INVESTMENT OPERATIONS (Details 4) (USD $)			3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended					6 Months Ended	12 Months Ended									3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011 Fixed maturities	Jun. 30, 2011 Fixed maturities	Jun. 30, 2011 Residential mortgage-backed securities	Dec. 31, 2010 Residential mortgage-backed securities	Jun. 30, 2011 Commercial mortgage-backed securities	Dec. 31, 2010 Commercial mortgage-backed securities	Jun. 30, 2011 Other asset-backed securities	Dec. 31, 2010 Other asset-backed securities	Jun. 30, 2011 U.S. government-related securities	Dec. 31, 2010 U.S. government-related securities	Jun. 30, 2011 Other government-related securities	Dec. 31, 2010 Other government-related securities	Jun. 30, 2011 States, municipals, and political subdivisions	Dec. 31, 2010 States, municipals, and political subdivisions	Jun. 30, 2011 Corporate bonds	Dec. 31, 2010 Corporate bonds	Jun. 30, 2011 Equity securities	Jun. 30, 2011 Equity securities	Dec. 31, 2010 Equity securities	Jun. 30, 2011 Below investment grade
Fair Value
Less Than 12 Months	$ 3,188,203,000	$ 3,448,912,000			$ 452,087,000	$ 237,450,000	$ 109,354,000	$ 25,679,000	$ 78,403,000	$ 167,089,000	$ 214,222,000	$ 144,807,000		$ 33,936,000	$ 232,750,000	$ 563,352,000	$ 2,080,437,000	$ 2,264,649,000	$ 20,950,000	$ 20,950,000	$ 11,950,000
12 Months or More	1,867,637,000	2,632,489,000			685,680,000	1,173,541,000			584,736,000	594,756,000				14,993,000	23,362,000		560,460,000	835,655,000	13,399,000	13,399,000	13,544,000
Total	5,055,840,000	6,081,401,000			1,137,767,000	1,410,991,000	109,354,000	25,679,000	663,139,000	761,845,000	214,222,000	144,807,000		48,929,000	256,112,000	563,352,000	2,640,897,000	3,100,304,000	34,349,000	34,349,000	25,494,000
Unrealized Loss
Less Than 12 Months	(104,968,000)	(132,350,000)			(22,852,000)	(17,877,000)	(2,045,000)	(933,000)	(1,556,000)	(2,452,000)	(2,262,000)	(3,071,000)		(8,000)	(6,214,000)	(22,345,000)	(67,082,000)	(82,343,000)	(2,957,000)	(2,957,000)	(3,321,000)
12 Months or More	(188,169,000)	(249,357,000)			(86,178,000)	(125,334,000)			(31,351,000)	(27,212,000)				(7,000)	(1,638,000)		(66,907,000)	(94,843,000)	(2,095,000)	(2,095,000)	(1,961,000)
Total	(293,137,000)	(381,707,000)			(109,030,000)	(143,211,000)	(2,045,000)	(933,000)	(32,907,000)	(29,664,000)	(2,262,000)	(3,071,000)		(15,000)	(7,852,000)	(22,345,000)	(133,989,000)	(177,186,000)	(5,052,000)	(5,052,000)	(5,282,000)
Percentage of underlying collateral of student-loan backed auction rate securities guaranteed by the Federal Family Education Loan Program ("FFELP"), minimum (as a percent)									97.00%	97.00%
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	23,617,980,000		23,246,972,000	23,246,972,000	2,490,163,000		287,504,000		844,263,000		1,131,313,000		143,119,000		1,174,822,000		17,175,788,000		338,484,000	338,484,000		2,400,000,000
Available-for-sale securities, amortized cost	22,636,404,000		22,269,375,000	22,269,375,000	2,543,004,000		283,569,000		875,894,000		1,097,064,000		135,993,000		1,140,928,000		16,192,923,000		334,505,000	334,505,000		2,600,000,000
Securities in trading portfolio			2,900,000,000	2,900,000,000															11,300,000	11,300,000		242,600,000
Securities not publicly traded																						524,800,000
Change in unrealized gains (losses), net of income tax			$ 169,348,000	$ 197,308,000															$ (3,372,000)	$ (3,788,000)