Commitments And Contingencies (Schedule Of Industry Concentrations Held In The Corporate Portfolio Based On Fair Value) (Details)	Dec. 31, 2011
Commitments And Contingencies [Abstract]
Insurance	18.00%
Electric utilities and services	17.00%
Banks	12.00%
Oil and gas extraction	6.00%
Pipelines	6.00%
Mining	4.00%
Transportation	3.00%
Telecommunication	3.00%
Chemicals	3.00%
Diversified financial services	2.00%

Proportion Of Banking Industry Concentration At Fair Value In Corporate Portfolio

No definition available.

Name:	tmk_ProportionOfBankingIndustryConcentrationAtFairValueInCorporatePortfolio
Namespace Prefix:	tmk_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Proportion Of Chemicals Industry Concentration At Fair Value In Corporate Portfolio

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	tmk_ProportionOfChemicalsIndustryConcentrationAtFairValueInCorporatePortfolio
Namespace Prefix:	tmk_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Proportion Of Diversified Financial Services Industry Concentration At Fair Value In Corporate Portfolio

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	tmk_ProportionOfDiversifiedFinancialServicesIndustryConcentrationAtFairValueInCorporatePortfolio
Namespace Prefix:	tmk_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Proportion Of Electric Industry Concentration At Fair Value In Corporate Portfolio

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	tmk_ProportionOfElectricIndustryConcentrationAtFairValueInCorporatePortfolio
Namespace Prefix:	tmk_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Proportion Of Insurance Industry Concentration At Fair Value In Corporate Portfolio

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	tmk_ProportionOfInsuranceIndustryConcentrationAtFairValueInCorporatePortfolio
Namespace Prefix:	tmk_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Proportion Of Mining Industry Concentration At Fair Value In Corporate Portfolio

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	tmk_ProportionOfMiningIndustryConcentrationAtFairValueInCorporatePortfolio
Namespace Prefix:	tmk_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Proportion Of Oil And Gas Industry Concentration At Fair Value In Corporate Portfolio

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	tmk_ProportionOfOilAndGasIndustryConcentrationAtFairValueInCorporatePortfolio
Namespace Prefix:	tmk_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Proportion Of Pipelines Industry Concentration At Fair Value In Corporate Portfolio

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	tmk_ProportionOfPipelinesIndustryConcentrationAtFairValueInCorporatePortfolio
Namespace Prefix:	tmk_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Proportion Of Telecommunications Industry Concentration At Fair Value In Corporate Portfolio

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	tmk_ProportionOfTelecommunicationsIndustryConcentrationAtFairValueInCorporatePortfolio
Namespace Prefix:	tmk_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Proportion Of Transportation Industry Concentration At Fair Value In Corporate Portfolio

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	tmk_ProportionOfTransportationIndustryConcentrationAtFairValueInCorporatePortfolio
Namespace Prefix:	tmk_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CommitmentsAndContingenciesDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration