DEBT AND OTHER OBLIGATIONS (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended		9 Months Ended					9 Months Ended					0 Months Ended			9 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013 Credit facility	Sep. 30, 2013 2012 Credit Facility Administrative agent's prime rate	Sep. 30, 2013 2012 Credit Facility Federal funds rate	Sep. 30, 2013 2012 Credit Facility LIBOR One-Month Rate	Sep. 30, 2013 Golden Gate Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate)	Sep. 30, 2013 Golden Gate Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate) Surplus Notes item	Sep. 30, 2013 Golden Gate Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate) Series A1 Surplus Notes	Sep. 30, 2013 Golden Gate Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate) Series A2 Surplus Notes	Sep. 30, 2013 Golden Gate Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate) Series A3 Surplus Notes	Sep. 30, 2013 Golden Gate II Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate II)	Sep. 30, 2013 PLC 2012 Credit Facility	Oct. 10, 2012 Golden Gate V and Red Mountain	Oct. 10, 2012 Red Mountain	Sep. 30, 2013 Red Mountain	Sep. 30, 2013 Golden Gate V	Sep. 30, 2013 Golden Gate III Vermont Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate III) item	Aug. 07, 2012 Golden Gate III Vermont Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate III)	Apr. 23, 2010 Golden Gate III Vermont Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate III)	Sep. 30, 2013 Golden Gate IV Vermont Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate IV)	Dec. 10, 2010 Golden Gate IV Vermont Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate IV)
DEBT AND OTHER OBLIGATIONS
Line of credit, maximum borrowing capacity				$ 750,000,000
Line of credit, amount outstanding														350,000,000
Base of floating rate interest payments					Administrative Agent's prime rate	Federal Funds rate	one-month LIBOR							LIBOR
Interest rate added to the base rate (as a percent)						0.50%	1.00%							1.20%
Line of credit, maximum borrowing capacity to be granted upon entity's request				1,000,000,000
Number of series of Surplus Notes									3
Outstanding Surplus Notes									800,000,000	400,000,000	100,000,000	300,000,000
Interest rate on Surplus Notes (as a percent)										7.375%	8.00%	8.45%
Outstanding non-recourse funding obligations													575,000,000
Non-recourse funding obligations held by external parties													269,900,000
Non-recourse funding obligations held by nonconsolidated affiliates													72,000,000
Non-recourse funding obligations held by consolidated subsidiaries of the Company													233,100,000
Transaction period of financing for reserves related to a block of universal life insurance policies with secondary guarantees															20 years
Maximum amount to be financed for reserves related to a block of universal life insurance policies with secondary guarantees															945,000,000
Initial principal amount of note for deposit to a reinsurance trust																275,000,000
Maximum principal amount of note for deposit to a reinsurance trust																945,000,000
Credit enhancement period for Red Mountain note																20 years
Principal balance of note																	350,000,000
Future scheduled capital contributions to prefund credit enhancements fees amount																		144,300,000
Payments expected to be required under the agreements													0					0	0			0
Amount of collateralized support agreement obligations													300,000
Maximum principal amount of non-recourse funding obligation																		945,000,000
Non-recourse funding obligations	1,491,900,000		1,446,900,000					800,000,000					341,900,000					350,000,000
Year-to-date weighted-average interest rate of non-recourse funding obligations (as a percent)													1.12%					6.25%
Repurchase of outstanding non-recourse funding obligations	5,000,000	91,700,000
Pre-tax gain on repurchase of debt	1,300,000	29,300,000
Maximum LOC borrowing capacity																			710,000,000	710,000,000	505,000,000	690,000,000	270,000,000
Maximum stated amount up to which LOC may be increased prior to amendment																				610,000,000
Maximum stated amount up to which LOC may be increased																			720,000,000	720,000,000		790,000,000
Letter of credit term																			13 years 6 months			12 years
Future scheduled capital contributions amount																			149,800,000
Number of installments for payment of capital contributions amount																			3
Repurchase Program Borrowings
Term of repurchase borrowings	90 days
Fair value of securities pledged under the repurchase program	109,600,000
Repurchase obligation	100,000,000		150,000,000
Average borrowing rate (as a percent)	0.11%
Maximum outstanding balance	645,100,000		425,000,000
Average daily balance	417,500,000		266,300,000
Average daily borrowing rate (as a percent)	0.11%		0.14%
Outstanding balance related to repurchase program borrowings			$ 150,000,000