DEFERRED POLICY ACQUISITION COSTS AND VALUE OF BUSINESS ACQUIRED (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2009
Assets
Deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired	$ 3,239,519				$ 3,248,041				$ 3,239,519		$ 3,248,041		$ 3,092,580
Total assets	57,384,672				52,143,369				57,384,672		52,143,369
Liabilities
Deferred income taxes	1,736,389				1,260,629				1,736,389		1,260,629
Total liabilities	52,770,239				48,432,602				52,770,239		48,432,602
Equity:
Retained earnings	2,437,544				2,191,319				2,437,544		2,191,319
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss):
Net unrealized gain (losses) on investments, net of income tax	1,817,504				1,094,103				1,817,504		1,094,103
Total equity	4,614,433				3,710,767				4,614,433		3,710,767		2,840,204		2,008,929
Total liabilities and shareowners' equity	57,384,672				52,143,369				57,384,672		52,143,369
Expenses
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired									203,565		264,993		164,963
Other operating expenses									640,430		597,200		508,591
Total benefits and expenses	766,140	801,805	800,488	801,602	764,260	817,095	767,945	746,366	3,170,035		3,095,666		2,762,983
Income before income tax	103,719	90,986	107,687	150,579	122,637	122,286	134,839	90,714	452,971		470,476		334,772
Income tax (benefit) expense	36,923	30,506	31,532	51,558	36,603	39,429	46,920	31,887	150,519		154,839		109,903
Net income	66,796	60,480	76,155	99,021	86,034	82,857	87,919	58,827	302,452		315,637		224,869
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests							296	(51)			245		(445)
Net income available to PLC's common shareowners	66,796	60,480	76,155	99,021	86,034	82,857	87,623	58,878	302,452	[1]	315,392	[1]	225,314	[1]
Net income available to PLC's common shareowners - basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.84	$ 0.75	$ 0.93	$ 1.20	$ 1.03	$ 0.98	$ 1.01	$ 0.68	$ 3.73		$ 3.70		$ 2.60
Net income available to PLC's common shareowners - diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.82	$ 0.73	$ 0.91	$ 1.18	$ 1.02	$ 0.96	$ 1.00	$ 0.67	$ 3.66		$ 3.65		$ 2.57
Cash flows from operating activities
Net income	66,796	60,480	76,155	99,021	86,034	82,857	87,919	58,827	302,452		315,637		224,869
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired									203,565		264,993		164,963
Capitalization of deferred policy acquisition costs									(312,684)		(366,156)		(382,553)
Deferred income tax									74,333		85,893		82,516
Other, net									(75,294)		97,382		(7,974)
Net cash provided by operating activities											300,367		81,821
Balances and changes in DAC
Balance, beginning of period				2,316,434				2,211,256	2,316,434		2,211,256
Capitalization of commissions, sales and issue expenses									312,684		366,156
Amortization									(116,829)		(174,801)
Change in unrealized investment gains and losses									(90,600)		(86,177)
Balance, end of period	2,421,689				2,316,434				2,421,689		2,316,434		2,211,256
Balances and changes in VOBA
Balance, beginning of period				931,607				881,324	931,607		881,324
Acquisitions											137,418
Amortization									(86,736)		(90,192)
Change in unrealized gains and losses									(27,041)		3,057
Balance, end of period	817,830				931,607				817,830		931,607		881,324
Expected amortization of VOBA for the next five years
2013									71,285
2014									63,386
2015									55,618
2016									50,957
2017									43,753
As originally reported
Assets
Deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired					4,036,757						4,036,757
Total assets					52,932,085						52,932,085
Liabilities
Deferred income taxes					1,540,397						1,540,397
Total liabilities					48,712,370						48,712,370
Equity:
Retained earnings					2,719,492						2,719,492
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss):
Net unrealized gain (losses) on investments, net of income tax					1,074,878						1,074,878
Total equity					4,219,715						4,219,715				2,008,929
Total liabilities and shareowners' equity					52,932,085						52,932,085
Expenses
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired											315,923		209,722
Other operating expenses											509,594		409,741
Total benefits and expenses											3,058,990		2,708,892
Income before income tax											507,152		388,863
Income tax (benefit) expense											167,837		129,067
Net income											339,315		259,796
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interests											245		(445)
Net income available to PLC's common shareowners											339,070		260,241
Net income available to PLC's common shareowners - basic (in dollars per share)											$ 3.98		$ 3.01
Net income available to PLC's common shareowners - diluted (in dollars per share)											$ 3.92		$ 2.97
Cash flows from operating activities
Net income											339,315		259,796
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired											315,923		209,722
Capitalization of deferred policy acquisition costs											(453,761)		(480,383)
Deferred income tax											98,890		101,317
Other, net													(8,631)
Net cash provided by operating activities											300,367		81,821
ASU No. 2010-26 | Effect of change
Assets
Deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired					(788,716)						(788,716)
Total assets					(788,716)						(788,716)
Liabilities
Deferred income taxes					(279,768)						(279,768)
Total liabilities					(279,768)						(279,768)
Equity:
Retained earnings					(528,173)						(528,173)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss):
Net unrealized gain (losses) on investments, net of income tax					19,225						19,225
Total equity					(508,948)						(508,948)
Total liabilities and shareowners' equity					(788,716)						(788,716)
Expenses
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired											(50,930)		(44,759)
Other operating expenses											87,606		98,850
Total benefits and expenses											36,676		54,091
Income before income tax											(36,676)		(54,091)
Income tax (benefit) expense											(12,998)		(19,164)
Net income											(23,678)		(34,927)
Net income available to PLC's common shareowners											(23,678)		(34,927)
Net income available to PLC's common shareowners - basic (in dollars per share)											$ (0.28)		$ (0.41)
Net income available to PLC's common shareowners - diluted (in dollars per share)											$ (0.27)		$ (0.40)
Cash flows from operating activities
Net income											(23,678)		(34,927)
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired											(50,930)		(44,759)
Capitalization of deferred policy acquisition costs											87,605		97,830
Deferred income tax											(12,997)		(18,801)
Other, net													$ 657

[1] Protective Life Corporation ("PLC")