OPERATING SEGMENTS (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended						9 Months Ended					3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended			3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011		Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2012 Life Marketing	Sep. 30, 2011 Life Marketing	Sep. 30, 2012 Life Marketing	Sep. 30, 2011 Life Marketing	Dec. 31, 2011 Life Marketing	Sep. 30, 2012 Acquisitions	Sep. 30, 2011 Acquisitions	Sep. 30, 2012 Acquisitions	Sep. 30, 2011 Acquisitions	Dec. 31, 2011 Acquisitions	Sep. 30, 2012 Annuities	Sep. 30, 2011 Annuities	Sep. 30, 2012 Annuities	Sep. 30, 2011 Annuities	Dec. 31, 2011 Annuities	Sep. 30, 2012 Stable Value Products	Sep. 30, 2011 Stable Value Products	Sep. 30, 2012 Stable Value Products	Sep. 30, 2011 Stable Value Products	Dec. 31, 2011 Stable Value Products	Sep. 30, 2012 Asset Protection	Sep. 30, 2011 Asset Protection	Sep. 30, 2012 Asset Protection	Sep. 30, 2011 Asset Protection	Dec. 31, 2011 Asset Protection	Sep. 30, 2012 Corporate and Other	Sep. 30, 2011 Corporate and Other	Mar. 31, 2011 Corporate and Other	Sep. 30, 2012 Corporate and Other	Sep. 30, 2011 Corporate and Other	Dec. 31, 2011 Corporate and Other	Sep. 30, 2012 Adjustments	Dec. 31, 2011 Adjustments
Summarized financial information for the company's segments
Pre-tax earnings relating to settlement of a dispute																																							$ 8,500,000
Revenues	892,791,000				939,381,000	[1]	2,753,147,000		2,679,245,000	[1]		341,035,000	331,239,000	1,023,668,000	988,003,000		251,550,000	273,066,000	812,355,000	715,960,000		141,015,000	183,201,000	462,031,000	466,935,000		26,933,000	45,158,000	95,949,000	136,294,000		72,492,000	71,289,000	216,163,000	208,969,000		59,766,000	35,428,000		142,981,000	163,084,000
Segment Operating Income (Loss)	94,822,000				93,547,000		345,121,000		305,593,000			28,673,000	12,777,000	89,390,000	62,313,000		46,155,000	44,028,000	128,869,000	115,848,000		9,408,000	20,176,000	73,744,000	55,994,000		13,050,000	14,217,000	41,654,000	42,554,000		4,150,000	6,164,000	15,595,000	18,701,000		(6,614,000)	(3,815,000)		(4,131,000)	10,183,000
Realized investment gains (losses) - investments	120,745,000				120,653,000		191,294,000		172,096,000
Realized investment gains (losses) - derivatives	(124,581,000)				(91,914,000)		(187,163,000)		(130,095,000)
Income tax expense	(30,506,000)				(39,429,000)	[1]	(113,596,000)		(118,236,000)	[1]
Net income available to PLC's common shareowners	60,480,000	[2]	76,155,000	99,021,000	82,857,000	[1],[2]	235,656,000	[2]	229,358,000	[1],[2]
Realized gain (losses) on investments
Realized investment (losses) gains - investments, gross	113,999,000				128,401,000		182,946,000		176,640,000
Less: related amortization of DAC/VOBA	(6,746,000)				7,748,000		(8,348,000)		4,544,000
Realized investment (losses) gains - investments	120,745,000				120,653,000		191,294,000		172,096,000
Realized gain (losses) on derivatives
Realized investment gains (losses) - derivatives, gross	(134,222,000)				(97,816,000)	[1]	(212,399,000)		(145,495,000)	[1]
Less: VA GMWB economic cost	(9,641,000)				(5,902,000)		(25,236,000)		(15,400,000)
Realized investment gains (losses) - derivatives	(124,581,000)				(91,914,000)		(187,163,000)		(130,095,000)
Other-than-temporary impairments	8,556,000				9,829,000	[1]	40,928,000		24,979,000	[1]
Operating Segment Assets
Investments and other assets	52,594,538,000						52,594,538,000				48,783,669,000	11,864,935,000		11,864,935,000		10,885,833,000	11,401,071,000		11,401,071,000		11,471,856,000	17,087,855,000		17,087,855,000		14,945,002,000	2,326,726,000		2,326,726,000		2,767,163,000	788,781,000		788,781,000		727,417,000	9,105,885,000			9,105,885,000		7,964,907,000	19,285,000	21,491,000
Deferred policy acquisition costs and value of business acquired	3,208,227,000						3,208,227,000				3,248,041,000	1,983,432,000		1,983,432,000		1,912,916,000	698,467,000		698,467,000		824,277,000	458,025,000		458,025,000		435,462,000	1,511,000		1,511,000		2,347,000	65,611,000		65,611,000		71,427,000	1,181,000			1,181,000		1,612,000
Goodwill	109,335,000						109,335,000				111,659,000	10,192,000		10,192,000		10,192,000	36,389,000		36,389,000		38,713,000											62,671,000		62,671,000		62,671,000	83,000			83,000		83,000
Total assets	$ 55,912,100,000						$ 55,912,100,000				$ 52,143,369,000	$ 13,858,559,000		$ 13,858,559,000		$ 12,808,941,000	$ 12,135,927,000		$ 12,135,927,000		$ 12,334,846,000	$ 17,545,880,000		$ 17,545,880,000		$ 15,380,464,000	$ 2,328,237,000		$ 2,328,237,000		$ 2,769,510,000	$ 917,063,000		$ 917,063,000		$ 861,515,000	$ 9,107,149,000			$ 9,107,149,000		$ 7,966,602,000	$ 19,285,000	$ 21,491,000

[1] Recast from previously reported information

[2] Protective Life Corporation ("PLC")