STATUTORY FINANCIAL INFORMATION (DETAILS) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Statutory Accounting Practices [Line Items]
Statutory net income	$ 99,000,000	$ 921,000,000	$ 685,000,000
Bermuda [Member]
Statutory Accounting Practices [Line Items]
Required statutory capital and surplus	2,004,439,000	1,719,284,000
Actual statutory capital and surplus	3,887,670,000	4,206,359,000
Maximum dividend/distribution payable	1,000,000,000
Maximum dividend/distribution limit (without a signed affidavit) - percentage of prior year statutory capital and surplus	25.00%
Number of directors required to sign affidavit in order to pay dividend/distribution greater than 25% of prior year statutory capital and surplus	2
Ireland [Member]
Statutory Accounting Practices [Line Items]
Required statutory capital and surplus	262,879,000	212,767,000
Actual statutory capital and surplus	820,891,000	814,032,000
Maximum dividend/distribution payable	89,000,000
United States [Member]
Statutory Accounting Practices [Line Items]
Required statutory capital and surplus	325,998,000	317,588,000
Actual statutory capital and surplus	1,237,046,000	1,141,176,000
Maximum dividend/distribution payable	$ 124,000,000
Maximum dividend limit - percentage of total statutory capital and suprlus	10.00%