1]	333,176	[1]
Income tax (benefit) expense	34,615	35,778	35,438	45,212	30,160		39,579	48,557	33,223	151,043		151,519	[1]	109,865	[1]
Net income	60,142	70,911	81,627	95,856	87,054		82,979	91,604	62,119	308,536	[1]	323,756	[1]	223,311	[1]
Cash flows from operating activities
Net income	60,142	70,911	81,627	95,856	87,054		82,979	91,604	62,119	308,536	[1]	323,756	[1]	223,311	[1]
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired										192,183		249,520	[1]	144,496	[1]
Capitalization of deferred policy acquisition costs										(311,960)		(355,033)	[1]	(348,730)	[1]
Deferred income tax										70,037		107,265	[1]	66,682	[1]
Other, net										13,920		118,311	[1]	(46,662)	[1]
Change to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities												325,508		39,097
Balances and changes in DAC
Balance, beginning of period				2,291,613					2,182,085	2,291,613		2,182,085
Capitalization of commissions, sales and issue expenses										311,959		355,033
Amortization										(105,447)		(159,329)
Change in unrealized investment gains and losses										(90,599)		(86,176)
Balance, end of period	2,407,526				2,291,613					2,407,526		2,291,613		2,182,085
Balances and changes in VOBA
Balance, beginning of period				931,607					881,324	931,607		881,324
Acquisitions												137,418
Amortization										(86,736)		(90,192)
Change in unrealized gains and losses										(27,041)		3,057
Balance, end of period	817,830				931,607					817,830		931,607		881,324
Expected amortization of VOBA for the next five years
2013										71,285
2014										63,386
2015										55,618
2016										50,957
2017										43,753
As originally reported
Assets:
Deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired					4,011,936							4,011,936
Total Assets					52,791,899							52,791,899
Liabilities:
Deferred income taxes					1,573,764							1,573,764
Total liabilities					47,405,601							47,405,601
Equity:
Retained earnings					2,984,466							2,984,466
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss):
Net unrealized gain (losses) on investments, net of income tax					1,076,854							1,076,854
Total Equity					5,386,298							5,386,298
Total liabilities and shareowner's equity					52,791,899							52,791,899
Expenses:
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired												300,450		189,255
Other operating expenses												373,964		284,070
Total benefits and expenses												2,896,634		2,549,717
Income before income tax												511,951		387,267
Income tax (benefit) expense												164,517		129,029
Net income												347,434		258,238
Cash flows from operating activities
Net income												347,434		258,238
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired												300,450		189,255
Capitalization of deferred policy acquisition costs												(442,638)		(446,560)
Deferred income tax												120,262		85,483
Other, net														(47,319)
Change to net cash (used in) provided by operating activities												325,508		39,097
ASU No. 2010-26 | Effect of Change
Assets:
Deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired					(788,716)							(788,716)
Total Assets					(788,716)							(788,716)
Liabilities:
Deferred income taxes					(279,768)							(279,768)
Total liabilities					(279,768)							(279,768)
Equity:
Retained earnings					(528,173)							(528,173)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss):
Net unrealized gain (losses) on investments, net of income tax					19,225							19,225
Total Equity					(508,948)							(508,948)
Total liabilities and shareowner's equity					(788,716)							(788,716)
Expenses:
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired												(50,930)		(44,759)
Other operating expenses												87,606		98,850
Total benefits and expenses												36,676		54,091
Income before income tax												(36,676)		(54,091)
Income tax (benefit) expense												(12,998)		(19,164)
Net income												(23,678)		(34,927)
Cash flows from operating activities
Net income												(23,678)		(34,927)
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired												(50,930)		(44,759)
Capitalization of deferred policy acquisition costs												87,605		97,830
Deferred income tax												(12,997)		(18,801)
Other, net														$ 657

[1] Recast from previously reported information