Business and Basis of Presentation (Details) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) subsidiary	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Number of Subsidiaries | subsidiary					2
ASSETS
Total investments		$ 8,294,855			$ 8,294,855			$ 10,193,098
Cash and cash equivalents		78,777		$ 581,101	78,777	$ 581,101		370,286	$ 214,952
Deferred policy acquisition costs		1,217,189			1,217,189			5,129,931
Reinsurance recoverables								22,691,491
Deferred sales inducements		0			0			684,844
Other assets		266,597			266,597			59,578
TOTAL ASSETS		158,802,045			158,802,045			148,807,633
Increase (decrease) in Cash and cash equivalents					(291,509)	366,149
Increase (decrease) in Deferred policy acquisition costs					(357,105)	(245,936)
Increase (decrease) in Reinsurance recoverables					1,369,986	1,080,179
Increase (decrease) in Deferred sales inducements					2,151	5,335
LIABILITIES
Future policy benefits		20,096,101			20,096,101			15,198,755
Income taxes		123,584			123,584			138,639
Other liabilities		784,635			784,635			935,662
TOTAL LIABILITIES		156,041,385			156,041,385			144,325,208
Increase (decrease) in Future policy benefits					1,408,003	1,130,389
Increase (decrease) in Income taxes					(115,247)	(58,322)
EQUITY
Retained earnings		1,522,310			1,522,310			3,635,147
Accumulated other comprehensive income		249,787			249,787			64,805
TOTAL EQUITY		2,760,660			2,760,660			4,482,425
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY		158,802,045			158,802,045			148,807,633
Payments of Dividends					0	230,000
REVENUES
Premiums		29,015		20,321	(805,162)	59,440
Total realized investment gains (losses), net		(9,668)		(2,984)	905,945	(114,615)
TOTAL REVENUES		231,009		762,424	1,163,328	2,197,733
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Policyholders’ benefits		(54,496)		(115,186)	317,384	(233,950)
TOTAL BENEFITS AND EXPENSES		(182,005)		(920,714)	(757,592)	(2,025,242)
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES		49,004		(158,290)	405,736	172,491
Income tax expense (benefit)		(38,202)		(21,784)	(74,946)	12,681
NET INCOME (LOSS)		87,206		$ (136,506)	480,682	$ 159,810
Prudential Financial
EQUITY
Payments of Dividends			$ 2,600,000
Impacts of Reinsurance
ASSETS
Deferred policy acquisition costs		(5,931,554)			(5,931,554)			(2,158,121)
Deferred sales inducements		(579,020)			(579,020)			0
Other assets		217,222			217,222			35,616
LIABILITIES
Future policy benefits		3,086,284			3,086,284			2,380,215
Other liabilities		$ 362,415			362,415			$ 516,525
Variable Annuity | Items Effected By Recapture And Reinsurance Transactions
ASSETS
Total investments	$ 7,149,000						$ 10,702,000
Cash and cash equivalents	508,000						496,000
Deferred policy acquisition costs	1,116,000						4,565,000
Reinsurance recoverables	28,736,000						24,781,000
Deferred sales inducements	0						550,000
Other assets	305,000						94,000
Income taxes	23,000						0
TOTAL ASSETS	148,508,000						151,859,000
LIABILITIES
Income taxes	108,000						91,000
Debt	1,000						1,385,000
Other liabilities	870,000						870,000
TOTAL LIABILITIES	146,187,000						147,554,000
EQUITY
Retained earnings	1,432,000						3,337,000
Accumulated other comprehensive income	101,000						180,000
TOTAL EQUITY	2,321,000						4,305,000
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	148,508,000						$ 151,859,000
REVENUES
Premiums					(880,000)
Total realized investment gains (losses), net					805,000
TOTAL REVENUES					(75,000)
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Policyholders’ benefits					(547,000)
General, administrative and other expenses					(211,000)
TOTAL BENEFITS AND EXPENSES					(758,000)
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES					683,000
Income tax expense (benefit)					(6,000)
NET INCOME (LOSS)					689,000
Variable Annuity | Items Effected By Recapture And Reinsurance Transactions | Pruco Re Purchase
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Fair Value			4,166,000
Book Value	4,200,000		4,166,000
APIC, Net of Tax Increase/(Decrease)			0
Realized Investment Gain/(Loss), Net			0
Derivative Gain/(Loss)			0
Variable Annuity | Items Effected By Recapture And Reinsurance Transactions | PALAC Sale
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Fair Value			(6,994,000)
Book Value			(6,872,000)
APIC, Net of Tax Increase/(Decrease)			0
Realized Investment Gain/(Loss), Net			122,000
Derivative Gain/(Loss)			0
