INCOME TAXES (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Effective income tax rate related to continuing operations
Statutory federal income tax rate applied to pre-tax income (as a percent)	35.00%	35.00%		35.00%
State income taxes (as a percent)	0.40%	0.40%		0.50%
Investment income not subject to tax (as a percent)	(3.10%)	(2.00%)		(1.40%)
Uncertain tax positions (as a percent)	0.20%	(0.10%)		(0.90%)
Other (as a percent)	0.40%	(1.20%)		0.10%
Effective income tax rate (as a percent)	32.90%	32.10%		33.30%
Income tax expense per the income tax returns:
Federal	$ 78,510,000	$ (4,609,000)		$ 3,600,000
State	2,496,000	33,000		2,944,000
Total current	81,006,000	(4,576,000)	[1]	6,544,000	[1]
Deferred income tax expense:
Federal	66,375,000	153,412,000		104,608,000
State	3,662,000	2,683,000		(1,287,000)
Total deferred	70,037,000	156,095,000	[1]	103,321,000	[1]
Deferred income tax assets:
Premium receivables and policy liabilities	51,276,000	35,267,000
Intercompany losses	45,079,000	42,685,000
Invested assets (other than unrealized gains)		68,530,000
Deferred compensation	3,750,000	3,059,000
State tax valuation allowance	(2,552,000)	(2,440,000)
Other	26,604,000	454,000
Deferred income tax assets	124,157,000	147,555,000
Deferred income tax liabilities:
Deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired	911,858,000	873,979,000
Invested assets (other than realized gains)	20,936,000
Unrealized gain on investments	975,076,000	567,572,000
Deferred income tax liabilities	1,907,870,000	1,441,551,000
Net deferred income tax (liability) asset	(1,783,713,000)	(1,293,996,000)
State operating loss carryforwards, valuation allowance	2,600,000	2,400,000
Amount of valuation allowance established for deferred tax assets relating to impairments on fixed maturities, capital loss carryforwards, and unrealized losses on investments	$ 0	$ 0

[1] Recast from previously reported information