DEFERRED POLICY ACQUISITION COSTS AND VALUE OF BUSINESS ACQUIRED (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended					6 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2011		Dec. 31, 2011
Assets
Deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired	$ 3,208,319					$ 3,208,319				$ 3,248,041	[1]
Total assets	54,195,024					54,195,024				52,143,369	[1]
Liabilities
Deferred income taxes	1,430,027					1,430,027				1,260,629	[1]
Total liabilities	50,048,540					50,048,540				48,432,602	[1]
Equity:
Retained earnings	2,338,877					2,338,877				2,191,319	[1]
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss):
Net unrealized gain (losses) on investments, net of income tax	1,422,392					1,422,392				1,094,103	[1]
Total equity	4,146,484		3,785,060			4,146,484				3,710,767	[1]
Total liabilities and shareowners' equity	54,195,024					54,195,024				52,143,369	[1]
Expenses
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired	67,188			65,718	[1]	124,024		130,944	[1]
Other operating expenses	164,778			150,674	[1]	319,915		295,445	[1]
Total benefits and expenses	800,488			767,945	[1]	1,602,090		1,514,311	[1]
Income before income tax	107,687			134,839	[1]	258,266		225,553	[1]
Income tax (benefit) expense	31,532			46,920	[1]	83,090		78,807	[1]
Net income	76,155			87,919	[1]	175,176		146,746	[1]
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests				296	[1]			245	[1]
Net income available to PLC's common shareowners	76,155	[2]	99,021	87,623	[1],[2]	175,176	[2]	146,501	[1],[2]
Net income available to PLC's common shareowners - basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.93			$ 1.01	[1]	$ 2.14		$ 1.69	[1]
Net income available to PLC's common shareowners - diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.91			$ 1.00	[1]	$ 2.10		$ 1.67	[1]
Cash flows from operating activities
Net income	76,155			87,919	[1]	175,176		146,746	[1]
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired	67,188			65,718	[1]	124,024		130,944	[1]
Capitalization of deferred policy acquisition costs						(131,865)		(213,321)	[1]
Deferred income tax						(32,792)		51,091	[1]
Other, net						20,119		22,130	[1]
Net cash provided by operating activities								137,590
Balances and changes in DAC
Balance, beginning of period			2,219,901			2,219,901		2,124,329		2,124,329
Capitalization of commissions, sales and issue expenses						138,433				370,830
Amortization						(98,412)				(215,600)
Change in unrealized investment gains and losses						(25,817)				(59,658)
Balance, end of period	2,234,105					2,234,105				2,219,901
Balances and changes in VOBA
Balance, beginning of period			1,028,140			1,028,140		968,253		968,253
Acquisitions										137,418
Amortization						(32,177)				(66,163)
Change in unrealized gains and losses						(21,749)				(21,907)
Other										10,539
Balance, end of period	974,214					974,214				1,028,140
As originally reported
Assets
Deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired										4,036,757
Total assets										52,932,085
Liabilities
Deferred income taxes										1,540,397
Total liabilities										48,712,370
Equity:
Retained earnings										2,719,492
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss):
Net unrealized gain (losses) on investments, net of income tax										1,074,878
Total equity										4,219,715
Total liabilities and shareowners' equity										52,932,085
Expenses
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired				79,688				154,051
Other operating expenses				128,270				250,523
Total benefits and expenses				759,511				1,492,496
Income before income tax				143,273				247,368
Income tax (benefit) expense				49,909				86,538
Net income				93,364				160,830
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests				296				245
Net income available to PLC's common shareowners				93,068				160,585
Net income available to PLC's common shareowners - basic (in dollars per share)				$ 1.08				$ 1.86
Net income available to PLC's common shareowners - diluted (in dollars per share)				$ 1.06				$ 1.83
Cash flows from operating activities
Net income				93,364				160,830
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired				79,688				154,051
Capitalization of deferred policy acquisition costs								(252,788)
Deferred income tax								56,911
Other, net								18,586
Net cash provided by operating activities								137,590
ASU No. 2010-26 | Effect of change
Assets
Deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired										(788,716)
Total assets										(788,716)
Liabilities
Deferred income taxes										(279,768)
Total liabilities										(279,768)
Equity:
Retained earnings										(528,173)
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss):
Net unrealized gain (losses) on investments, net of income tax										19,225
Total equity										(508,948)
Total liabilities and shareowners' equity										(788,716)
Expenses
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired				(13,970)				(23,107)
Other operating expenses				22,404				44,922
Total benefits and expenses				8,434				21,815
Income before income tax				(8,434)				(21,815)
Income tax (benefit) expense				(2,989)				(7,731)
Net income				(5,445)				(14,084)
Net income available to PLC's common shareowners				(5,445)				(14,084)
Net income available to PLC's common shareowners - basic (in dollars per share)				$ (0.07)				$ (0.17)
Net income available to PLC's common shareowners - diluted (in dollars per share)				$ (0.06)				$ (0.16)
Cash flows from operating activities
Net income				(5,445)				(14,084)
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired				(13,970)				(23,107)
Capitalization of deferred policy acquisition costs								39,467
Deferred income tax								(5,820)
Other, net								$ 3,544

[1] Recast from previously reported information

[2] Protective Life Corporation ("PLC")