DEBT AND OTHER OBLIGATIONS (Details) (USD $)	6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		6 Months Ended					6 Months Ended							0 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013 Credit facility	Jun. 30, 2013 2012 Credit Facility Administrative agent's prime rate	Jun. 30, 2013 2012 Credit Facility Federal funds rate	Jun. 30, 2013 2012 Credit Facility LIBOR One-Month Rate	Jun. 30, 2013 Golden Gate Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate)	Jun. 30, 2013 Golden Gate Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate) Surplus Notes item	Jun. 30, 2013 Golden Gate Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate) Series A1 Surplus Notes	Jun. 30, 2013 Golden Gate Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate) Series A2 Surplus Notes	Jun. 30, 2013 Golden Gate Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate) Series A3 Surplus Notes	Jun. 30, 2013 Golden Gate II Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate II)	Jun. 30, 2013 Golden Gate II Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate II) Non Recourse funding obligations accruing interest at a rate of LIBOR plus 30 basis points	Jun. 30, 2013 Golden Gate II Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate II) Non Recourse funding obligations accruing interest at a rate of LIBOR plus 200 basis points	Jun. 30, 2013 PLC 2012 Credit Facility	Oct. 10, 2012 Golden Gate V and Red Mountain	Oct. 10, 2012 Red Mountain	Jun. 30, 2013 Red Mountain	Jun. 30, 2013 Golden Gate V
DEBT AND OTHER OBLIGATIONS
Line of credit, maximum borrowing capacity				$ 750,000,000
Line of credit, amount outstanding																360,000,000
Base of floating rate interest payments					Administrative Agent's prime rate	Federal Funds rate	one-month LIBOR							LIBOR	LIBOR	LIBOR
Interest rate added to the base rate (as a percent)						0.50%	1.00%							0.30%	2.00%	1.20%
Maximum principal amount up to which commitment under the Credit Facility can be increased				1,000,000,000
Number of series of Surplus Notes									3
Outstanding Surplus Notes									800,000,000	400,000,000	100,000,000	300,000,000
Interest rate on Surplus Notes (as a percent)										7.375%	8.00%	8.45%
Outstanding non-recourse funding obligations													575,000,000	275,000,000	300,000,000
Non-recourse funding obligations held by external parties													269,900,000
Non-recourse funding obligations held by nonconsolidated affiliates													72,000,000
Non-recourse funding obligations held by consolidated subsidiaries of the Company													233,100,000
Additional amount of obligations which can be issued under contingent approval													100,000,000
Transaction period of financing for reserves related to a block of universal life insurance policies with secondary guarantees																	20 years
Maximum amount to be financed for reserves related to a block of universal life insurance policies with secondary guarantees																	945,000,000
Initial principal amount of note for deposit to a reinsurance trust																		275,000,000
Maximum principal amount of note for deposit to a reinsurance trust																		945,000,000
Credit enhancement period for Red Mountain note																		20 years
Principal balance of note																			335,000,000
Maximum principal amount of non-recourse funding obligation																				945,000,000
Non-recourse funding obligations	1,476,900,000		1,446,900,000					800,000,000					341,900,000							335,000,000
Year-to-date weighted-average interest rate of non-recourse funding obligations (as a percent)													1.13%							6.25%
Repurchase of outstanding non-recourse funding obligations	5,000,000	91,700,000
Pre-tax gain on repurchase of debt	1,300,000	29,300,000
Repurchase Program Borrowings
Term of repurchase borrowings	90 days
Fair value of securities pledged under the repurchase program	356,100,000
Repurchase obligation	340,000,000		150,000,000
Average borrowing rate (as a percent)	0.08%
Maximum outstanding balance	645,100,000		425,000,000
Average daily balance	423,900,000		266,300,000
Average daily borrowing rate (as a percent)	0.12%		0.14%
Outstanding balance related to repurchase program borrowings			$ 150,000,000