FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS (Details 4) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Assets:
Mortgage loans on real estate	$ 5,589,795
Policy loans	1,735,370us-gaap_LoansInsurancePolicy
Fixed maturities, held-to-maturity	551,320us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecurities
Liabilities:
Stable value product account balances	1,923,684pl_StableValueProductAccountBalances
Annuity account balances	10,846,606pl_AnnuityAccountBalances
Debt:
Subordinated debt securities	454,225us-gaap_SubordinatedDebt
Non-recourse funding obligations	641,600pl_NonrecourseFundingObligations
Golden Gate V
Debt:
Non-recourse funding obligations	520,864
Carrying Amounts \| Golden Gate V
Debt:
Non-recourse funding obligations	455,000
Fair Values \| Golden Gate V
Debt:
Non-recourse funding obligations	502,100
Predecessor
Assets:
Mortgage loans on real estate		5,133,780
Policy loans		1,758,237
Fixed maturities, held-to-maturity		435,000
Liabilities:
Stable value product account balances		1,959,488
Annuity account balances		10,950,729
Debt:
Subordinated debt securities		540,593
Non-recourse funding obligations		582,404
Predecessor \| Carrying Amounts \| Golden Gate V
Debt:
Non-recourse funding obligations		435,000
Predecessor \| Fair Values \| Golden Gate V
Debt:
Non-recourse funding obligations		461,400
Level 3 \| Carrying Amounts
Assets:
Mortgage loans on real estate	5,589,795
Policy loans	1,735,370
Liabilities:
Stable value product account balances	1,923,684
Annuity account balances	10,846,606
Debt:
Bank borrowings	545,000
Non-recourse funding obligations	641,600
Level 3 \| Carrying Amounts \| Fixed maturities
Assets:
Fixed maturities, held-to-maturity	551,320
Level 3 \| Fair Values
Assets:
Mortgage loans on real estate	5,594,230
Policy loans	1,735,370
Liabilities:
Stable value product account balances	1,924,552
Annuity account balances	10,285,821
Debt:
Bank borrowings	545,000
Non-recourse funding obligations	621,867
Level 3 \| Fair Values \| Fixed maturities
Assets:
Fixed maturities, held-to-maturity	528,828
Level 3 \| Predecessor \| Carrying Amounts
Assets:
Mortgage loans on real estate		5,133,780
Policy loans		1,758,237
Liabilities:
Stable value product account balances		1,959,488
Annuity account balances		10,950,729
Debt:
Bank borrowings		450,000
Non-recourse funding obligations		582,404
Level 3 \| Predecessor \| Carrying Amounts \| Fixed maturities
Assets:
Fixed maturities, held-to-maturity		435,000
Level 3 \| Predecessor \| Fair Values
Assets:
Mortgage loans on real estate		5,524,059
Policy loans		1,758,237
Liabilities:
Stable value product account balances		1,973,624
Annuity account balances		10,491,775
Debt:
Bank borrowings		450,000
Non-recourse funding obligations		578,212
Level 3 \| Predecessor \| Fair Values \| Fixed maturities
Assets:
Fixed maturities, held-to-maturity		458,422
Level 2 \| Carrying Amounts
Debt:
Senior Notes	1,124,637
Subordinated debt securities	454,225
Level 2 \| Fair Values
Debt:
Senior Notes	1,105,764
Subordinated debt securities	461,949
Level 2 \| Predecessor \| Carrying Amounts
Debt:
Senior Notes		850,000
Subordinated debt securities		540,593
Level 2 \| Predecessor \| Fair Values
Debt:
Senior Notes		1,100,380
Subordinated debt securities		$ 552,098

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

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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.

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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

Amount after other than temporary impairment (OTTI) accretion, of investments in debt securities classified as held-to-maturity.

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- Definition

Amount before allowance of loans made to policy and contract holders using their life insurance contracts' cash value or separate accounts as collateral. Includes deferred interest and fees, undisbursed portion of loan balance, unamortized costs and premiums over and discounts from face amounts. Excludes loans and leases covered under loss sharing agreements.

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

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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.

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-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 20, 22

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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.

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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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- Definition

Including the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of subordinated debt (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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-Section 02

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-Subsection 19, 20, 22

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