Business and Basis of Presentation (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
ASSETS
Total investments		$ 12,792,495			$ 12,792,495			$ 3,321,552
Cash and cash equivalents		8,194,666		$ 422	8,194,666	$ 422		536	$ 594
Deferred policy acquisition costs		4,047,054			4,047,054			749,302
Deferred sales inducements		918,309			918,309			452,752
TOTAL ASSETS		67,418,414			67,418,414			47,254,738
Increase (decrease) in Cash and cash equivalents					8,194,130	(172)
Increase (decrease) in Deferred policy acquisition costs					175,636	(316,574)
Increase (decrease) in Reinsurance recoverables					213,844	206,356
Increase (decrease) in Deferred sales inducements					(1,607)	872
LIABILITIES
Policyholders’ account balances		4,696,838			4,696,838			2,416,125
Future policy benefits		12,999,857			12,999,857			3,578,662
Income taxes		0			0			274,951
Other liabilities		639,972			639,972			100,401
TOTAL LIABILITIES		58,446,603			58,446,603			45,907,820
Increase (decrease) in Future policy benefits					(5,224)	193,776
Increase (decrease) in Income taxes					(912,339)	19,602
EQUITY
Additional paid-in capital		9,203,831			9,203,831			901,422
Retained earnings		(460,402)			(460,402)			396,830
Accumulated other comprehensive income		225,882			225,882			46,166
TOTAL EQUITY		8,971,811			8,971,811			1,346,918
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY		67,418,414			67,418,414			47,254,738
REVENUES
Premiums		(595)		7,887	847,493	25,189
Total realized investment gains (losses), net		(35,725)		5,687	(2,497,661)	10,006
Total revenues		719,984		268,802	28,517	853,619
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Policyholders’ benefits		8,933		(37,953)	(554,346)	(61,599)
TOTAL BENEFITS AND EXPENSES		149,248		(388,581)	(1,495,402)	(843,218)
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES		869,232		(119,779)	(1,466,885)	10,401
Income tax expense (benefit)		305,057		(14,953)	(577,639)	4,615
NET INCOME (LOSS)		564,175		$ (104,826)	(889,246)	5,786
Proceeds from Contributed Capital					781,125	$ 0
Prudential Financial
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Proceeds from Contributed Capital			$ 8,400,000
Reinsurance
ASSETS
Deferred policy acquisition costs		3,310,700			3,310,700			(73,864)
Deferred sales inducements		486,393			486,393			(39,253)
LIABILITIES
Policyholders’ account balances		2,513,030			2,513,030			0
Future policy benefits		8,185,926			8,185,926			0
Other liabilities		$ 323,294			323,294			$ 0
Variable Annuity | Items Effected By Recapture And Reinsurance Transactions
ASSETS
Total investments	$ 17,051,000						$ 3,343,000
Cash and cash equivalents	1,141,000						106,000
Deferred policy acquisition costs	3,671,000						537,000
Reinsurance recoverables	695,000						3,776,000
Deferred sales inducements	827,000						327,000
Income taxes	2,556,000						0
TOTAL ASSETS	64,546,000						46,694,000
LIABILITIES
Policyholders’ account balances	4,809,000						2,422,000
Future policy benefits	11,267,000						4,295,000
Debt	1,268,000						0
Other liabilities	744,000						114,000
TOTAL LIABILITIES	56,729,000						45,472,000
EQUITY
Additional paid-in capital	9,323,000						901,000
Retained earnings	(1,537,000)						254,000
Accumulated other comprehensive income	28,000						64,000
TOTAL EQUITY	7,817,000						1,222,000
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	64,546,000						$ 46,694,000
REVENUES
Premiums					832,000
Total realized investment gains (losses), net					(2,866,000)
Total revenues					(2,034,000)
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Policyholders’ benefits					522,000
General, administrative and other expenses					310,000
TOTAL BENEFITS AND EXPENSES					832,000
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES					(2,866,000)
Income tax expense (benefit)					(1,076,000)
NET INCOME (LOSS)					(1,790,000)
Variable Annuity | Items Effected By Recapture And Reinsurance Transactions | Pruco Re Purchase
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Fair Value			3,084,000
Book Value	3,100,000		3,084,000
APIC, Net of Tax Increase/(Decrease)			0
Realized Investment Gain/(Loss), Net			0
Derivative Gain/(Loss)			0
Variable Annuity | Items Effected By Recapture And Reinsurance Transactions | Pruco Life Purchase
