INVESTMENT OPERATIONS (Details 4) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		8 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) position	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) position	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Fair Value
Less Than 12 Months		$ 30,050,957		$ 30,050,957
Total		30,050,957		30,050,957
Unrealized Loss
Less Than 12 Months		(2,270,480)		(2,270,480)
Total		$ (2,270,480)		$ (2,270,480)
Total positions that were in an unrealized loss position | position		2,433		2,433
Available-for-sale securities, fair value		$ 33,737,408		$ 33,737,408
Available-for-sale securities, amortized cost		35,956,626		35,956,626
Below investment grade
Unrealized Loss
Available-for-sale securities, fair value		1,500,000		1,500,000
Available-for-sale securities, amortized cost		1,600,000		1,600,000
Securities in trading portfolio		302,100		302,100
Securities not publicly traded		973,400		973,400
Fixed maturities:
Unrealized Loss
Available-for-sale securities, fair value		32,891,202		32,891,202
Available-for-sale securities, amortized cost		35,102,494		35,102,494
Securities in trading portfolio		2,700,000		2,700,000
Change in unrealized gains (losses), net of income tax		(54,274)		(1,437,340)
Residential mortgage-backed securities
Fair Value
Less Than 12 Months		884,032		884,032
Total		884,032		884,032
Unrealized Loss
Less Than 12 Months		(14,565)		(14,565)
Total		(14,565)		(14,565)
Available-for-sale securities, fair value		1,615,822		1,615,822
Available-for-sale securities, amortized cost		1,617,048		1,617,048
Commercial mortgage-backed securities
Fair Value
Less Than 12 Months		1,104,282		1,104,282
Total		1,104,282		1,104,282
Unrealized Loss
Less Than 12 Months		(18,970)		(18,970)
Total		(18,970)		(18,970)
Available-for-sale securities, fair value		1,276,615		1,276,615
Available-for-sale securities, amortized cost		1,293,603		1,293,603
Other asset-backed securities
Fair Value
Less Than 12 Months		704,678		704,678
Total		704,678		704,678
Unrealized Loss
Less Than 12 Months		(23,743)		(23,743)
Total		(23,743)		(23,743)
Percentage of underlying collateral including student-loan backed auction rate securities guaranteed by the Federal Family Education Loan Program ("FFELP"), minimum						97.00%
Available-for-sale securities, fair value		793,014		793,014
Available-for-sale securities, amortized cost		815,437		815,437
U.S. government-related securities
Fair Value
Less Than 12 Months		1,359,161		1,359,161
Total		1,359,161		1,359,161
Unrealized Loss
Less Than 12 Months		(15,543)		(15,543)
Total		(15,543)		(15,543)
Available-for-sale securities, fair value		1,617,472		1,617,472
Available-for-sale securities, amortized cost		1,631,826		1,631,826
Other government-related securities
Fair Value
Less Than 12 Months		18,884		18,884
Total		18,884		18,884
Unrealized Loss
Less Than 12 Months		(476)		(476)
Total		(476)		(476)
Available-for-sale securities, fair value		18,884		18,884
Available-for-sale securities, amortized cost		19,360		19,360
States, municipals, and political subdivisions
Fair Value
Less Than 12 Months		1,567,309		1,567,309
Total		1,567,309		1,567,309
Unrealized Loss
Less Than 12 Months		(119,823)		(119,823)
Total		(119,823)		(119,823)
Available-for-sale securities, fair value		1,613,485		1,613,485
Available-for-sale securities, amortized cost		1,732,549		1,732,549
Corporate securities
Fair Value
Less Than 12 Months		23,902,127		23,902,127
Total		23,902,127		23,902,127
Unrealized Loss
Less Than 12 Months		(2,064,349)		(2,064,349)
Total		(2,064,349)		(2,064,349)
Available-for-sale securities, fair value		25,893,798		25,893,798
Available-for-sale securities, amortized cost		27,928,309		27,928,309
Preferred stocks
Fair Value
Less Than 12 Months		62,112		62,112
Total		62,112		62,112
Unrealized Loss
Less Than 12 Months		(2,250)		(2,250)
Total		(2,250)		(2,250)
Available-for-sale securities, fair value		62,112		62,112
