FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (Details) - Successor - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	$ 35,525,919	$ 33,847,196
Total fixed maturity securities	37,139,180	35,573,250
Equity securities	722,149	739,263
Other long-term investments	458,028	352,016
Short-term investments	449,278	268,718
Assets related to separate accounts
Variable annuity	12,789,776	12,829,188
Variable universal life	819,259	827,610
Fixed maturities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	34,404,351	32,909,201
Trading securities	2,700,000	2,700,000
Residential mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	1,870,877	1,765,273
Commercial mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	1,462,697	1,286,887
Other asset-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	963,538	797,051
States, municipals, and political subdivisions
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	1,661,560	1,603,600
Other government-related securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	18,636	17,740
Corporate securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	26,925,200	25,843,786
Level 3 | Other asset-backed securities
Assets:
Total investments	530,374	587,031
Level 3 | Corporate securities
Assets:
Total investments	808,025	875,810
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis
Assets:
Total fixed maturity securities	37,139,180	35,573,250
Equity securities	722,149	739,263
Other long-term investments	458,028	352,016
Short-term investments	449,278	268,718
Total investments	38,768,635	36,933,247
Cash	354,144	396,072
Other assets	18,380	19,099
Assets related to separate accounts
Variable annuity	12,789,776	12,829,188
Variable universal life	819,259	827,610
Total assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	52,750,194	51,005,216
Liabilities:
Annuity account balances	90,123	92,512
Other liabilities	858,429	629,555
Total liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	948,552	722,067
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Fixed maturities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	34,404,351	32,909,201
Trading securities	2,734,829	2,664,049
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Residential mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	1,870,877	1,765,273
Trading securities	279,763	286,658
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Commercial mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	1,462,697	1,286,887
Trading securities	150,744	146,743
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Other asset-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	963,538	797,051
Trading securities	280,268	275,423
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | U.S. government-related securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	1,438,880	1,532,177
Trading securities	192,591	238,347
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | States, municipals, and political subdivisions
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	1,661,560	1,603,600
Trading securities	325,347	313,354
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Other government-related securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	18,636	17,740
Trading securities	60,209	58,827
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Corporate securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	26,925,200	25,843,786
Trading securities	1,442,196	1,340,501
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Preferred stock
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	62,963	62,687
Trading securities	3,711	4,196
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 1
Assets:
Total fixed maturity securities	1,326,684	1,333,895
Equity securities	652,385	656,437
Other long-term investments	181,093	113,699
Short-term investments	442,954	261,947
Total investments	2,603,116	2,365,978
Cash	354,144	396,072
Other assets	18,380	19,099
Assets related to separate accounts
Variable annuity	12,789,776	12,829,188
Variable universal life	819,259	827,610
Total assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	16,584,675	16,437,947
Liabilities:
Annuity account balances	0	0
Other liabilities	55,545	40,067
Total liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	55,545	40,067
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 1 | Fixed maturities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	1,135,776	1,097,509
Trading securities	190,908	236,386
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 1 | Residential mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	0	0
Trading securities	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 1 | Commercial mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	0	0
Trading securities	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 1 | Other asset-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	0	0
Trading securities	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 1 | U.S. government-related securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	1,092,324	1,054,353
Trading securities	187,753	233,592
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 1 | States, municipals, and political subdivisions
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	0	0
Trading securities	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 1 | Other government-related securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	0	0
Trading securities	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 1 | Corporate securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	0	83
Trading securities	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 1 | Preferred stock
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	43,452	43,073
Trading securities	3,155	2,794
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2
Assets:
Total fixed maturity securities	34,284,565	32,579,065
Equity securities	36	13,063
Other long-term investments	210,239	141,487
Short-term investments	6,324	6,771
Total investments	34,501,164	32,740,386
Cash	0	0
Other assets	0	0
Assets related to separate accounts
Variable annuity	0	0
Variable universal life	0	0
Total assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	34,501,164	32,740,386
Liabilities:
Annuity account balances	0	0
Other liabilities	1,103	3,932
Total liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	1,103	3,932
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | Fixed maturities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	31,897,004	30,322,539
Trading securities	2,387,561	2,256,526
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | Residential mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	1,870,874	1,765,270
Trading securities	279,763	286,658
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | Commercial mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	1,462,697	1,286,887
Trading securities	150,744	146,743
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | Other asset-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	425,707	210,020
Trading securities	129,585	122,511
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | U.S. government-related securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	346,556	477,824
Trading securities	4,838	4,755
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | States, municipals, and political subdivisions
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	1,661,560	1,603,600
Trading securities	325,347	313,354
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | Other government-related securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	18,636	17,740
Trading securities	60,209	58,827
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | Corporate securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	26,091,463	24,941,584
Trading securities	1,436,519	1,322,276
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 2 | Preferred stock
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	19,511	19,614
Trading securities	556	1,402
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 3
Assets:
Total fixed maturity securities	1,527,931	1,660,290
Equity securities	69,728	69,763
Other long-term investments	66,696	96,830
Short-term investments	0	0
Total investments	1,664,355	1,826,883
Cash	0	0
Other assets	0	0
Assets related to separate accounts
Variable annuity	0	0
Variable universal life	0	0
Total assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis	1,664,355	1,826,883
Liabilities:
Annuity account balances	90,123	92,512
Other liabilities	801,781	585,556
Total liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis	891,904	678,068
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 3 | Fixed maturities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	1,371,571	1,489,153
Trading securities	156,360	171,137
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 3 | Residential mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	3	3
Trading securities	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 3 | Commercial mortgage-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	0	0
Trading securities	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 3 | Other asset-backed securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	537,831	587,031
Trading securities	150,683	152,912
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 3 | U.S. government-related securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	0	0
Trading securities	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 3 | States, municipals, and political subdivisions
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	0	0
Trading securities	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 3 | Other government-related securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	0	0
Trading securities	0	0
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 3 | Corporate securities
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	833,737	902,119
Trading securities	5,677	18,225
Measured at fair value on a recurring basis | Level 3 | Preferred stock
Assets:
Available-for-sale securities	0	0
Trading securities	$ 0	$ 0