Segment Information (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) segment	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Financial information of the segments
Number of Reportable Segments | segment	3
Revenue:
Premium income	$ 465,349	$ 445,550	$ 446,395
Fee income	956,817	944,526	729,179
Other revenue	12,261	13,563	7,506
Net investment income	1,276,559	1,254,430	1,228,388
Realized investments gains (losses), net	92,882	83,710	147,371
Total revenues	2,803,868	2,741,779	2,558,839
Benefits and expenses:
Policyholder benefits	1,241,023	1,234,627	1,222,445
Operating expenses	1,246,241	1,218,173	863,122
Total benefits and expenses	2,487,264	2,452,800	2,085,567
Total before tax	316,604	288,979	473,272
Income tax expense	85,512	98,524	155,903
Net income	231,092	190,455	317,369
Assets:
Investments	30,600,850	28,811,026
Other assets	2,652,531	2,435,650
Separate account assets	27,037,765	26,631,193
Assets of continuing operations	60,291,146	57,877,869
Assets of discontinued operations	17,652	21,910
Total assets	60,308,798	57,899,779
Individual Markets Segment
Revenue:
Premium income	379,127	360,783	360,305
Fee income	99,514	87,471	95,631
Other revenue	0	0	0
Net investment income	798,557	801,935	748,015
Realized investments gains (losses), net	40,899	28,864	44,381
Total revenues	1,318,097	1,279,053	1,248,332
Benefits and expenses:
Policyholder benefits	969,182	931,631	902,982
Operating expenses	175,016	159,719	136,850
Total benefits and expenses	1,144,198	1,091,350	1,039,832
Total before tax	173,899	187,703	208,500
Income tax expense	58,601	64,360	68,719
Net income	115,298	123,343	139,781
Assets:
Investments	16,770,772	16,074,681
Other assets	1,453,717	1,358,934
Separate account assets	7,521,475	7,031,013
Assets of continuing operations	25,745,964	24,464,628
Empower Retirement Segment
Revenue:
Premium income	1,853	533	1,215
Fee income	851,620	853,076	629,533
Other revenue	12,261	13,563	7,506
Net investment income	428,327	398,639	426,340
Realized investments gains (losses), net	51,209	54,752	102,597
Total revenues	1,345,270	1,320,563	1,167,191
Benefits and expenses:
Policyholder benefits	206,143	201,791	206,339
Operating expenses	1,002,129	992,564	647,165
Total benefits and expenses	1,208,272	1,194,355	853,504
Total before tax	136,998	126,208	313,687
Income tax expense	25,144	43,058	104,162
Net income	111,854	83,150	209,525
Assets:
Investments	12,195,748	10,966,096
Other assets	1,057,148	927,061
Separate account assets	19,516,290	19,600,180
Assets of continuing operations	32,769,186	31,493,337
Other Segment
Revenue:
Premium income	84,369	84,234	84,875
Fee income	5,683	3,979	4,015
Other revenue	0	0	0
Net investment income	49,675	53,856	54,033
Realized investments gains (losses), net	774	94	393
Total revenues	140,501	142,163	143,316
Benefits and expenses:
Policyholder benefits	65,698	101,205	113,124
Operating expenses	69,096	65,890	79,107
Total benefits and expenses	134,794	167,095	192,231
Total before tax	5,707	(24,932)	(48,915)
Income tax expense	1,767	(8,894)	(16,978)
Net income	3,940	(16,038)	$ (31,937)
Assets:
Investments	1,634,330	1,770,249
Other assets	141,666	149,655
Separate account assets	0	0
Assets of continuing operations	$ 1,775,996	$ 1,919,904