Business and Basis of Presentation	12 Months Ended
Business and Basis of Presentation	Dec. 31, 2019
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Business and Basis of Presentation	BUSINESS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION Prudential Annuities Life Assurance Corporation (the “Company” or “PALAC”), with its principal offices in Shelton, Connecticut, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential Annuities, Inc. (“PAI”), which in turn is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Prudential Financial, Inc. ("Prudential Financial"), a New Jersey corporation. The Company has developed long-term savings and retirement products, which are distributed through its affiliated broker-dealer company, Prudential Annuities Distributors, Inc. (“PAD”), and third-party distribution networks. The Company issued variable and fixed deferred and immediate annuities for individuals and groups in the United States of America and Puerto Rico. In addition, the Company has a relatively small in force block of variable life insurance policies. The Company stopped actively selling products by March 2010; However, the Company continues to accept additional customer deposits on certain in force contracts, subject to applicable contract provisions and administrative rules. The Company surrendered its New York license effective December 31, 2015, and reinsured the majority of its New York business to an affiliate, The Prudential Insurance Company of America (“Prudential Insurance”). The license surrender relieves the Company of the requirement to hold New York statutory reserves on its business in excess of the statutory reserves required by its domiciliary regulator, the Arizona Department of Insurance ("AZDOI"). For the small portion of New York business retained by the Company, a custodial account has been established to hold collateral assets in an amount equal to a percentage of the reserves associated with such business, as calculated in accordance with PALAC's New York Regulation 109 Plan approved by the New York Department of Financial Services. The Company resumed offering annuity products to new investors (except in New York) in 2018. The Company is engaged in a business that is highly competitive because of the large number of stock and mutual life insurance companies and other entities engaged in marketing long-term savings and retirement products, including insurance products, and individual and group annuities. Through March 31, 2016, the Company reinsured the majority of its variable annuity living benefit guarantees to its affiliated companies, Pruco Reinsurance, Ltd. ("Pruco Re") and Prudential Insurance. Effective April 1, 2016, the Company recaptured the risks related to its variable annuity living benefit guarantees that were previously reinsured to Pruco Re and Prudential Insurance. In addition, the Company reinsured the variable annuity base contracts, along with the living benefit guarantees, from Pruco Life Insurance Company ("Pruco Life"), excluding the Pruco Life Insurance Company of New Jersey ("PLNJ") business which was reinsured to Prudential Insurance, under a coinsurance and modified coinsurance agreement. This reinsurance agreement covers new and in force business and excludes business reinsured externally. The product risks related to the reinsured business are being managed in the Company. In addition, the living benefit hedging program related to the reinsured living benefit guarantees is being managed within the Company. Basis of Presentation The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The most significant estimates include those used in determining DAC and related amortization; fair value of embedded derivative instruments associated with the index-linked features of certain fixed annuity products; value of business acquired ("VOBA") and its amortization; amortization of DSI; valuation of investments including derivatives and the recognition of other-than-temporary impairments (“OTTI”); future policy benefits including guarantees; provision for income taxes and valuation of deferred tax assets; and accruals for contingent liabilities, including estimates for losses in connection with unresolved legal and regulatory matters. Reclassifications Certain amounts in prior periods have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.