Statutory Net Income and Surplus and Dividend Restrictions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Statutory Net Income And Surplus And Dividend Restrictions [Abstract]
Statutory Net Income and Surplus and Dividend Restrictions	STATUTORY NET INCOME AND SURPLUS AND DIVIDEND RESTRICTIONS The Company is required to prepare statutory financial statements in accordance with accounting practices prescribed or permitted by the Arizona Department of Insurance. Statutory accounting practices primarily differ from GAAP by charging policy acquisition costs to expense as incurred, establishing future policy benefit liabilities using different actuarial assumptions and valuing investments, deferred taxes, and certain assets on a different basis. Statutory net income for the Company, including its subsidiary PLNJ, amounted to $578 million, $593 million and $169 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Statutory surplus of the Company, including its subsidiary PLNJ, amounted to $1,250 million and $2,796 million at December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. The Company does not utilize prescribed or permitted practices that vary materially from the statutory accounting practices prescribed by the NAIC. The Company is subject to Arizona law, which limits the amount of dividends that insurance companies can pay to stockholders without approval of the Arizona Department of Insurance. The maximum dividend, which may be paid in any twelve-month period without notification or approval, is limited to the lesser of 10% of statutory surplus as of December 31 of the preceding year or the net gain from operations of the preceding calendar year. Cash dividends may only be paid out of surplus derived from realized net profits. Based on these limitations, there is a capacity to pay a dividend of $125 million in 2017 without prior approval. The Company paid dividends to Prudential Insurance of $2,593 million, $430 million and $748 million in 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

STATUTORY NET INCOME AND SURPLUS AND DIVIDEND RESTRICTIONS

The Company is required to prepare statutory financial statements in accordance with accounting practices prescribed or permitted by the Arizona Department of Insurance. Statutory accounting practices primarily differ from GAAP by charging policy acquisition costs to expense as incurred, establishing future policy benefit liabilities using different actuarial assumptions and valuing investments, deferred taxes, and certain assets on a different basis.

Statutory net income for the Company, including its subsidiary PLNJ, amounted to $578 million, $593 million and $169 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Statutory surplus of the Company, including its subsidiary PLNJ, amounted to $1,250 million and $2,796 million at December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

The Company does not utilize prescribed or permitted practices that vary materially from the statutory accounting practices prescribed by the NAIC.

The Company is subject to Arizona law, which limits the amount of dividends that insurance companies can pay to stockholders without approval of the Arizona Department of Insurance. The maximum dividend, which may be paid in any twelve-month period without notification or approval, is limited to the lesser of 10% of statutory surplus as of December 31 of the preceding year or the net gain from operations of the preceding calendar year. Cash dividends may only be paid out of surplus derived from realized net profits. Based on these limitations, there is a capacity to pay a dividend of $125 million in 2017 without prior approval. The Company paid dividends to Prudential Insurance of $2,593 million, $430 million and $748 million in 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.