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Fair Value			6,994,000
Book Value			6,994,000
APIC, Net of Tax Increase/(Decrease)			0
Realized Investment Gain/(Loss), Net			0
Derivative Gain/(Loss)			0
Variable Annuity | Items Effected By Recapture And Reinsurance Transactions | Prudential Financial Contributed Capital
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Fair Value			3,517,000
Book Value			3,517,000
APIC, Net of Tax Increase/(Decrease)			3,517,000
Realized Investment Gain/(Loss), Net			0
Derivative Gain/(Loss)			0
Variable Annuity | Recapture
ASSETS
Increase (decrease) in Total investments	3,084,000		3,100,000
Increase (decrease) in Cash and cash equivalents	11,000
Increase (decrease) in Deferred policy acquisition costs	0
Increase (decrease) in Reinsurance recoverables	(3,401,000)
Increase (decrease) in Deferred sales inducements	0
Increase (decrease) in Income taxes	115,000
Increase (decrease) in TOTAL ASSETS	(191,000)
LIABILITIES
Increase (decrease) in Policyholders' account balances	0
Increase (decrease) in Future policy benefits	0
Increase (decrease) in Debt	0
Increase (decrease) in Other liabilities	0
Increase (decrease) in Liabilities	0
EQUITY
Increase (decrease) in Additional paid-in capital	0
Increase (decrease) in Retained Earnings	(191,000)
Increase (decrease) in Accumulated other comprehensive income	0
Increase (decrease) in TOTAL EQUITY	(191,000)
Increase (decrease) in TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	(191,000)
Insurance Commissions			3,600,000
REVENUES
Premiums					0
Total realized investment gains (losses), net					(305,000)
Total revenues					(305,000)
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Policyholders’ benefits					0
General, administrative and other expenses					0
TOTAL BENEFITS AND EXPENSES					0
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES					(305,000)
Income tax expense (benefit)					(115,000)
NET INCOME (LOSS)					(190,000)
Variable Annuity | Recapture | Pruco Life
EQUITY
Repayments of Debt			1,100,000
Variable Annuity | Recapture | Pruco Re
ASSETS
Increase (decrease) in Reinsurance recoverables			3,400,000
Variable Annuity | Reinsurance
ASSETS
Increase (decrease) in Total investments	10,624,000
Increase (decrease) in Cash and cash equivalents	1,024,000
Increase (decrease) in Deferred policy acquisition costs	3,134,000
Increase (decrease) in Reinsurance recoverables	320,000
Increase (decrease) in Deferred sales inducements	500,000
Increase (decrease) in Income taxes	2,441,000
Increase (decrease) in TOTAL ASSETS	18,043,000
LIABILITIES
Increase (decrease) in Policyholders' account balances	2,387,000
Increase (decrease) in Future policy benefits	6,972,000
Increase (decrease) in Debt	1,268,000
Increase (decrease) in Other liabilities	630,000
Increase (decrease) in Liabilities	11,257,000
EQUITY
Increase (decrease) in Additional paid-in capital	8,422,000
Increase (decrease) in Retained Earnings	(1,600,000)
Increase (decrease) in Accumulated other comprehensive income	(36,000)
Increase (decrease) in TOTAL EQUITY	6,786,000
Increase (decrease) in TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	18,043,000
REVENUES
Premiums					832,000
Total realized investment gains (losses), net					(2,561,000)
Total revenues					(1,729,000)
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Policyholders’ benefits					522,000
General, administrative and other expenses					310,000
TOTAL BENEFITS AND EXPENSES					832,000
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES					(2,561,000)
Income tax expense (benefit)					(961,000)
NET INCOME (LOSS)					$ (1,600,000)
Variable Annuity | Reinsurance | Pruco Life Purchase
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Book Value	$ 7,100,000
Variable Annuity | Reinsurance | Pruco Life
ASSETS
Increase (decrease) in Total investments			7,100,000
Increase (decrease) in Reinsurance recoverables			9,400,000
EQUITY
Increase (Decrease) in Income Taxes Receivable			1,500,000
Fees and Commissions			2,500,000
Variable Annuity | Reinsurance | Prudential Financial
EQUITY
Increase (Decrease) in Income Taxes Receivable			1,500,000
Variable Annuity | Reinsurance | PAI
ASSETS
Increase (decrease) in Total investments			3,600,000
EQUITY
Increase (decrease) in Additional paid-in capital			$ 3,600,000