Business and Basis of Presentation (Variable Annuities Recapture Affected Financial Statement Lines) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Apr. 01, 2016	Dec. 31, 2014
ASSETS
Total investments		$ 12,738,973				$ 12,256,345				$ 12,738,973	$ 12,256,345
Cash and cash equivalents		1,639,939				1,848,039				1,639,939	1,848,039	$ 536		$ 594
Deferred policy acquisition costs		4,596,565				4,344,361				4,596,565	4,344,361	749,302		1,114,431
Reinsurance recoverables		563,428				588,608				563,428	588,608
Deferred sales inducements		1,020,786				978,823				1,020,786	978,823	452,752		$ 665,207
Income taxes		1,116,735				1,978,607				1,116,735	1,978,607
TOTAL ASSETS		59,960,850				59,822,165				59,960,850	59,822,165
LIABILITIES
Policyholders’ account balances		4,846,152				4,736,889				4,846,152	4,736,889
Future policy benefits		9,132,569				8,686,196				9,132,569	8,686,196
Other liabilities		422,636				489,007				422,636	489,007
TOTAL LIABILITIES		53,679,800				52,732,435				53,679,800	52,732,435
Ceding Commissions										766	245	(907)
EQUITY
Additional paid-in capital		7,145,436				8,095,436				7,145,436	8,095,436
Retained earnings		(776,762)				(693,258)				(776,762)	(693,258)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)		(90,124)				(314,948)				(90,124)	(314,948)
TOTAL EQUITY		6,281,050				7,089,730				6,281,050	7,089,730
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY		59,960,850				59,822,165				59,960,850	59,822,165
REVENUES
Premiums										63,573	896,839	9,787
Realized investment gains (losses), net										(805,400)	(3,442,760)	6,052
TOTAL REVENUES		314,778	$ 1,949,155	$ (726,666)	$ 766,669	(181,460)	$ 719,985	$ (892,563)	$ 201,095	2,303,936	(152,943)	1,073,571
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Policyholders’ benefits										114,068	604,057	60,461
General, administrative and other expenses										(79,061)	204,649	97,722
TOTAL BENEFITS AND EXPENSES		367,400	597,242	(165,242)	386,941	122,236	(149,250)	1,215,062	429,590	1,186,341	1,617,638	908,639
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES		(52,622)	1,351,913	(561,424)	379,728	(303,696)	869,235	(2,107,625)	(228,495)	1,117,595	(1,770,581)	164,932
Total income tax expense (benefit)										1,201,099	(680,493)	(8,285)
NET INCOME (LOSS)		(884,205)	$ 938,926	$ (400,583)	$ 262,358	(200,842)	$ 569,649	$ (1,316,230)	(142,665)	(83,504)	(1,090,088)	$ 173,217
Impacts of Reinsurance
ASSETS
Deferred policy acquisition costs		3,766,066				3,557,248				3,766,066	3,557,248
Deferred sales inducements		540,389				520,182				540,389	520,182
LIABILITIES
Policyholders’ account balances		2,825,030				2,576,357				2,825,030	2,576,357
Future policy benefits		5,511,496				5,130,753				5,511,496	5,130,753
Other liabilities		$ 329,019				$ 335,713				$ 329,019	$ 335,713
Variable Annuity
ASSETS
Total investments									3,343,000				$ 17,051,000
Cash and cash equivalents									106,000				1,141,000
Deferred policy acquisition costs									537,000				3,671,000
Reinsurance recoverables									3,776,000				695,000
Deferred sales inducements									327,000				827,000
Income taxes									0				2,556,000
TOTAL ASSETS									46,694,000				64,546,000
LIABILITIES
Policyholders’ account balances									2,422,000				4,809,000
Future policy benefits									4,295,000				11,267,000
Short-term and Long-term debt									0				1,268,000
Other liabilities									114,000				744,000
TOTAL LIABILITIES									45,472,000				56,729,000
EQUITY
Additional paid-in capital									901,000				9,323,000
Retained earnings									254,000				(1,537,000)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)									64,000				28,000
TOTAL EQUITY									1,222,000				7,817,000
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY									$ 46,694,000				64,546,000
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 | 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 taxes													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
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 | 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 taxes													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
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)
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