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		$ 11,630,180		$ 11,630,180		$ 12,256,345
Cash and cash equivalents		3,378,271	$ 10,665,509	3,378,271	$ 10,665,509	1,848,039			$ 536
Deferred policy acquisition costs		4,762,337		4,762,337		4,344,361
Deferred sales inducements		1,099,850		1,099,850		978,823
Income tax receivable		2,202,612		2,202,612		1,978,607
TOTAL ASSETS		61,810,278		61,810,278		59,822,165
LIABILITIES
Policyholders’ account balances		4,703,511		4,703,511		4,736,889
Future policy benefits		10,308,756		10,308,756		8,686,196
Other liabilities		547,473		547,473		489,007
TOTAL LIABILITIES		54,805,747		54,805,747		52,732,435
Ceding commissions				663	107
EQUITY
Additional paid-in capital		7,995,436		7,995,436		8,095,436
Retained earnings		(831,483)		(831,483)		(693,258)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)		(161,922)		(161,922)		(314,948)
TOTAL EQUITY		7,004,531		7,004,531		7,089,730
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY		61,810,278		61,810,278		59,822,165
REVENUES
Premiums		17,334	842,597	36,161	848,087
Total realized investment gains (losses), net		(1,507,074)	(2,447,694)	(1,497,589)	(2,461,936)
TOTAL REVENUES		(726,666)	(892,563)	40,003	(691,468)
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Policyholders’ benefits		49,422	539,603	66,195	563,279
General, administrative and other expenses		282,218	542,453	551,611	609,232
TOTAL BENEFITS AND EXPENSES		(165,242)	1,215,062	221,699	1,644,652
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES		(561,424)	(2,107,625)	(181,696)	(2,336,120)
Income tax expense (benefit)		(160,841)	(791,395)	(43,471)	(877,225)
NET INCOME (LOSS)		(400,583)	$ (1,316,230)	(138,225)	$ (1,458,895)
Impacts of Reinsurance
ASSETS
Deferred policy acquisition costs		3,873,306		3,873,306		3,557,248
Deferred sales inducements		580,729		580,729		520,182
LIABILITIES
Policyholders’ account balances		2,689,017		2,689,017		2,576,357
Future policy benefits		6,360,118		6,360,118		5,130,753
Other liabilities		$ 351,772		$ 351,772		$ 335,713
Variable Annuity
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 tax receivable							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
Short-term and Long-term 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 (loss)							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)	(1,075,000)
NET INCOME (LOSS)	(1,791,000)
Variable Annuity | Impacts of Recapture
ASSETS
Total investments							3,084,000
Cash and cash equivalents							11,000
Deferred policy acquisition costs							0
Reinsurance recoverables							(3,401,000)
Deferred sales inducements							0
Income tax receivable							115,000
TOTAL ASSETS							(191,000)
LIABILITIES
Policyholders’ account balances							0
Future policy benefits							0
Short-term and Long-term debt							0
Other liabilities							0
TOTAL LIABILITIES							0
EQUITY
Additional paid-in capital							0
Retained earnings							(191,000)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)							0
TOTAL EQUITY							(191,000)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY							(191,000)
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)	(114,000)
NET INCOME (LOSS)	(191,000)
Variable Annuity | Impacts of Reinsurance
ASSETS
Total investments							10,624,000
Cash and cash equivalents							1,024,000
Deferred policy acquisition costs							3,134,000
Reinsurance recoverables							320,000
Deferred sales inducements							500,000
Income tax receivable							2,441,000
TOTAL ASSETS							18,043,000
LIABILITIES
Policyholders’ account balances							2,387,000
Future policy benefits							6,972,000
Short-term and Long-term debt							1,268,000
Other liabilities							630,000
TOTAL LIABILITIES							11,257,000
EQUITY
Additional paid-in capital							8,422,000
Retained earnings							(1,600,000)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)							(36,000)
TOTAL EQUITY							6,786,000
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)
Pruco Re | Variable Annuity | Impacts of Recapture
ASSETS
Reinsurance recoverables							(3,400,000)
Asset Transfer							3,100,000
PAI | Variable Annuity | Impacts of Recapture
ASSETS
Current taxes receivable							1,500,000
PAI | Variable Annuity | Impacts of Reinsurance
ASSETS
Non-cash capital contributions							3,600,000
Current taxes receivable							1,500,000
EQUITY
Additional paid-in capital							3,600,000
Pruco Life | Variable Annuity | Impacts of Recapture
ASSETS
Reinsurance recoverables							9,400,000
Asset Transfer							$ 7,100,000
LIABILITIES
Ceding commissions	3,600,000
Pruco Life | Variable Annuity | Impacts of Reinsurance
LIABILITIES
Ceding commissions	2,500,000
Reassignment of debt | Pruco Life | Variable Annuity | Impacts of Recapture
LIABILITIES
Ceding commissions	$ 1,100,000