DEBT AND OTHER OBLIGATIONS (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		3 Months Ended					3 Months Ended					0 Months Ended			3 Months Ended				3 Months Ended		3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2014 Credit facility	Mar. 31, 2014 2012 Credit Facility Administrative agent's prime rate	Mar. 31, 2014 2012 Credit Facility Federal funds rate	Mar. 31, 2014 2012 Credit Facility LIBOR One-Month Rate	Mar. 31, 2014 Golden Gate Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate)	Mar. 31, 2014 Golden Gate Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate) Surplus Notes item	Mar. 31, 2014 Golden Gate Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate) Series A1 Surplus Notes	Mar. 31, 2014 Golden Gate Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate) Series A2 Surplus Notes	Mar. 31, 2014 Golden Gate Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate) Series A3 Surplus Notes	Mar. 31, 2014 Golden Gate II Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate II)	Mar. 31, 2014 PLC 2012 Credit Facility	Oct. 10, 2012 Golden Gate V and Red Mountain	Oct. 10, 2012 Red Mountain	Mar. 31, 2014 Red Mountain	Mar. 31, 2014 Golden Gate V	Mar. 31, 2014 Golden Gate III Vermont Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate III) item	Aug. 07, 2013 Golden Gate III Vermont Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate III)	Apr. 23, 2010 Golden Gate III Vermont Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate III)	Mar. 31, 2014 Golden Gate IV Vermont Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate IV)	Dec. 10, 2010 Golden Gate IV Vermont Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate IV)	Mar. 31, 2014 MONY Life Insurance Company
DEBT AND OTHER OBLIGATIONS
Line of credit, maximum borrowing capacity				$ 750,000,000
Line of credit, amount outstanding														410,000,000
Base of floating rate interest payments					Administrative Agent's prime rate	Federal Funds rate	one-month LIBOR							LIBOR
Interest rate added to the base rate (as a percent)						0.50%	1.00%							1.20%
Line of credit, maximum borrowing capacity to be granted upon entity's request				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
Fixed interest rate on Surplus Notes (as a percent)										7.375%	8.00%	8.45%
Outstanding non-recourse funding obligations													575,000,000
Non-recourse funding obligations held by external parties													194,900,000
Non-recourse funding obligations held by nonconsolidated affiliates													133,000,000
Non-recourse funding obligations held by consolidated subsidiaries of the Company													247,100,000
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																	385,000,000
Future scheduled capital contributions to prefund credit enhancements fees amount																		144,300,000
Payments made under the agreements													0					0	0			0
Maximum principal amount of non-recourse funding obligation																		945,000,000
Non-recourse funding obligations	1,515,437,000		1,495,448,000					800,000,000					327,900,000					385,000,000						2,537,000
Year-to-date weighted-average interest rate of non-recourse funding obligations (as a percent)								7.86%					1.12%					6.25%						6.63%
Repurchase of outstanding non-recourse funding obligations		5,000,000
Pre-tax gain on repurchase of debt		1,300,000
Maximum LOC borrowing capacity																			715,000,000	710,000,000	505,000,000	715,000,000	270,000,000
Maximum stated amount up to which LOC may be increased prior to amendment																				610,000,000
Maximum stated amount up to which LOC may be increased																			720,000,000	720,000,000		790,000,000
Letter of credit term																			13 years 6 months			12 years
Future scheduled capital contributions amount																			102,500,000
Number of installments for payment of capital contributions amount																			2
Repurchase Program Borrowings
Term of repurchase borrowings	90 days
Fair value of securities pledged under the repurchase program	522,200,000
Repurchase obligation	475,000,000		350,000,000
Average borrowing rate (as a percent)	0.09%
Maximum outstanding balance	613,300,000		815,000,000
Average daily balance	$ 477,200,000		$ 496,900,000
Average daily borrowing rate (as a percent)	0.10%		0.11%