FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (Details 4) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Jun. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Assets:
Mortgage loans on real estate	$ 4,773,709	$ 4,950,201
Policy loans	855,780	865,391
Liabilities:
Stable value product account balances	2,579,172	2,510,559
Annuity account balances	10,509,829	10,658,463
Debt:
Non-recourse funding obligations	604,900	586,000
Golden Gate V
Debt:
Non-recourse funding obligations	335,000
Carrying Amounts
Assets:
Mortgage loans on real estate	4,773,709	4,950,201
Policy loans	855,780	865,391
Liabilities:
Stable value product account balances	2,579,172	2,510,559
Annuity account balances	10,509,829	10,658,463
Debt:
Bank borrowings	360,000	50,000
Senior Notes	1,100,000	1,350,000
Subordinated debt securities	540,593	540,593
Non-recourse funding obligations	604,900	586,000
Carrying Amounts \| Fixed maturities
Assets:
Fixed maturities, held-to-maturity	335,000	300,000
Carrying Amounts \| Golden Gate V
Debt:
Non-recourse funding obligations	335,000	300,000
Fair Values
Assets:
Mortgage loans on real estate	5,310,405	5,725,382
Policy loans	855,780	865,391
Liabilities:
Stable value product account balances	2,579,483	2,534,094
Annuity account balances	10,137,230	10,525,702
Debt:
Bank borrowings	360,000	50,000
Senior Notes	1,305,009	1,584,438
Subordinated debt securities	540,383	556,524
Non-recourse funding obligations	499,956	481,056
Fair Values \| Fixed maturities
Assets:
Fixed maturities, held-to-maturity	333,772	319,163
Fair Values \| Golden Gate V
Debt:
Non-recourse funding obligations	$ 297,900	$ 297,600

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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.

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

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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.

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For an unclassified balance sheet, this item represents investments in debt securities which are categorized as held-to-maturity. The held-to-maturity category is for those securities that the entity has the positive intent and ability to hold until maturity.

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

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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.

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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.

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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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