INVESTMENT OPERATIONS (Details 4) (USD $)				3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended							9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended									3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013 Below investment grade	Sep. 30, 2013 Fixed maturities	Sep. 30, 2012 Fixed maturities	Sep. 30, 2013 Fixed maturities	Sep. 30, 2012 Fixed maturities	Dec. 31, 2012 Fixed maturities	Sep. 30, 2013 Residential mortgage-backed securities	Dec. 31, 2012 Residential mortgage-backed securities	Sep. 30, 2013 Commercial mortgage-backed securities	Dec. 31, 2012 Commercial mortgage-backed securities	Sep. 30, 2013 Other asset-backed securities	Dec. 31, 2012 Other asset-backed securities	Sep. 30, 2013 U.S. government-related securities	Dec. 31, 2012 U.S. government-related securities	Sep. 30, 2013 Other government-related securities	Dec. 31, 2012 Other government-related securities	Sep. 30, 2013 States, municipals, and political subdivisions	Dec. 31, 2012 States, municipals, and political subdivisions	Sep. 30, 2013 Corporate bonds	Dec. 31, 2012 Corporate bonds	Sep. 30, 2013 Equity securities	Sep. 30, 2012 Equity securities	Sep. 30, 2013 Equity securities	Sep. 30, 2012 Equity securities	Dec. 31, 2012 Equity securities
Fair Value
Less Than 12 Months	$ 5,988,039,000	$ 1,578,240,000							$ 247,821,000	$ 101,522,000	$ 379,783,000	$ 50,601,000	$ 129,567,000	$ 479,223,000	$ 601,537,000	$ 107,802,000		$ 14,955,000	$ 81,281,000	$ 11,526,000	$ 4,293,043,000	$ 777,552,000	$ 255,007,000		$ 255,007,000		$ 35,059,000
12 Months or More	833,624,000	794,622,000							67,680,000	166,000,000	6,656,000		532,205,000	242,558,000	14,847,000				315,000		190,041,000	364,110,000	21,880,000		21,880,000		21,954,000
Total	6,821,663,000	2,372,862,000							315,501,000	267,522,000	386,439,000	50,601,000	661,772,000	721,781,000	616,384,000	107,802,000		14,955,000	81,596,000	11,526,000	4,483,084,000	1,141,662,000	276,887,000		276,887,000		57,013,000
Unrealized Loss
Less Than 12 Months	(415,686,000)	(68,099,000)							(13,668,000)	(9,605,000)	(16,807,000)	(598,000)	(6,567,000)	(28,179,000)	(29,179,000)	(595,000)		(45,000)	(6,059,000)	(264,000)	(322,093,000)	(23,663,000)	(21,313,000)		(21,313,000)		(5,150,000)
12 Months or More	(105,792,000)	(72,681,000)							(8,649,000)	(9,770,000)	(250,000)		(60,168,000)	(33,245,000)	(818,000)				(200,000)		(27,201,000)	(24,783,000)	(8,506,000)		(8,506,000)		(4,883,000)
Total	(521,478,000)	(140,780,000)							(22,317,000)	(19,375,000)	(17,057,000)	(598,000)	(66,735,000)	(61,424,000)	(29,997,000)	(595,000)		(45,000)	(6,259,000)	(264,000)	(349,294,000)	(48,446,000)	(29,819,000)		(29,819,000)		(10,033,000)
Percentage of underlying collateral of student-loan backed auction rate securities guaranteed by the Federal Family Education Loan Program ("FFELP"), minimum													97.00%	97.00%
Available-for-sale securities, fair value	26,090,742,000	27,271,759,000	1,500,000,000	25,540,436,000		25,540,436,000		26,780,651,000	1,464,027,000	1,839,330,000	911,607,000	869,823,000	877,164,000	975,013,000	1,213,436,000	1,169,943,000	41,128,000	100,778,000	1,300,377,000	1,443,713,000	19,732,697,000	20,382,051,000	440,513,000		440,513,000		392,231,000
Available-for-sale securities, amortized cost	24,816,853,000	24,162,714,000	1,500,000,000	24,242,198,000		24,242,198,000		23,674,016,000	1,438,409,000	1,766,440,000	898,377,000	797,844,000	928,367,000	1,023,649,000	1,204,908,000	1,099,001,000	38,406,000	93,565,000	1,191,736,000	1,188,077,000	18,541,995,000	17,705,440,000	464,862,000		464,862,000		389,821,000
Securities in trading portfolio			330,000,000	2,800,000,000		2,800,000,000		3,000,000,000															20,700,000		20,700,000		19,600,000
Securities Not publicly traded			437,700,000
Change in unrealized gains (losses), net of income tax				$ (156,636,000)	$ 437,087,000	$ (1,175,458,000)	$ 797,314,000																$ (12,791,000)	$ 4,531,000	$ (17,393,000)	$ 8,226,000