XML 14 R6.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.0.6
Label Element Value
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Document Type dei_DocumentType 485BPOS
Document Period End Date dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate Dec. 31, 2011
Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName LORD ABBETT SERIES FUND INC
Central Index Key dei_EntityCentralIndexKey 0000855396
Amendment Flag dei_AmendmentFlag false
Document Creation Date dei_DocumentCreationDate Apr. 12, 2012
Document Effective Date dei_DocumentEffectiveDate May 01, 2012
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate May 01, 2012
Bond-Debenture Portfolio
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading RISK/RETURN
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Fund’s investment objective is to seek high current income and the opportunity for capital appreciation to produce a high total return.

Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading FEES AND EXPENSES
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. The table does not reflect the fees and expenses of variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (together, “Variable Contracts”). If such fees and expenses were reflected, expenses shown would be higher.

Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination 2013-04-30
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading Portfolio Turnover.
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 33.43% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 33.43%
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that dividends and distributions are reinvested, and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example takes into account the contractual management fee waiver and expense reimbursement agreement between the Fund and Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC for the term of the agreement). The example does not reflect variable contract expenses, fees, and charges. If these expenses, fees, and charges were included, your costs would be higher. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

To pursue its objective under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in bonds, debentures and other fixed income securities. The Fund may invest a substantial portion of its net assets in high-yield securities (commonly referred to as “lower-rated” or “junk” bonds). Under normal market conditions, the Fund will have an average effective portfolio maturity of five to twelve years.


The Fund’s investments primarily include the following types of securities and other financial instruments:


  • U.S. high-yield securities;

  • U.S. investment grade fixed income securities;

  • convertible securities;

  • foreign (including emerging market) securities;

  • mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities;

  • senior loans, including bridge loans, novations, assignments, and participations; and

  • equity securities.


In addition, the Fund may invest in derivative instruments, including options, futures contracts, forward contracts, and swap agreements. The Fund may use such instruments in order to seek to enhance returns, to attempt to hedge some of its investment risk, to manage portfolio duration, or as a substitute position for holding the underlying asset on which the derivative instrument is based.


The Fund generally will sell a security when the Fund believes the security is less likely to benefit from the current market and economic environment, shows signs of deteriorating fundamentals, has reached its valuation target, for duration management purposes, or portfolio management identifies more compelling investment opportunities, among other reasons. The Fund seeks to remain fully invested in accordance with its investment objective; however, in response to adverse economic, market or other unfavorable conditions, the Fund may invest its assets in a temporary defensive manner.

Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading PRINCIPAL RISKS
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund.


The Fund primarily invests in fixed income securities, including a substantial portion in lower-rated debt securities, which may experience significant volatility at times and may fall sharply in response to adverse events. Lower-rated debt securities may be more volatile and may decline more in price in response to negative issuer developments, general economic conditions, and market movements than higher-rated securities. In addition to the risks of overall market movements, risks of events affecting a particular industry or sector, and risks that are specific to an individual security, the following is a summary of certain risks that could adversely affect the Fund’s performance or increase volatility:


  • Portfolio Management Risk: If the strategies used and securities selected by the Fund’s portfolio management fail to produce the intended result, the Fund may suffer losses or underperform other funds with the same investment objective or strategies, even in a rising market.

  • High-Yield Securities Risk: High-yield bonds typically pay a higher yield than higher-rated bonds, but may have greater price fluctuations and have a higher risk of default than higher-rated bonds. High-yield bonds may be subject to greater credit and liquidity risks than higher-rated bonds, which may make high- yield bonds more difficult to sell at a reasonable price or at all, especially during periods of increased market volatility or significant market decline. Some issuers of high-yield bonds may be more likely to default as to principal and interest payments after the Fund purchases their securities. High-yield bonds are considered predominantly speculative by traditional investment standards. The prices of high-yield bonds in general may decline during periods of uncertainty or market turmoil.

  • Credit Risk: The issuer of a debt security owned by the Fund may fail to make timely payments of principal or interest, or may default on such payments. A debt security may decline in value if the issuer becomes less creditworthy, even when interest rates are falling. These risks are greatest for the Fund’s high-yield debt securities, which have lower credit ratings.

  • Interest Rate Risk: A rise in prevailing interest rates generally will cause the price of a fixed rate debt security to fall. Generally, the longer the maturity of a security or weighted average maturity of the Fund, the more sensitive its price is to a rise in interest rates.

  • Liquidity Risk: There may be few available buyers or sellers for a security, preventing the Fund from transacting in a timely manner or at an advantageous price, and subjecting the security to greater price fluctuations. The market for high-yield bonds generally is less liquid than the market for high-rated securities.

