Segment Information Segment Information (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) segment	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)
Financial information of the segments
Number of reportable segments | segment			3
Revenues
Premium income	$ 145,504	$ 146,100	$ 365,408	$ 377,845
Fee income	264,304	246,413	786,758	709,844
Other revenue	3,322	3,228	9,367	9,747
Net investment income	300,582	291,539	911,274	979,080
Realized investment gains (losses), net	13,861	33,374	24,171	106,657
Total revenues	727,573	720,654	2,096,978	2,183,173
Benefits and expenses:
Policyholder benefits	344,241	346,861	953,213	946,876
Operating expenses	315,063	318,481	947,555	944,815
Total benefits and expenses	659,304	665,342	1,900,768	1,891,691
Income before income taxes	68,269	55,312	196,210	291,482
Income tax expense	21,688	15,295	64,973	79,043
Net income	46,581	40,017	131,237	212,439
Individual Markets
Revenues
Premium income	125,757	126,770	302,017	311,110
Fee income	27,780	23,553	82,960	71,823
Other revenue	0	0	0	0
Net investment income	185,447	185,747	562,440	619,633
Realized investment gains (losses), net	2,389	11,026	7,010	37,602
Total revenues	341,373	347,096	954,427	1,040,168
Benefits and expenses:
Policyholder benefits	272,396	280,821	740,655	749,790
Operating expenses	41,332	35,948	127,137	127,181
Total benefits and expenses	313,728	316,769	867,792	876,971
Income before income taxes	27,645	30,327	86,635	163,197
Income tax expense	9,398	10,102	29,579	55,183
Net income	18,247	20,225	57,056	108,014
Empower Retirement
Revenues
Premium income	764	605	1,908	1,311
Fee income	234,957	221,342	698,850	633,679
Other revenue	3,322	3,228	9,367	9,747
Net investment income	103,334	94,383	313,710	321,972
Realized investment gains (losses), net	11,472	21,565	17,168	68,278
Total revenues	353,849	341,123	1,041,003	1,034,987
Benefits and expenses:
Policyholder benefits	53,736	51,730	152,067	153,587
Operating expenses	255,623	263,327	760,564	761,827
Total benefits and expenses	309,359	315,057	912,631	915,414
Income before income taxes	44,490	26,066	128,372	119,573
Income tax expense	13,641	5,442	42,063	20,579
Net income	30,849	20,624	86,309	98,994
Other
Revenues
Premium income	18,983	18,725	61,483	65,424
Fee income	1,567	1,518	4,948	4,342
Other revenue	0	0	0	0
Net investment income	11,801	11,409	35,124	37,475
Realized investment gains (losses), net	0	783	(7)	777
Total revenues	32,351	32,435	101,548	108,018
Benefits and expenses:
Policyholder benefits	18,109	14,310	60,491	43,499
Operating expenses	18,108	19,206	59,854	55,807
Total benefits and expenses	36,217	33,516	120,345	99,306
Income before income taxes	(3,866)	(1,081)	(18,797)	8,712
Income tax expense	(1,351)	(249)	(6,669)	3,281
Net income	$ (2,515)	$ (832)	$ (12,128)	$ 5,431