FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (Details 4) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Assets:
Mortgage loans on real estate	$ 5,096,080	$ 5,353,481
Policy loans	869,607	879,819
Liabilities:
Stable value product account balances	2,328,237	2,769,510
Annuity account balances	10,751,652	10,946,848
Debt:
Non-recourse funding obligations	297,000	407,800
Carrying Amounts
Assets:
Mortgage loans on real estate	5,096,080	5,353,481
Policy loans	869,607	879,819
Liabilities:
Stable value product account balances	2,328,237	2,769,510
Annuity account balances	10,751,652	10,946,848
Mortgage loan backed certificates		19,755
Debt:
Bank borrowings	50,000	170,000
Senior Notes	1,350,000	1,350,000
Subordinated debt securities	540,593	524,743
Non-recourse funding obligations	297,000	407,800
Fair Values
Assets:
Mortgage loans on real estate	5,993,084	6,251,902
Policy loans	869,607	879,819
Liabilities:
Stable value product account balances	2,357,076	2,855,614
Annuity account balances	10,454,664	10,767,892
Mortgage loan backed certificates		19,893
Debt:
Bank borrowings	50,000	170,000
Senior Notes	1,567,312	1,494,346
Subordinated debt securities	552,756	525,483
Non-recourse funding obligations	$ 184,236	$ 217,529

Represents the liability as of the balance sheet date of amounts held for annuity contracts.

No definition available.

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- Definition

Total of the portions of long-term debt, which may include notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans, and commercial paper, which are scheduled to be repaid within one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer, and after deducting unamortized discount or premiums, if any.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Non-recourse funding obligations issued by special purpose entities owned by the reporting entity. The funding obligations are direct financial obligations of the special purpose entity and are not guaranteed by the reporting entity.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Represents the liability as of the balance sheet date of amounts related to stable value contracts.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Represents the current and noncurrent portions of subordinated debt securities (with initial maturities beyond one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer). Subordinated debt places a lender in a lien position behind debt having a higher priority of repayment in liquidation of the entity's assets.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Gross amount of loans made to policy and contract holders using their life insurance contracts' cash value or separate accounts as collateral.

+ References

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

-Publisher AICPA

-Name Audit and Accounting Guide (AAG)

-Number AAG-LHI

-Paragraph 104, 105, 106

-IssueDate 2006-05-01

-Chapter 11

-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.

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1(e))

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

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph e

-Article 7

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- Definition

Including the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of loans from a bank with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the normal operating cycle if longer.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16)

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 20, 22

-Article 5

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- Definition

The balance represents the amount of loans that are secured by real estate mortgages, offset by the reserve to cover probable credit losses on the loan portfolio.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 60

-Paragraph 47

-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.

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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-Number 210

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-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph c

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- Definition

Including the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of Notes with the highest claim on the assets of the issuer in case of bankruptcy or liquidation (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer). Senior note holders are paid off in full before any payments are made to junior note holders.

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

-Publisher FASB

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