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Derivative Financial Instruments - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2013
Derivative          
Credit Exposure on Derivatives 3.3        
Cash Collateral from Counterparties $ 28.7us-gaap_DerivativeCollateralObligationToReturnCash   $ 15.4us-gaap_DerivativeCollateralObligationToReturnCash    
Carrying Value of Fixed Maturity Securities Posted as Collateral to Counterparties 49.0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesPledgedAsCollateral   67.0us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesPledgedAsCollateral    
Cash Collateral to Counterparties 0us-gaap_DerivativeCollateralRightToReclaimCash   0us-gaap_DerivativeCollateralRightToReclaimCash    
Aggregate Fair Value of all Derivative Instruments with Credit Risk-related Contingent Features in a Liability Position 71.8us-gaap_DerivativeNetLiabilityPositionAggregateFairValue   92.9us-gaap_DerivativeNetLiabilityPositionAggregateFairValue    
Notional Amount of Derivatives 1,678.5invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount 1,469.5invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount 1,687.4invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount   1,477.4invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
Material Ineffectiveness on Cash Flow Hedges 0us-gaap_GainOnCashFlowHedgeIneffectiveness 0us-gaap_GainOnCashFlowHedgeIneffectiveness      
Gain from Components Excluded from Assessment of Cash Flow Hedge Effectiveness 0us-gaap_GainLossFromComponentsExcludedFromAssessmentOfCashFlowHedgeEffectivenessNet 0us-gaap_GainLossFromComponentsExcludedFromAssessmentOfCashFlowHedgeEffectivenessNet      
Approximate Amount of Net Deferred Gains on Derivative Instruments Expected to be Amortized During the Next Twelve Months 50.9us-gaap_CashFlowHedgeGainLossToBeReclassifiedWithinTwelveMonths        
Material Ineffectiveness on Fair Value Hedges 0us-gaap_GainOnFairValueHedgeIneffectiveness 0us-gaap_GainOnFairValueHedgeIneffectiveness      
Component of Derivative Gain (Loss) Excluded from the Assessment of Hedge Effectiveness 0us-gaap_GainLossFromComponentsExcludedFromAssessmentOfFairValueHedgeEffectivenessNet 0us-gaap_GainLossFromComponentsExcludedFromAssessmentOfFairValueHedgeEffectivenessNet      
Discontinued Hedge Accounting Due to Instrument No Longer Qualifying as Fair Value Hedge 0us-gaap_GainLossFromHedgedFirmCommitmentNotQualifyingAsFairValueHedgeNet 0us-gaap_GainLossFromHedgedFirmCommitmentNotQualifyingAsFairValueHedgeNet      
Novated Foreign Currency Interest Rate Swap          
Derivative          
Notional Amount of Derivatives 97.0invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= unm_NovatedForeignCurrencyInterestRateSwapMember
       
Receive Variable/Pay Fixed | Swaps          
Derivative          
Notional Amount of Derivatives 150.0invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_SwapMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= unm_DerivativeFinancialInstrumentsReceiveVariablePayFixedMember
  150.0invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_SwapMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= unm_DerivativeFinancialInstrumentsReceiveVariablePayFixedMember
   
Receive Variable/Pay Fixed | Interest Rate Swaps          
Derivative          
Change in Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Fair Value Hedging Instruments 0.5us-gaap_ChangeInUnrealizedGainLossOnFairValueHedgingInstruments1
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= unm_DerivativeFinancialInstrumentsReceiveVariablePayFixedMember
  1.4us-gaap_ChangeInUnrealizedGainLossOnFairValueHedgingInstruments1
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= unm_DerivativeFinancialInstrumentsReceiveVariablePayFixedMember
   
Receive Fixed/Pay Variable | Swaps          
Derivative          
Notional Amount of Derivatives 600.0invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_SwapMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= unm_DerivativeFinancialInstrumentsReceiveFixedPayVariableMember
  600.0invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_SwapMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= unm_DerivativeFinancialInstrumentsReceiveFixedPayVariableMember
   
Receive Fixed/Pay Variable | Interest Rate Swaps          
Derivative          
Change in Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Fair Value Hedging Instruments 3.7us-gaap_ChangeInUnrealizedGainLossOnFairValueHedgingInstruments1
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= unm_DerivativeFinancialInstrumentsReceiveFixedPayVariableMember
  1.6us-gaap_ChangeInUnrealizedGainLossOnFairValueHedgingInstruments1
/ us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= unm_DerivativeFinancialInstrumentsReceiveFixedPayVariableMember
   
Credit Default Swaps          
Derivative          
Notional Amount of Derivatives 97.0invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_CreditDefaultSwapMember
  97.0invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_CreditDefaultSwapMember
   
Cash Flow Hedging | Interest Rate Swaps          
Derivative          
Notional Amount of Derivatives 609.1invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
  618.0invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossByHedgingRelationshipAxis
= us-gaap_CashFlowHedgingMember
   
Long-term Debt | Subsequent Event          
Derivative          
Hedge Gain Reclassification from AOCI to Earnings       27.1us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossReclassificationAdjustmentFromAOCIOnDerivativesBeforeTax
/ us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAxis
= us-gaap_LongTermDebtMember
/ us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis
= us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
 
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument | Interest Rate Swaps          
Derivative          
Notional Amount of Derivatives 222.4invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
       
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument | Foreign Currency Swap          
Derivative          
Notional Amount of Derivatives $ 125.4invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_CurrencySwapMember
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_NondesignatedMember