Segment Information (Earnings) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Revenues
Premiums	$ 9,230	$ 14,677
Universal life and investment-type product policy fees	25,795	25,557
Net investment income	21,408	13,600
Other revenues	(12,671)	(3,806)
Net investment gains (losses)	(737)	(1,689)
Net derivative gains (losses)	(131,536)	50,040
Total operating revenues	(88,511)	98,379
Expenses
Expenses	(1,783)	11,954
Policyholder benefits and claims and policyholder dividends	9,674	10,712
Goodwill Impairment	(2,192)	(1,061)
Capitalization of DAC	(25,576)	13,695
Interest expense on debt	537	51,701
Pre-tax operating earnings	(89,048)	46,678
Provision for income tax expense (benefit)	32,474	(14,795)
Net income (loss)	(56,574)	31,883
Life
Revenues
Interest revenue	3,749	4,467
Corporate & Other
Revenues
Interest revenue	2,285	3,652
Annuities
Revenues
Interest revenue	15,457	5,543
Operating Segments
Revenues
Total operating revenues	37,622	42,381
Expenses
Pre-tax operating earnings	12,512	8,127
Provision for income tax expense (benefit)	(3,072)	(1,303)
Operating earnings	9,440	6,824
Operating Segments | Life
Revenues
Total operating revenues	9,928	12,638
Expenses
Pre-tax operating earnings	(2,212)	3,575
Provision for income tax expense (benefit)	774	(1,290)
Operating earnings	(1,438)	2,285
Operating Segments | Corporate & Other
Revenues
Total operating revenues	2,703	4,148
Expenses
Pre-tax operating earnings	2,670	2,119
Provision for income tax expense (benefit)	(810)	(558)
Operating earnings	1,860	1,561
Operating Segments | Annuities
Revenues
Total operating revenues	27,694	29,743
Expenses
Pre-tax operating earnings	12,054	2,433
Provision for income tax expense (benefit)	(3,036)	545
Operating earnings	9,018	2,978
Significant Reconciling Items
Revenues
Other revenues	30,713	(9,800)
Net investment gains (losses)	(737)	(1,689)
Net derivative gains (losses)	(131,536)	50,040
Total operating revenues	3,437	3,499
Expenses
Provision for income tax expense (benefit)	35,546	(13,492)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Life
Revenues
Total operating revenues	(9,900)	(9,732)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Corporate & Other
Revenues
Total operating revenues	(397)	(391)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member] | Annuities
Revenues
Total operating revenues	$ (10,045)	$ (952)