INVESTMENT OPERATIONS (Details 2) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	8 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as available-for-sale
Amortized Cost	$ 35,956,626
Gross Unrealized Gains	51,262
Gross Unrealized Losses	(2,270,480)
Fair Value	33,737,408
Total OTTI Recognized in OCI	(4,792)
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as held-to-maturity
Fair Value	518,363
Amortized Cost, Held-to-maturity
Total	579,329
Fair Value, Held-to-maturity
Fair Value	518,363
Fixed maturities:
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as available-for-sale
Amortized Cost	35,102,494
Gross Unrealized Gains	48,427
Gross Unrealized Losses	(2,259,719)
Fair Value	32,891,202
Total OTTI Recognized in OCI	(4,792)
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as held-to-maturity
Amortized Cost	579,329
Gross Unrealized Losses	(60,966)
Fair Value	518,363
Trading securities	2,700,000
Amortized Cost, Available-for-sale
Due in one year or less	830,760
Due after one year through five years	5,907,186
Due after five years through ten years	7,683,133
Due after ten years	20,681,415
Total	35,102,494
Fair Value, Available-for-sale
Due in one year or less	830,346
Due after one year through five years	5,863,235
Due after five years through ten years	7,495,785
Due after ten years	18,701,836
Total	32,891,202
Amortized Cost, Held-to-maturity
Due after ten years	579,329
Total	579,329
Fair Value, Held-to-maturity
Due after ten years	518,363
Fair Value	518,363
Residential mortgage-backed securities
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as available-for-sale
Amortized Cost	1,617,048
Gross Unrealized Gains	13,339
Gross Unrealized Losses	(14,565)
Fair Value	1,615,822
Commercial mortgage-backed securities
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as available-for-sale
Amortized Cost	1,293,603
Gross Unrealized Gains	1,982
Gross Unrealized Losses	(18,970)
Fair Value	1,276,615
Other asset-backed securities
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as available-for-sale
Amortized Cost	815,437
Gross Unrealized Gains	1,320
Gross Unrealized Losses	(23,743)
Fair Value	793,014
U.S. government-related securities
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as available-for-sale
Amortized Cost	1,631,826
Gross Unrealized Gains	1,189
Gross Unrealized Losses	(15,543)
Fair Value	1,617,472
Other government-related securities
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as available-for-sale
Amortized Cost	19,360
Gross Unrealized Losses	(476)
Fair Value	18,884
States, municipals, and political subdivisions
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as available-for-sale
Amortized Cost	1,732,549
Gross Unrealized Gains	759
Gross Unrealized Losses	(119,823)
Fair Value	1,613,485
Total OTTI Recognized in OCI	50
Corporate securities
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as available-for-sale
Amortized Cost	27,928,309
Gross Unrealized Gains	29,838
Gross Unrealized Losses	(2,064,349)
Fair Value	25,893,798
Total OTTI Recognized in OCI	(4,842)
Preferred stocks
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as available-for-sale
Amortized Cost	64,362
Gross Unrealized Losses	(2,250)
Fair Value	62,112
Other.
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as held-to-maturity
Amortized Cost	579,329
Gross Unrealized Losses	(60,966)
Fair Value	518,363
Fair Value, Held-to-maturity
Fair Value	518,363
Equity securities
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as available-for-sale
Amortized Cost	685,969
Gross Unrealized Gains	2,835
Gross Unrealized Losses	(10,761)
Fair Value	678,043
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as held-to-maturity
Trading securities	6,700
Short-term investments
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as available-for-sale
Amortized Cost	168,163
Fair Value	168,163
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as held-to-maturity
Trading securities	$ 65,200
Predecessor
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as available-for-sale
Amortized Cost		$ 31,763,413
Gross Unrealized Gains		3,274,304
Gross Unrealized Losses		(213,419)
Fair Value		34,824,298
Total OTTI Recognized in OCI		6,309
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as held-to-maturity
Gross Unrealized Losses		0
Fair Value		485,422
Amortized Cost, Held-to-maturity
Total		435,000
Fair Value, Held-to-maturity
Fair Value		485,422
Predecessor | Fixed maturities:
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as available-for-sale
Amortized Cost		30,898,028
Gross Unrealized Gains		3,238,658
Gross Unrealized Losses		(199,266)
Fair Value		33,937,420
Total OTTI Recognized in OCI		6,309
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as held-to-maturity
Amortized Cost		435,000
Gross Unrealized Gains		50,422
Fair Value		485,422
Trading securities		2,800,000
Fair Value, Held-to-maturity
Fair Value		485,422
Predecessor | Residential mortgage-backed securities
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as available-for-sale
Amortized Cost		1,374,141
Gross Unrealized Gains		56,381
Gross Unrealized Losses		(12,264)
Fair Value		1,418,258
Total OTTI Recognized in OCI		6,404
Predecessor | Commercial mortgage-backed securities
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as available-for-sale
Amortized Cost		1,119,979
Gross Unrealized Gains		59,637
Gross Unrealized Losses		(2,364)
Fair Value		1,177,252
Predecessor | Other asset-backed securities
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as available-for-sale
Amortized Cost		857,365
Gross Unrealized Gains		17,961
Gross Unrealized Losses		(35,950)
Fair Value		839,376
Total OTTI Recognized in OCI		(95)
Predecessor | U.S. government-related securities
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as available-for-sale
Amortized Cost		1,394,028
Gross Unrealized Gains		44,149
Gross Unrealized Losses		(9,282)
Fair Value		1,428,895
Predecessor | Other government-related securities
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as available-for-sale
Amortized Cost		16,939
Gross Unrealized Gains		3,233
Fair Value		20,172
Predecessor | States, municipals, and political subdivisions
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as available-for-sale
Amortized Cost		1,391,526
Gross Unrealized Gains		296,594
Gross Unrealized Losses		(431)
Fair Value		1,687,689
Predecessor | Corporate securities
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as available-for-sale
Amortized Cost		24,744,050
Gross Unrealized Gains		2,760,703
Gross Unrealized Losses		(138,975)
Fair Value		27,365,778
Predecessor | Other.
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as held-to-maturity
Amortized Cost		435,000
Gross Unrealized Gains		50,422
Fair Value		485,422
Fair Value, Held-to-maturity
Fair Value		485,422
Predecessor | Equity securities
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as available-for-sale
Amortized Cost		713,813
Gross Unrealized Gains		35,646
Gross Unrealized Losses		(14,153)
Fair Value		735,306
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as held-to-maturity
Trading securities		21,500
Predecessor | Short-term investments
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as available-for-sale
Amortized Cost		151,572
Fair Value		151,572
Amortized cost and fair value of the Company's investments classified as held-to-maturity
Trading securities		$ 95,100