CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Fixed Maturity Securities [Abstract]
Available-for-sale at fair value	$ 16,794,057	$ 16,200,950
Mortgage loans on real estate	1,040,733	991,731
Policy loans	1,260,070	1,260,400
Funds withheld at interest	5,472,532	5,410,424
Short-term investments	75,425	88,566
Other invested assets	867,507	1,012,541
Total investments	25,510,324	24,964,612
Cash and cash equivalents	873,933	962,870
Accrued Investment Income	173,629	144,334
Premiums receivable and other reinsurance balances	1,131,334	1,059,572
Reinsurance ceded receivables	597,508	626,194
Deferred policy acquisition costs	3,629,424	3,543,925
Other assets	369,930	332,466
Total assets	32,286,082	31,633,973
Liabilities and Stockholders Equity
Future policy benefits	10,413,361	9,903,886
Interest-sensitive contract liabilities	8,252,995	8,394,468
Other policy claims and benefits	2,984,681	2,841,373
Other reinsurance balances	132,389	118,219
Deferred income taxes	1,728,765	1,679,834
Other liabilities	777,678	810,775
Short Term Debt	0	0
Long-term debt	1,414,829	1,414,688
Collateral finance facility	652,029	652,032
Total liabilities	26,356,727	25,815,275
Stockholders Equity:
Preferred stock (par value $.01 per share; 10,000,000 shares authorized; no shares issued or outstanding)	0	0
Common stock (par value $.01 per share; 140,000,000 shares authorized; shares issued: 79,137,758 at March 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011)	791	791
Additional paid-in-capital	1,736,184	1,727,774
Retained earnings	2,906,310	2,818,429
Treasury stock, at cost	(325,732)	(346,449)
Accumulated other comprehensive income	1,611,802	1,618,153
Total stockholders equity	5,929,355	5,818,698
Total liabilities and stockholders equity	$ 32,286,082	$ 31,633,973