SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011 sources	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Valuation of investment securities
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
Other-than-temporary impairments of investments recorded	$ 62,332,000	$ 75,341,000	$ 227,770,000
Other-than-temporary impairments of investments recorded in earnings	47,442,000	41,510,000	180,045,000
Other-than-temporary impairments of investments recorded in other comprehensive income (loss)	14,890,000	33,831,000	47,725,000
Cash
Negative balances due to outstanding checks and drafts	$ 900,000	$ 24,900,000
Deferred policy acquisition costs
Interest rate assumptions to compute liabilities for future policy benefits, low end of the range (as a percent)	1.50%
Interest rate assumptions to compute liabilities for future policy benefits, high end of the range (as a percent)	11.16%
Value of business acquired
Maximum percentage of accrued interest credited to account balances in case of interest sensitive products	6.65%

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Represents the number of primary sources of information available for determining the fair value of fixed maturity, short-term and equity securities.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Represents the number of primary sources of information considered for determining the fair value of fixed maturity, short-term and equity securities.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Represents the negative book cash balance created by checks and drafts issued but not yet presented to banks for payment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

States the maximum assumed long-term market interest rate used in the determination of the present value of future profits on long-duration contracts acquired in a business combination.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

The amount of loss recognized for other-than-temporary impairments of investments, net of noncredit impairment losses on certain securities that are recognized in other comprehensive income.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Noncredit portion of impairment gains (losses) on investments reclassified to other comprehensive income for those securities that meet the criteria to have impairment losses bifurcated between net income (credit losses) and other comprehensive income (noncredit losses).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Maximum interest rate in the range of interest rates used to calculate future benefits to be paid to or on behalf of policyholders and related expenses less the present value of future net premiums using assumptions such as estimates of expected investment yields, mortality, morbidity, terminations and expenses, applicable at the time the insurance contracts are made and cost of settling insured claims and cost incurred in the claim settlement process exclusive of immediate terminal funding annuities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 40

-Section 50

-Paragraph 6

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6482852&loc=d3e14931-158439

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Article 7

-Section 03

-Paragraph 13

-Subparagraph b

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 60

-Paragraph 60

-Subparagraph b

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.13(b))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

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Minimum interest rate in the range of interest rates used to calculate future benefits to be paid to or on behalf of policyholders and related expenses less the present value of future net premiums using assumptions such as estimates of expected investment yields, mortality, morbidity, terminations and expenses, applicable at the time the insurance contracts are made and cost of settling insured claims and cost incurred in the claim settlement process exclusive of immediate terminal funding annuities.

+ References

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- Definition

This element represents the amount of loss recognized for other than temporary impairments (OTTI) of investments in debt and equity securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 115

-Paragraph 16

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 5.M)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6784337&loc=d3e87990-122713

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