FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (Details 2) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013 item	Dec. 31, 2012
Determination of fair values
Number of primary sources of information used for determining fair value	1
Total number of primary sources of information available for determining fair value	3
Minimum percentage of the Company's fixed maturity securities priced by third party pricing services	90.00%
Number of independent non-binding broker quotes obtained per security	1
Percentage of derivatives excluding embedded derivatives that were priced using exchange prices or independent broker quotations	72.60%
Policy liabilities (net of policy loans)	$ 2,600,000,000
Fair value of the trading securities	2,900,000,000
Other long-term investments	196,172,000	130,428,000
Fair value, derivative liability	427,470,000	657,874,000
Annuity account balances
Fixed indexed annuities, discount rate for one month (as a percent)	0.36%
Fixed indexed annuities, discount rate for five years (as a percent)	2.44%
Fixed indexed annuities, discount rate for thirty years (as a percent)	4.97%
Interest support, YRT premium support and portfolio maintenance agreement
Determination of fair values
Other long-term investments	2,400,000
Golden Gate II Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate II) | Interest Support Agreement
Determination of fair values
Other long-term investments	0
Golden Gate II Captive Insurance Company (Golden Gate II) | YRT premium support agreement
Determination of fair values
Other long-term investments	2,000,000
Golden Gate V and West Coast Life | Portfolio maintenance agreements
Determination of fair values
Other long-term investments	400,000
Level 3 | Available-for-sale securities
Determination of fair values
Carrying amount	548,800,000
Level 3 | Trading Securities
Determination of fair values
Carrying amount	171,000,000
Percentage of underlying collateral of student-loan backed auction rate securities guaranteed by the Federal Family Education Loan Program ("FFELP"), minimum	97.00%
Asset-Backed Securities | Level 2
Determination of fair values
Carrying amount	3,300,000,000
Asset-Backed Securities | Level 3
Determination of fair values
Carrying amount	719,800,000
Corporate bonds, U.S. Government-related securities, States, municipals, and political subdivisions, and Other government related securities | Level 2
Determination of fair values
Carrying amount	22,900,000,000
Corporate bonds, U.S. Government-related securities, States, municipals, and political subdivisions, and Other government related securities | Level 3
Determination of fair values
Carrying amount	196,900,000
Equity securities
Determination of fair values
Fair value of the trading securities	20,700,000	19,600,000
Equity securities | Level 2 and Level 3
Determination of fair values
Carrying amount	108,900,000
FHLB stock	64,600,000
Equity securities | Level 3
Determination of fair values
FHLB stock	65,500,000	65,500,000
Embedded derivative - GMWB | Level 3 | Low end of range
Determination of fair values
Mortality (as a percent)	49.00%
Embedded derivative - GMWB | Level 3 | High end of range
Determination of fair values
Mortality (as a percent)	80.00%
Funds withheld derivative | Level 2
Determination of fair values
Fair value, derivative liability	$ 49,000,000