Variable Annuity | Items Effected By Recapture And Reinsurance Transactions | Prudential Insurance Dividend
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Fair Value			(19,000)
Book Value			(19,000)
APIC, Net of Tax Increase/(Decrease)			(19,000)
Realized Investment Gain/(Loss), Net			0
Derivative Gain/(Loss)			0
Variable Annuity | Items Effected By Recapture And Reinsurance Transactions | Prudential Insurance Sale
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Fair Value			(717,000)
Book Value			(703,000)
APIC, Net of Tax Increase/(Decrease)			15,000
Realized Investment Gain/(Loss), Net			0
Derivative Gain/(Loss)			0
Variable Annuity | Items Effected By Recapture And Reinsurance Transactions | PALAC | PALAC Sale
EQUITY
Fees and Commissions			3,600,000
Repayments of Debt			1,100,000
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Book Value	(7,000,000)
Variable Annuity | Items Effected By Recapture And Reinsurance Transactions | Prudential Insurance | Prudential Insurance Sale
EQUITY
Fees and Commissions			400,000
Repayments of Debt			100,000
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Book Value	(700,000)
Variable Annuity | Impacts of Recapture
ASSETS
Increase (decrease) in Total investments	4,166,000
Increase (decrease) in Cash and cash equivalents	0
Increase (decrease) in Deferred policy acquisition costs	0
Increase (decrease) in Reinsurance recoverables	(6,312,000)		(6,300,000)
Increase (decrease) in Deferred sales inducements	0
Increase (decrease) in Other assets	0
Increase (decrease) in Income taxes	0
Increase (decrease) in TOTAL ASSETS	(2,146,000)
LIABILITIES
Increase (decrease) in Income taxes	17,000
Increase (decrease) in Debt	0
Increase (decrease) in Other liabilities	0
Increase (decrease) in Liabilities	17,000
EQUITY
Increase (decrease) in Retained earnings	(2,163,000)
Increase (decrease) in Accumulated other comprehensive income	0
Increase (decrease) in TOTAL EQUITY	(2,163,000)
Increase (decrease) in TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	(2,146,000)
REVENUES
Premiums					0
Total realized investment gains (losses), net					(2,146,000)
TOTAL REVENUES					(2,146,000)
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Policyholders’ benefits					0
General, administrative and other expenses					0
TOTAL BENEFITS AND EXPENSES					0
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES					(2,146,000)
Income tax expense (benefit)					17,000
NET INCOME (LOSS)					(2,163,000)
Variable Annuity | Impacts of Recapture | PALAC
EQUITY
Fees and Commissions			3,600,000
Repayments of Debt			1,100,000
Variable Annuity | Impacts of Recapture | Pruco Re
ASSETS
Increase (decrease) in Total investments			4,200,000
Variable Annuity | Impacts of Recapture | Prudential Insurance
EQUITY
Fees and Commissions			400,000
Repayments of Debt			100,000
Variable Annuity | Impacts of Reinsurance
ASSETS
Increase (decrease) in Total investments	(7,719,000)
Increase (decrease) in Cash and cash equivalents	12,000
Increase (decrease) in Deferred policy acquisition costs	(3,449,000)
Increase (decrease) in Reinsurance recoverables	10,267,000		10,300,000
Increase (decrease) in Deferred sales inducements	(550,000)
Increase (decrease) in Other assets	211,000
Increase (decrease) in Income taxes	23,000
Increase (decrease) in TOTAL ASSETS	(1,205,000)
LIABILITIES
Increase (decrease) in Income taxes	0
Increase (decrease) in Debt	(1,384,000)
Increase (decrease) in Other liabilities	0
Increase (decrease) in Liabilities	(1,384,000)
EQUITY
Increase (decrease) in Retained earnings	258,000
Increase (decrease) in Accumulated other comprehensive income	(79,000)
Increase (decrease) in TOTAL EQUITY	179,000
Increase (decrease) in TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY	$ (1,205,000)
REVENUES
Premiums					(880,000)
Total realized investment gains (losses), net					2,951,000
TOTAL REVENUES					2,071,000
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Policyholders’ benefits					(547,000)
General, administrative and other expenses					(211,000)
TOTAL BENEFITS AND EXPENSES					(758,000)
INCOME (LOSS) FROM OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES					2,829,000
Income tax expense (benefit)					(23,000)
NET INCOME (LOSS)					$ 2,852,000
Variable Annuity | Impacts of Reinsurance | PALAC
ASSETS
Increase (decrease) in Total investments			(7,700,000)
Variable Annuity | Impacts of Reinsurance | Prudential Financial
EQUITY
Payments of Dividends			$ 2,600,000