Derivative Financial Instruments (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Derivative Financial Instruments, exposure
Cash and securities posted under collateral arrangements associated with derivative credit support agreements and Futures Commission Merchant agreements	$ 320.3pfg_DerivativeCollateralPledged	$ 271.6pfg_DerivativeCollateralPledged
Aggregate fair value of all derivative instruments with credit-risk-related contingent features that were in a liability position	740.7	656.2
Collateral and initial margin posted supporting derivatives with credit-risk-related contingent features that were in a liability position	320.3	271.6
Additional collateral required to be posted if derivative credit-risk-related contingent features were triggered	73.4
Cash collateral received associated with derivative credit support annex agreements and Futures Commission Merchant agreements	230.0	148.3
Notional amount	42,439.1invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount	41,098.5invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
Gross credit exposure	888.4pfg_DerivativeCreditExposure	693.8pfg_DerivativeCreditExposure
Less: collateral received	286.8pfg_DerivativeCollateralReceived	183.5pfg_DerivativeCollateralReceived
Net credit exposure	601.6pfg_DerivativeNetCreditExposure	510.3pfg_DerivativeNetCreditExposure
Interest rate swaps
Derivative Financial Instruments, exposure
Cash exchanged under contract	0
Principal payments made under contract	0
Notional amount	20,264.6	19,182.6
Gross credit exposure	634.0	510.8
Interest rate options
Derivative Financial Instruments, exposure
Notional amount	4,900.0	4,900.0
Gross credit exposure	45.3	41.0
Swaptions
Derivative Financial Instruments, exposure
Notional amount	159.0	260.0
Interest rate futures
Derivative Financial Instruments, exposure
Notional amount	91.0	147.5
Currency swaps
Derivative Financial Instruments, exposure
Notional amount	1,941.2	1,975.5
Gross credit exposure	142.1	97.1
Currency forwards
Derivative Financial Instruments, exposure
Notional amount	262.9	270.7
Gross credit exposure	2.6	1.4
Equity options
Derivative Financial Instruments, exposure
Notional amount	3,506.6	3,293.4
Gross credit exposure	47.1	30.2
Equity futures
Derivative Financial Instruments, exposure
Notional amount	601.4	498.1
Credit default swaps
Derivative Financial Instruments, exposure
Notional amount	1,198.5	1,234.5
Gross credit exposure	15.7	13.3
Total return swaps
Derivative Financial Instruments, exposure
Notional amount	90.0	90.0
Gross credit exposure	1.6
Credit Futures
Derivative Financial Instruments, exposure
Notional amount	11.3	10.5
Embedded derivative financial instruments
Derivative Financial Instruments, exposure
Notional amount	$ 9,412.6	$ 9,235.7

Aggregate notional amount specified by the derivative(s). Expressed as an absolute value.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Article 12

-Section 13

-Sentence Column B

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- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the cash received as collateral associated with derivative credit support annex agreements and Futures Commission Merchant agreements.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the cash and securities pledged as collateral associated with derivative credit support agreements and Futures Commission Merchant agreements.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the cash and securities received as collateral associated with derivative credit support agreements.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

The amount at risk if a counterparty to the derivative instruments does not perform.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

The amount at risk if a counterparty to the derivative instrument does not perform, after considering collateral received.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Represents the amount of cash exchanged under the interest rate derivative contracts.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Represents the amount of principal payments made by parties to the interest rate derivative contracts.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

The aggregate fair value of additional assets that would be required to be posted as collateral for derivative instruments with credit-risk-related contingent features if the credit-risk-related contingent features were triggered at the end of the reporting period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 815

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4H

-Subparagraph (e)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35706170&loc=SL5624258-113959

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- Definition

The aggregate fair value of assets that are already posted, at the end of the reporting period, as collateral for derivative instruments with credit-risk-related contingent features.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 815

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4H

-Subparagraph (d)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35706170&loc=SL5624258-113959

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- Definition

The aggregate fair value amounts of derivative instruments that contain credit-risk-related contingent features that are in a net liability position at the end of the reporting period. For nonderivative instruments that are designated and qualify as hedging instruments, the fair value amounts are the carrying value of the nonderivative hedging instrument, including the adjustment for the foreign currency transaction gain (loss) on that instrument.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 815

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4H

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35706170&loc=SL5624258-113959

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