Business and Basis of Presentation Business and Basis of Presentation (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended								6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Jun. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
ASSETS
Total Investments		$ 12,256,345				$ 3,321,552						$ 12,256,345	$ 3,321,552
Cash and Cash Equivalents		1,848,039				536						1,848,039	536	$ 594	$ 1,417
Deferred policy acquisition costs		4,344,361				749,302						4,344,361	749,302	1,114,431	1,345,504
Reinsurance recoverables		588,608				3,088,328						588,608	3,088,328
Deferred sales inducements		978,823				452,752						978,823	452,752	665,207	$ 809,247
TOTAL ASSETS		59,822,165				47,254,738						59,822,165	47,254,738
Increase (decrease) in Cash and cash equivalent												1,847,503	(58)	(823)
Increase (decrease) in Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs												449,496	(381,480)	(235,612)
Increase (decrease) in Reinsurance Recoverable					$ 63,764					$ (264,403)	$ (207,509)	(199,107)	270,868	273,480
Increase (decrease) in Deferred Sales Inducements												1,805	(38,380)	11,515
Liabilities:
Policyholders’ account balances		4,736,889				2,416,125						4,736,889	2,416,125
Future policy benefits		8,686,196				3,578,662						8,686,196	3,578,662
Other liabilities		489,007				100,401						489,007	100,401
TOTAL LIABILITIES		52,732,435				45,907,820						52,732,435	45,907,820
Future policy benefits										315,248	530,380	759,604	238,052	324,284
EQUITY
Additional paid-in capital		8,095,436				901,422						8,095,436	901,422
Retained earnings/(accumulated deficit)		(693,258)				396,830						(693,258)	396,830
Accumulated other comprehensive income		(314,948)				46,166						(314,948)	46,166
TOTAL EQUITY		7,089,730				1,346,918						7,089,730	1,346,918
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY		59,822,165				47,254,738						59,822,165	47,254,738
REVENUES
Premiums												896,839	9,787	34,903
Realized investment gains (losses), net												(3,442,760)	6,052	7,368
Total revenues		(181,460)	$ 719,985	$ (892,563)	201,095	219,952	$ 268,802	$ 279,135	$ 305,682			(152,943)	1,073,571	1,240,228
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Policyholders’ benefits												(604,057)	(60,461)	(137,135)
Total benefits and expenses		(122,236)	149,250	(1,215,062)	(429,590)	(65,421)	(388,581)	(122,886)	(331,751)			(1,617,638)	(908,639)	(980,857)
Total income tax expense (benefit)												(680,493)	(8,285)	8,604
Net income (loss)		(200,842)	$ 569,649	(1,316,230)	(142,665)	167,431	$ (104,826)	$ 131,914	$ (21,302)			(1,090,088)	173,217	250,767
Contributed capital											$ 860,573	860,573	0	$ 0
Prudential Financial
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Contributed capital				8,400,000
Reinsurance
ASSETS
Deferred policy acquisition costs		3,557,248				(73,864)						3,557,248	(73,864)
Deferred sales inducements		520,182				(39,253)						520,182	(39,253)
Liabilities:
Policyholders’ account balances		2,576,357				0						2,576,357	0
Future policy benefits		5,130,753				0						5,130,753	0
Other liabilities		$ 335,713				$ 0						335,713	$ 0
Variable Annuity | Items Effected By Recapture And Reinsurance Transactions [Member]
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/(accumulated deficit)	(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
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)
Total income tax expense (benefit)												(1,075,000)
Net income (loss)												(1,791,000)
Variable Annuity | Items Effected By Recapture And Reinsurance Transactions [Member] | Pruco Re Purchase
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Fair Value				3,084,000						3,084,000
Book Value	3,100,000			3,084,000						3,084,000
Additional Paid-in Capital, Net of Tax Increase/ (Decrease)				0						0
Realized Investment Gain/ (Loss), Net of Tax				0
Variable Annuity | Items Effected By Recapture And Reinsurance Transactions [Member] | Pruco Life Purchase
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Fair Value				6,994,000						6,994,000
Book Value				6,994,000						6,994,000
Additional Paid-in Capital, Net of Tax Increase/ (Decrease)				0						0
Realized Investment Gain/ (Loss), Net of Tax				0
Variable Annuity | Items Effected By Recapture And Reinsurance Transactions [Member] | Prudential Financial Capital Contribution
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Fair Value				3,517,000						3,517,000
Book Value				3,517,000						3,517,000
Additional Paid-in Capital, Net of Tax Increase/ (Decrease)				3,517,000						$ 3,517,000
Realized Investment Gain/ (Loss), Net of Tax				0
Variable Annuity | Recapture
ASSETS
Increase (decrease) in Total Investments	3,084,000			3,100,000
Increase (decrease) in Cash and cash equivalent	11,000
Increase (decrease) in Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs	0
Increase (decrease) in Reinsurance Recoverable	(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
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
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)
Total income tax expense (benefit)												(114,000)
Net income (loss)												(191,000)
Variable Annuity | Recapture | Pruco Life
EQUITY
Repayments of Debt				1,100,000
Variable Annuity | Recapture | Pruco Re
ASSETS
Increase (decrease) in Reinsurance Recoverable				3,400,000
Variable Annuity | Reinsurance
ASSETS
Increase (decrease) in Total Investments	10,624,000
Increase (decrease) in Cash and cash equivalent	1,024,000
Increase (decrease) in Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs	3,134,000
Increase (decrease) in Reinsurance Recoverable	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
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
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)
Total 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 Recoverable				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