SCHEDULE II - CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF REGISTRANT - Statements of Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended								11 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Revenues:
Net investment income		$ 529,490	$ 507,914	$ 507,771	$ 506,413	$ 496,150	$ 482,729	$ 488,460	$ 475,117	$ 1,632,948	$ 2,051,588	$ 1,942,456
Realized investment gains (losses)		(18,701)	(64,191)	(54,471)	(47,037)	12,457	24,268	5,417	8,229	(163,882)	(196,142)	32,623
Other income		115,139	110,970	111,311	109,242	102,147	107,642	102,148	103,716	388,531	446,662	415,653
Total revenues		1,142,040	1,084,388	1,087,067	1,105,297	1,116,987	1,123,646	1,116,401	1,126,913	3,710,669	4,418,792	4,483,947
Expenses:
Total benefits and expenses		1,055,950	973,538	961,299	992,948	996,572	990,567	947,740	955,071	3,310,827	3,983,735	3,889,950
Income before income tax	$ 1,182	86,090	110,850	125,768	112,349	120,415	133,079	168,661	171,842	399,842	435,057	593,997
Income tax (benefit) expense
Current										1,471	26,252	(46,719)
Deferred										130,072	(697,727)	247,687
Total income tax (benefit) expense		(778,218)	28,308	41,500	36,935	48,148	39,785	56,541	56,494	131,543	(671,475)	200,968
Net income		$ 864,308	$ 82,542	$ 84,268	$ 75,414	$ 72,267	$ 93,294	$ 112,120	$ 115,348	268,299	1,106,532	393,029
PROTECTIVE LIFE CORPORATION
Revenues:
Dividends from subsidiaries										32,365	261,090	541,762
Service fees from subsidiaries										220,105	276,325	250,668
Net investment income										49,925	9,457	8,607
Realized investment gains (losses)										3,817	(45,091)	(29,289)
Other income										44	2,049	9,828
Total revenues										306,256	503,830	781,576
Expenses:
Operating and administrative										121,433	172,871	143,941
Interest—subordinated debt										17,191	25,411	19,408
Interest—other										40,596	35,852	40,729
Total benefits and expenses										179,220	234,134	204,078
Income before income tax										127,036	269,696	577,498
Income tax (benefit) expense
Current										(58,547)	(9,441)	334
Deferred										99,146	46,020	20,715
Total income tax (benefit) expense										40,599	36,579	21,049
Income before equity in undistributed income from subsidiaries										86,437	233,117	556,449
Equity in undistributed income of subsidiaries										181,862	873,415	(163,420)
Net income										268,299	$ 1,106,532	$ 393,029
Predecessor
Revenues:
Net investment income	175,180
Realized investment gains (losses)	(42,602)
Other income	36,421
Total revenues	340,909
Expenses:
Total benefits and expenses	339,727
Income before income tax	1,182
Income tax (benefit) expense
Current	(31,118)
Deferred	30,791
Total income tax (benefit) expense	(327)
Net income	1,509
Predecessor | PROTECTIVE LIFE CORPORATION
Revenues:
Dividends from subsidiaries	16
Service fees from subsidiaries	19,530
Net investment income	4,809
Realized investment gains (losses)	(15,863)
Total revenues	8,492
Expenses:
Operating and administrative	8,549
Interest—subordinated debt	2,823
Interest—other	6,113
Total benefits and expenses	17,485
Income before income tax	(8,993)
Income tax (benefit) expense
Current	6,376
Deferred	(11,123)
Total income tax (benefit) expense	(4,747)
Income before equity in undistributed income from subsidiaries	(4,246)
Equity in undistributed income of subsidiaries	5,755
Net income	$ 1,509									$ 268,299