Business and Basis of Presentation (Variable Annuities Recature Affected Financial Statement Lines) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Apr. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Apr. 01, 2016	Dec. 31, 2014
ASSETS
Total investments		$ 7,811,638				$ 8,367,590				$ 7,811,638	$ 8,367,590
Cash and cash equivalents		212,569				96,157				212,569	96,157	$ 370,286		$ 214,952
Deferred policy acquisition costs		1,376,211				1,341,093				1,376,211	1,341,093	5,129,931		5,081,938
Reinsurance recoverables		32,555,500				28,674,226				32,555,500	28,674,226
Deferred sales inducements		0				0				0	0	684,844		$ 836,791
Other assets		465,467				279,222				465,467	279,222
TOTAL ASSETS		172,459,576				155,665,990				172,459,576	155,665,990
Ceding commissions										142,781	(113,501)	8,770
LIABILITIES
Income taxes		32,440				97,400				32,440	97,400
Other liabilities		1,060,123				849,698				1,060,123	849,698
TOTAL LIABILITIES		169,638,940				153,169,187				169,638,940	153,169,187
EQUITY
Retained earnings		1,511,698				1,437,266				1,511,698	1,437,266
Accumulated other comprehensive income		165,346				70,975				165,346	70,975
TOTAL EQUITY		2,820,636				2,496,803				2,820,636	2,496,803
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY		172,459,576				155,665,990				172,459,576	155,665,990
REVENUES
Premiums										54,706	(825,942)	77,634
Realized Investment Gains (Losses)										(80,186)	758,449	(208,538)
TOTAL REVENUES		209,390	$ (24,256)	$ 270,721	$ 210,959	47,874	$ 231,010	$ 140,925	$ 791,393	666,814	1,211,202	2,859,906
BENEFITS AND EXPENSES
Policyholders’ benefits										(38,380)	(260,200)	299,150
General, administrative and other expenses										271,533	220,733	1,030,014
TOTAL BENEFITS AND EXPENSES		180,806	193,689	(67,282)	189,338	132,262	182,006	(588,114)	1,163,700	496,551	889,854	2,362,544
Income tax expense (benefit)										(154,654)	(73,869)	(10,641)
NET INCOME (LOSS)		113,692	$ (178,496)	$ 349,164	$ 40,072	(85,465)	84,897	$ 723,984	(328,199)	324,432	395,217	$ 508,003
Impacts of Reinsurance
ASSETS
Deferred policy acquisition costs		6,832,729				6,482,889				6,832,729	6,482,889
Deferred sales inducements		638,065				615,117				638,065	615,117
Other assets		205,430				226,347				205,430	226,347
LIABILITIES
Other liabilities		$ 626,306				$ 410,376				$ 626,306	$ 410,376
Variable Annuity
ASSETS
Total investments									10,702,000				$ 7,149,000
Cash and cash equivalents									496,000				508,000
Deferred policy acquisition costs									4,565,000				1,116,000
Reinsurance recoverables									24,781,000				28,736,000
Deferred sales inducements									550,000				0
Other assets									94,000				305,000
Income taxes									0				23,000
TOTAL ASSETS									151,859,000				148,508,000
LIABILITIES
Income taxes									91,000				108,000
Short-term and long-term debt to affiliates									1,385,000				1,000
Other liabilities									870,000				870,000
TOTAL LIABILITIES									147,554,000				146,187,000
EQUITY
Retained earnings									3,337,000				1,432,000
Accumulated other comprehensive income									180,000				101,000
TOTAL EQUITY									4,305,000				2,321,000
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY									$ 151,859,000				148,508,000
REVENUES
Premiums	$ (880,000)
Realized Investment Gains (Losses)	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 | Impacts of Recapture
ASSETS
Total investments													4,166,000
Cash and cash equivalents													0
Deferred policy acquisition costs													0
Reinsurance recoverables													(6,312,000)
Deferred sales inducements													0
Other assets													0
Income taxes													0
TOTAL ASSETS													(2,146,000)
LIABILITIES
Income taxes													17,000
Short-term and long-term debt to affiliates													0
Other liabilities													0
TOTAL LIABILITIES													17,000
EQUITY
Retained earnings													(2,163,000)
Accumulated other comprehensive income													0
TOTAL EQUITY													(2,163,000)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY													(2,146,000)
REVENUES
Premiums	0
Realized Investment Gains (Losses)	(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 Reinsurance
ASSETS
Total investments													(7,719,000)
Cash and cash equivalents													12,000
Deferred policy acquisition costs													(3,449,000)
Reinsurance recoverables													10,267,000
Deferred sales inducements													(550,000)
Other assets													211,000
Income taxes													23,000
TOTAL ASSETS													(1,205,000)
LIABILITIES
Income taxes													0
Short-term and long-term debt to affiliates													(1,384,000)
Other liabilities													0
TOTAL LIABILITIES													(1,384,000)
EQUITY
Retained earnings													258,000
Accumulated other comprehensive income													(79,000)
TOTAL EQUITY													179,000
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND EQUITY													(1,205,000)
REVENUES
Premiums	(880,000)
Realized Investment Gains (Losses)	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
PALAC and Prudential Insurance | Variable Annuity | Impacts of Recapture
ASSETS
Reinsurance recoverables													10,300,000
PALAC and Prudential Insurance | Variable Annuity | Impacts of Reinsurance
ASSETS
Asset transfer													(7,700,000)
Pruco Re | Variable Annuity | Impacts of Recapture
ASSETS
Reinsurance recoverables													6,300,000
Asset transfer													4,200,000
PALAC | Variable Annuity | Impacts of Recapture
ASSETS
Asset transfer							(7,000,000)
Ceding commissions	3,600,000
Prudential Insurance | Variable Annuity | Impacts of Recapture
ASSETS
Asset transfer							$ (700,000)
Ceding commissions	400,000
Reassignment of debt | PALAC | Variable Annuity | Impacts of Recapture
ASSETS
Ceding commissions	1,100,000
Reassignment of debt | Prudential Insurance | Variable Annuity | Impacts of Recapture
ASSETS
Ceding commissions	$ 100,000
Dividends | Prudential Insurance | Variable Annuity | Impacts of Recapture
EQUITY
Retained earnings													$ 2,800,000