Business and Basis of Presentation (Variable Annuities Recapture Affected Financial Statement Lines) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Apr. 01, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
ASSETS
Total investments		$ 8,669,516		$ 8,669,516		$ 8,367,590
Cash and cash equivalents		106,822	$ 326,812	106,822	$ 326,812	96,157			$ 370,286
Deferred policy acquisition costs		1,380,368		1,380,368		1,341,093
Other Assets		292,213		292,213		279,222
TOTAL ASSETS		165,681,703		165,681,703		155,665,990
Ceding commissions				73,450	(62,525)
LIABILITIES
Income taxes		157,368		157,368		97,400
Other Liabilities		1,048,663		1,048,663		849,698
TOTAL LIABILITIES		162,705,636		162,705,636		153,169,187
EQUITY
Retained earnings		1,826,502		1,826,502		1,437,266
Accumulated other comprehensive income		155,128		155,128		70,975
TOTAL EQUITY		2,976,067		2,976,067		2,496,803
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY		165,681,703		165,681,703		155,665,990
REVENUES
Premiums		17,077	(852,092)	22,834	(834,177)
Realized Investment Gains (Losses)		276,590	860,462	244,011	915,613
TOTAL REVENUES		270,721	140,925	481,680	932,318
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Policyholders’ benefits		(204,017)	(472,610)	(132,530)	(371,880)
General, administrative and other expenses		49,585	(133,138)	106,404	103,814
TOTAL BENEFITS AND EXPENSES		(67,282)	(588,114)	122,056	575,586
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES		338,003	729,039	359,624	356,732
Income tax expense (benefit)		(11,161)	5,055	(29,612)	(39,053)
NET INCOME (LOSS)		349,164	723,984	389,236	395,785
Impacts of Reinsurance
ASSETS
Deferred policy acquisition costs		6,855,073		6,855,073		6,482,889
Deferred sales inducements		684,452		684,452		615,117
Other Assets		243,994		243,994		226,347
LIABILITIES
Other Liabilities		$ 379,104		$ 379,104		$ 410,376
Variable Annuity
ASSETS
Total investments							$ 7,149,000	$ 10,702,000
Cash and cash equivalents							508,000	496,000
Deferred policy acquisition costs							1,116,000	4,565,000
Reinsurance recoverables							28,736,000	24,781,000
Deferred sales inducements							0	550,000
Other Assets							305,000	94,000
Income taxes							23,000	0
TOTAL ASSETS							148,508,000	151,859,000
LIABILITIES
Income taxes							108,000	91,000
Short-term and long-term debt to affiliates							1,000	1,385,000
Other Liabilities							870,000	870,000
TOTAL LIABILITIES							146,187,000	147,554,000
EQUITY
Retained earnings							1,432,000	3,337,000
Accumulated other comprehensive income							101,000	180,000
TOTAL EQUITY							2,321,000	4,305,000
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY							148,508,000	$ 151,859,000
REVENUES
Premiums	$ (880,000)
Realized Investment Gains (Losses)	805,000
TOTAL REVENUES	(75,000)
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Policyholders’ benefits	(547,000)
General, administrative and other expenses	(211,000)
TOTAL BENEFITS AND EXPENSES	(758,000)
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES	683,000
Income tax expense (benefit)	(6,000)
NET INCOME (LOSS)	689,000
Variable Annuity | Impacts of Recapture
ASSETS
Total investments							4,166,000
Cash and cash equivalents							0
Deferred policy acquisition costs							0
Reinsurance recoverables							(6,312,000)
Deferred sales inducements							0
Other Assets							0
Income taxes							0
TOTAL ASSETS							(2,146,000)
LIABILITIES
Income taxes							17,000
Short-term and long-term debt to affiliates							0
Other Liabilities							0
TOTAL LIABILITIES							17,000
EQUITY
Retained earnings							(2,163,000)
Accumulated other comprehensive income							0
TOTAL EQUITY							(2,163,000)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY							(2,146,000)
REVENUES
Premiums	0
Realized Investment Gains (Losses)	(2,146,000)
TOTAL REVENUES	(2,146,000)
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Policyholders’ benefits	0
General, administrative and other expenses	0
TOTAL BENEFITS AND EXPENSES	0
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES	(2,146,000)
Income tax expense (benefit)	17,000
NET INCOME (LOSS)	(2,163,000)
Variable Annuity | Impacts of Reinsurance
ASSETS
Total investments							(7,719,000)
Cash and cash equivalents							12,000
Deferred policy acquisition costs							(3,449,000)
Reinsurance recoverables							10,267,000
Deferred sales inducements							(550,000)
Other Assets							211,000
Income taxes							23,000
TOTAL ASSETS							(1,205,000)
LIABILITIES
Income taxes							0
Short-term and long-term debt to affiliates							(1,384,000)
Other Liabilities							0
TOTAL LIABILITIES							(1,384,000)
EQUITY
Retained earnings							258,000
Accumulated other comprehensive income							(79,000)
TOTAL EQUITY							179,000
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY							(1,205,000)
REVENUES
Premiums	(880,000)
Realized Investment Gains (Losses)	2,951,000
TOTAL REVENUES	2,071,000
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Policyholders’ benefits	(547,000)
General, administrative and other expenses	(211,000)
TOTAL BENEFITS AND EXPENSES	(758,000)
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES	2,829,000
Income tax expense (benefit)	(23,000)
NET INCOME (LOSS)	2,852,000
PALAC and Prudential Insurance | Variable Annuity | Impacts of Recapture
ASSETS
Reinsurance recoverables							10,300,000
PALAC and Prudential Insurance | Variable Annuity | Impacts of Reinsurance
ASSETS
Asset transfer							(7,700,000)
Pruco Re | Variable Annuity | Impacts of Recapture
ASSETS
Reinsurance recoverables							6,300,000
Asset transfer							4,200,000
PALAC | Variable Annuity | Impacts of Recapture
ASSETS
Asset transfer			(7,000,000)		(7,000,000)
Ceding commissions	3,600,000
Prudential Insurance | Variable Annuity | Impacts of Recapture
ASSETS
Asset transfer			$ (700,000)		$ (700,000)
Ceding commissions	400,000
Reassignment of debt | PALAC | Variable Annuity | Impacts of Recapture
ASSETS
Ceding commissions	1,100,000
Reassignment of debt | Prudential Insurance | Variable Annuity | Impacts of Recapture
ASSETS
Ceding commissions	$ 100,000
Dividends | Prudential Insurance | Variable Annuity | Impacts of Recapture
EQUITY
Retained earnings							$ 2,800,000