MORTGAGE LOANS (Details 4) (Commercial mortgage loans, USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Commercial mortgage loans
Recorded Investment
With no related allowance recorded	$ 16,368	$ 14,619
With an allowance recorded	13,927	13,927
Unpaid Principal Balance
With no related allowance recorded	18,716	16,942
With an allowance recorded	13,927	13,927
Related allowance recorded
With an allowance recorded	4,045	2,875
Average Recorded Investment
With no related allowance recorded	2,046	2,088
With an allowance recorded	3,482	3,482
Interest Income Recognized
With no related allowance recorded	176	53
With an allowance recorded	154	154
Cash Basis Interest Income
With no related allowance recorded	87	100
With an allowance recorded	$ 154	$ 154

Name:	pl_ImpairedFinancingReceivableRelatedAllowanceAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	pl_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableAverageRecordedInvestmentAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableInterestIncomeAccrualMethodAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableInterestIncomeCashBasisMethodAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of allowance for credit losses related to recorded investment.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableRelatedAllowance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableUnpaidPrincipalBalanceAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of average investment of impaired financing receivables for which there is no related allowance for credit losses.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 15

-Subparagraph (c)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7512638&loc=d3e5212-111524

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 17

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7512638&loc=d3e5258-111524

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithNoRelatedAllowanceAverageRecordedInvestment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of interest income, recognized on accrual basis, on financing receivables that are recognized as impaired, for which there is no related allowance for credit losses.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithNoRelatedAllowanceInterestIncomeAccrualMethod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of interest income, recognized on cash basis, on financing receivables, for which there is no related allowance for credit losses and are recognized as impaired.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithNoRelatedAllowanceInterestIncomeCashBasisMethod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of investment in impaired financing receivables for which there is no related allowance for credit losses.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 14A

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7512638&loc=SL6953550-111524

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithNoRelatedAllowanceRecordedInvestment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of unpaid principal balance of impaired financing receivables for which there is no related allowance for credit losses.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithNoRelatedAllowanceUnpaidPrincipalBalance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of average investment of impaired financing receivables for which there is a related allowance for credit losses.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithRelatedAllowanceAverageRecordedInvestment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of interest income, recognized on accrual basis, on financing receivables, for which there is a related allowance for credit losses and are recognized as impaired.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithRelatedAllowanceInterestIncomeAccrualMethod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of interest income on financing receivables, for which there is a related allowance for credit losses, recognized on a cash-basis method of accounting that the financing receivables were impaired.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithRelatedAllowanceInterestIncomeCashBasisMethod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of investment in impaired financing receivables for which there is a related allowance for credit losses.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithRelatedAllowanceRecordedInvestment
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Unpaid principal balance of impaired financing receivables for which there is a related allowance for credit losses.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairedFinancingReceivableWithRelatedAllowanceUnpaidPrincipalBalance
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant