Segment Information (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Segment Reporting [Abstract]

Summary of financial information related to segments

The following tables summarize segment financial information:

	Year Ended December 31, 2015
	Individual		Empower
	Markets		Retirement		Other			Total
Revenue:
Premium income	$	360,783	$	533	$	84,234		$	445,550
Fee income	87,471		853,076		3,979			944,526
Other revenue	—		13,563		—			13,563
Net investment income	801,935		398,639		53,856			1,254,430
Realized investments gains (losses), net	28,864		54,752		94			83,710
Total revenues	1,279,053		1,320,563		142,163			2,741,779
Benefits and expenses:
Policyholder benefits	931,631		201,791		101,205			1,234,627
Operating expenses	159,719		992,564		65,890			1,218,173
Total benefits and expenses	1,091,350		1,194,355		167,095			2,452,800
Income (loss) before income taxes	187,703		126,208		(24,932		)	288,979
Income tax expense (benefit)	64,360		43,058		(8,894		)	98,524
Net income (loss)	$	123,343	$	83,150	$	(16,038	)	$	190,455

	December 31, 2015
	Individual		Empower
	Markets		Retirement		Other		Total
Assets:
Investments	$	16,074,681	$	10,966,096	$	1,770,249	$	28,811,026
Other assets	1,358,934		927,061		149,655		2,435,650
Separate account assets	7,031,013		19,600,180		—		26,631,193
Assets of continuing operations	$	24,464,628	$	31,493,337	$	1,919,904	57,877,869
Assets of discontinued operations							21,910
Total assets							$	57,899,779

	Year Ended December 31, 2014
	Individual		Empower
	Markets		Retirement		Other			Total
Revenue:
Premium income	$	360,305	$	1,215	$	84,875		$	446,395
Fee income	95,631		629,533		4,015			729,179
Other revenue	—		7,506		—			7,506
Net investment income	748,015		426,340		54,033			1,228,388
Realized investments gains (losses), net	44,381		102,597		393			147,371
Total revenues	1,248,332		1,167,191		143,316			2,558,839
Benefits and expenses:
Policyholder benefits	902,982		206,339		113,124			1,222,445
Operating expenses	136,850		647,165		79,107			863,122
Total benefits and expenses	1,039,832		853,504		192,231			2,085,567
Income (loss) before income taxes	208,500		313,687		(48,915		)	473,272
Income tax expense (benefit)	68,719		104,162		(16,978		)	155,903
Net income (loss)	$	139,781	$	209,525	$	(31,937	)	$	317,369

	December 31, 2014
	Individual		Empower
	Markets		Retirement		Other		Total
Assets:
Investments	$	15,928,591	$	10,621,831	$	1,772,821	$	28,323,243
Other assets	1,283,256		855,728		142,824		2,281,808
Separate account assets	7,247,463		20,471,381		—		27,718,844
Assets of continuing operations	$	24,459,310	$	31,948,940	$	1,915,645	58,323,895
Assets of discontinued operations							24,324
Total assets							$	58,348,219

	Year Ended December 31, 2013
	Individual		Empower
	Markets		Retirement			Other			Total
Revenue:
Premium income	$	354,202	$	3,954		$	105,937		$	464,093
Fee income	94,037		519,842			4,365			618,244
Other revenue	7,355		—			—			7,355
Net investment income	688,279		351,729			51,381			1,091,389
Realized investments gains (losses), net	19,071		(33,233		)	26			(14,136		)
Total revenues	1,162,944		842,292			161,709			2,166,945
Benefits and expenses:
Policyholder benefits	921,096		196,115			114,880			1,232,091
Operating expenses	142,141		538,209			66,971			747,321
Total benefits and expenses	1,063,237		734,324			181,851			1,979,412
Income (loss) before income taxes	99,707		107,968			(20,142		)	187,533
Income tax expense	34,265		33,240			(8,714		)	58,791
Net income (loss)	$	65,442	$	74,728		$	(11,428	)	$	128,742