Available-for-sale securities, amortized cost		64,362		64,362
Equity securities
Fair Value
Less Than 12 Months		448,372		448,372
Total		448,372		448,372
Unrealized Loss
Less Than 12 Months		(10,761)		(10,761)
Total		(10,761)		(10,761)
Available-for-sale securities, fair value		678,043		678,043
Available-for-sale securities, amortized cost		685,969		685,969
Securities in trading portfolio		6,700		6,700
Change in unrealized gains (losses), net of income tax		$ 2,385		$ (5,152)
Predecessor
Fair Value
Less Than 12 Months						$ 2,232,805
12 Months or More						1,904,974
Total						4,137,779
Unrealized Loss
Less Than 12 Months						(96,859)
12 Months or More						(116,560)
Total						(213,419)
Available-for-sale securities, fair value						34,824,298
Available-for-sale securities, amortized cost						31,763,413
Predecessor | Fixed maturities:
Unrealized Loss
Available-for-sale securities, fair value						33,937,420
Available-for-sale securities, amortized cost						30,898,028
Securities in trading portfolio						2,800,000
Change in unrealized gains (losses), net of income tax	$ 669,160		$ (143,278)		$ 1,004,483
Predecessor | Residential mortgage-backed securities
Fair Value
Less Than 12 Months						165,877
12 Months or More						67,301
Total						233,178
Unrealized Loss
Less Than 12 Months						(9,547)
12 Months or More						(2,717)
Total						(12,264)
Available-for-sale securities, fair value						1,418,258
Available-for-sale securities, amortized cost						1,374,141
Predecessor | Commercial mortgage-backed securities
Fair Value
Less Than 12 Months						49,908
12 Months or More						102,529
Total						152,437
Unrealized Loss
Less Than 12 Months						(334)
12 Months or More						(2,030)
Total						(2,364)
Available-for-sale securities, fair value						1,177,252
Available-for-sale securities, amortized cost						1,119,979
Predecessor | Other asset-backed securities
Fair Value
Less Than 12 Months						108,665
12 Months or More						537,488
Total						646,153
Unrealized Loss
Less Than 12 Months						(6,473)
12 Months or More						(29,477)
Total						(35,950)
Available-for-sale securities, fair value						839,376
Available-for-sale securities, amortized cost						857,365
Predecessor | U.S. government-related securities
Fair Value
Less Than 12 Months						231,917
12 Months or More						280,803
Total						512,720
Unrealized Loss
Less Than 12 Months						(3,868)
12 Months or More						(5,414)
Total						(9,282)
Available-for-sale securities, fair value						1,428,895
Available-for-sale securities, amortized cost						1,394,028
Predecessor | Other government-related securities
Unrealized Loss
Available-for-sale securities, fair value						20,172
Available-for-sale securities, amortized cost						16,939
Predecessor | States, municipals, and political subdivisions
Fair Value
Less Than 12 Months						1,905
12 Months or More						10,481
Total						12,386
Unrealized Loss
Less Than 12 Months						(134)
12 Months or More						(297)
Total						(431)
Available-for-sale securities, fair value						1,687,689
Available-for-sale securities, amortized cost						1,391,526
Predecessor | Corporate securities
Fair Value
Less Than 12 Months						1,657,103
12 Months or More						776,863
Total						2,433,966
Unrealized Loss
Less Than 12 Months						(76,285)
12 Months or More						(62,690)
Total						(138,975)
Available-for-sale securities, fair value						27,365,778
Available-for-sale securities, amortized cost						24,744,050
Predecessor | Equity securities
Fair Value
Less Than 12 Months						17,430
12 Months or More						129,509
Total						146,939
Unrealized Loss
Less Than 12 Months						(218)
12 Months or More						(13,935)
Total						(14,153)
Available-for-sale securities, fair value						735,306
Available-for-sale securities, amortized cost						713,813
Securities in trading portfolio						$ 21,500
Change in unrealized gains (losses), net of income tax	$ 12,172		$ (3,784)		$ 29,220