Business and Basis of Presentation (Variable Annuities Recapture Affected Financial Statement Lines) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Apr. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016	Apr. 01, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
ASSETS
Total investments			$ 12,152,746		$ 12,152,746		$ 12,256,345
Cash and cash equivalents			2,774,478	$ 8,194,666	2,774,478	$ 8,194,666	1,848,039			$ 536
Deferred policy acquisition costs			4,559,234		4,559,234		4,344,361
Deferred sales inducements			1,027,819		1,027,819		978,823
Income tax receivable			1,876,761		1,876,761		1,978,607
TOTAL ASSETS			61,179,823		61,179,823		59,822,165
LIABILITIES
Policyholders’ account balances			4,744,406		4,744,406		4,736,889
Future policy benefits			8,971,369		8,971,369		8,686,196
Other liabilities			489,532		489,532		489,007
TOTAL LIABILITIES			53,441,521		53,441,521		52,732,435
Ceding commissions					761	(117)
EQUITY
Additional paid-in capital			7,795,436		7,795,436		8,095,436
Retained earnings			107,443		107,443		(693,258)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)			(167,077)		(167,077)		(314,948)
TOTAL EQUITY			7,738,302		7,738,302		7,089,730
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY			61,179,823		61,179,823		59,822,165
REVENUES
Premiums			12,505	(595)	48,666	847,493
Total realized investment gains (losses), net			1,170,077	(35,725)	(327,512)	(2,497,661)
TOTAL REVENUES			1,949,155	719,984	1,989,158	28,517
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Policyholders’ benefits			14,056	(8,933)	80,251	554,346
General, administrative and other expenses			232,493	213,129	784,104	822,360
TOTAL BENEFITS AND EXPENSES			597,242	(149,248)	818,941	1,495,402
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES			1,351,913	869,232	1,170,217	(1,466,885)
Income tax expense (benefit)(1)	[1]		412,987	299,586	369,516	(577,639)
NET INCOME (LOSS)	[1]		938,926	$ 569,646	800,701	$ (889,246)
Impacts of Reinsurance
ASSETS
Deferred policy acquisition costs			3,722,540		3,722,540		3,557,248
Deferred sales inducements			542,311		542,311		520,182
LIABILITIES
Policyholders’ account balances			2,738,620		2,738,620		2,576,357
Future policy benefits			5,352,110		5,352,110		5,130,753
Other liabilities			$ 332,821		$ 332,821		$ 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)		(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)(1)		(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)(1)		(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

[1] Prior period amounts for the three months ended September 30, 2016 have been revised to reflect a corrected tax expense amount.