  • Convertible and Other Equity-Related Securities Risk: Convertible securities are subject to the risks affecting both equity and fixed income securities, including market, credit, liquidity, and interest rate risk. Convertible securities tend to be more volatile than other fixed income securities, and the markets for convertible securities may be less liquid than markets for common stocks or bonds. A significant portion of convertible securities have below investment grade credit ratings and are subject to increased credit and liquidity risks.

  • Government Securities Risk and Mortgage-Related Securities Risk: The Fund invests in securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies and instrumentalities (such as the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”), the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”)). Unlike Ginnie Mae securities, securities issued or guaranteed by U.S. government-related organizations such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government and no assurance can be given that the U.S. government would provide financial support. Mortgage-related securities may be particularly sensitive to changes in economic conditions, including delinquencies and/or defaults. They are subject to prepayment risk (higher than expected prepayment rates of mortgage obligations due to a fall in market interest rates) and extension risk (lower than expected prepayment rates of mortgage obligations due to a rise in market interest rates). These risks increase the Fund’s overall interest rate risk. Some mortgage-related securities receive government or private support, but there is no assurance that such support will remain in place.

  • Foreign Company Risk: The Fund’s investment exposure to foreign (which may include emerging market) companies generally is subject to the risk that the securities may be adversely affected by political, economic and social volatility, currency exchange fluctuations, lack of transparency, or inadequate regulatory and accounting standards, inadequate exchange control regulations, foreign taxes, higher transaction and other costs, and delays in settlement. Because the Fund’s definition of foreign securities focuses on where the security is principally traded rather than where the issuer is organized and/or operated, the percentage of the Fund’s assets that is exposed to foreign market risks may exceed the percentage of the Fund’s assets that the Fund defines as representing foreign securities.

  • Senior Loan Risk: The Fund’s investments in floating or adjustable rate senior loans are subject to increased credit and liquidity risks. Senior loan prices also may be adversely affected by supply-demand imbalances caused by conditions in the senior loan market or related markets. Below investment grade senior loans, like high-yield debt securities, or junk bonds, usually are more credit than interest rate sensitive, although the value of these instruments may be affected by interest rate swings in the overall fixed income market.

  • Derivatives Risk: Derivatives are subject to certain risks, including the risk that the value of the derivative may not correlate with the value of the underlying security, rate, or index in the manner anticipated by portfolio management. Derivatives may be more sensitive to changes in economic or market conditions and may become illiquid. Derivatives are subject to leverage risk, which may increase the Fund’s volatility, and counterparty risk, which means that the counterparty may fail to perform its obligations under the derivative contract.


An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. For more information on the principal risks of the Fund, please see the “More Information About the Fund – Principal Risks” section in the prospectus.

Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text] rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading PERFORMANCE
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by illustrating the variability of the Fund’s returns. Each assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by illustrating the variability of the Fund's returns.
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The Fund's past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading Bar Chart (per calendar year) - Class VC Shares
Bar Chart Narrative [Text Block] rr_BarChartNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart shows changes in the performance of the Fund's Class VC shares from calendar year to calendar year. This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.


Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text] rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

 

 

 

Best Quarter 2nd Q ’09 +11.21%

 

Worst Quarter 4th Q ’08 -9.96%

Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 11.21%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (9.96%)
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended December 31, 2011)
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text] rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
Performance Table Narrative rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

The table below shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare to the returns of securities indices.

Bond-Debenture Portfolio | Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 7.84%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 6.50%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 5.78%
Bond-Debenture Portfolio | BofA Merrill Lynch High Yield Master II Constrained Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 4.37%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 7.54%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 8.74%
Bond-Debenture Portfolio | 60% BofA Merrill Lynch High Yield Master II Constrained Index/ 20% Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index/ 20% BofA Merrill Lynch All Convertibles Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 3.17%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 6.43%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 7.50%
Bond-Debenture Portfolio | Class VC
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.50%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.43%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.93%
Management Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (0.03%) [1]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Management Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.90% [1]
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 92
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 293
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 512
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,140
Annual Return 2002 rr_AnnualReturn2002 7.92%
Annual Return 2003 rr_AnnualReturn2003 18.01%
Annual Return 2004 rr_AnnualReturn2004 7.89%
Annual Return 2005 rr_AnnualReturn2005 1.31%
Annual Return 2006 rr_AnnualReturn2006 9.33%
Annual Return 2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 6.19%
Annual Return 2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (17.53%)
Annual Return 2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 34.31%
Annual Return 2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 12.31%
Annual Return 2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 4.38%
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 4.38%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 6.64%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 7.69%
Capital Structure Portfolio
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading RISK/RETURN
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Fund’s investment objective is to seek current income and capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading FEES AND EXPENSES
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. The table does not reflect the fees and expenses of variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (together, “Variable Contracts”). If such fees and expenses were reflected, expenses shown would be higher.

Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination 2013-04-30
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading Portfolio Turnover.
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 22.48% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 22.48%
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that dividends and distributions are reinvested, and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example takes into account the contractual management fee waiver and expense reimbursement agreement between the Fund and Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC for the term of the agreement). The example does not reflect variable contract expenses, fees, and charges. If these expenses, fees, and charges were included, your costs would be higher. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

To pursue its objective, under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 50% of its net assets in equity securities and may invest its remaining assets in equity or fixed income securities. It is expected that as much as 30% of the Fund’s net assets may be invested in high yield debt securities (sometimes called “lower- rated bonds” or “junk bonds”), which for the purpose of this policy, include convertible securities. Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in equity and fixed income securities issued by companies organized in or maintaining their principal place of business in the U.S., or whose securities are traded primarily in the U.S. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in foreign (including emerging market) securities that are traded primarily outside the U.S.


We generally use a value approach to identify particular investments for the Fund. The mix of the Fund’s investments at any time will depend on our judgments regarding the degree to which we believe specific securities are undervalued (that is, with the highest projected total return/yield potential) and is subject to change. In the case of equity securities, we focus on companies that we believe have the potential for significant market appreciation due to growing recognition of improvement in their financial results or increasing anticipation of such improvement. In selecting fixed income securities for the Fund we seek unusual values, using fundamental, bottom-up research to identify undervalued securities that we believe will produce a high total return. The Fund’s investments primarily include the following types of securities and other financial instruments:


  • Equity securities, including common stocks, preferred stocks, and equity interests in trusts (including real estate investment trusts), partnerships, joint ventures, and limited liability companies. The Fund considers equity securities to include rights offerings and investments that convert into the equity securities described above.

  • Large and mid-sized companies having a market capitalization greater than $500 million at the time of purchase. This market capitalization threshold may vary in response to changes in the markets.

  • Value companies that portfolio management believes to be underpriced or undervalued according to certain financial measurements of intrinsic worth or business prospects and have the potential for capital appreciation.

  • Foreign companies, which may be traded on U.S. or non-U.S. securities exchanges and may include American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”).

  • Fixed income securities, including investment grade debt securities, high yield debt securities, mortgage-related or other asset-backed securities, U.S. Government securities, senior loans (including bridge loans, novations, assignments, and participations), and cash equivalents.


At its discretion and consistent with the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund selectively may use derivatives, including futures, forwards, options, and swaps, to hedge against the decline in value of the Fund’s investments and for other risk management purposes, to efficiently gain targeted investment exposure, and to seek to increase the Fund’s investment returns.


The Fund generally will sell a security when the Fund believes the security is less likely to benefit from the current market and economic environment, shows signs of deteriorating fundamentals, or has reached its valuation target, among other reasons. The Fund seeks to remain fully invested in accordance with its investment objective; however, in response to adverse economic, market or other unfavorable conditions, the Fund may invest its assets in a temporary defensive manner.

Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading PRINCIPAL RISKS
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund.


The Fund invests principally in stocks and other securities described above that may experience significant volatility at times and may fall sharply in response to adverse events. Individual securities also may experience dramatic movements in price. The Fund also invests in fixed income securities, including high yield debt securities, the value of which will fluctuate in response to economic conditions and market movements. In addition to the risks of overall market movements, risks of events affecting a particular industry or sector, and risks that are specific to an individual security, the principal risks of investing in the Fund, which could adversely affect its performance, include:


  • Portfolio Management Risk: If the strategies used and securities selected by the Fund’s portfolio management fail to produce the intended result, the Fund may suffer losses or underperform other funds with the same investment objective or strategies, even in a rising market.

  • Large Company Risk: As compared to smaller successful companies, larger companies may be less able to respond quickly to certain market developments and may have slower rates of growth.

  • Mid-Sized Company Risk: Securities of mid-sized companies generally involve greater risks than investments in larger companies. Mid-sized companies may have limited management experience or depth, limited access to capital, limited products or services, or operate in markets that have not yet been established. Mid-sized company securities tend to be more volatile and less liquid than equity securities of larger companies.

  • Value Investing Risk: The prices of value stocks may lag the stock market for long periods of time if the market fails to recognize the company’s intrinsic worth.

  • Fixed Income Securities Risk: Fixed income securities are subject to risks, including interest rate, credit, and liquidity risks. Interest rate risk is the risk that a rise in prevailing interest rates will cause the price of a fixed rate debt security to fall. Credit risk is the risk that the issuer of a debt security owned by the Fund may fail to make timely payments of principal or interest, or may default on such payments. Liquidity is the risk that there may be few available buyers or sellers for a security. These risks are greatest for the Fund’s high yield debt securities.

  • Mortgage-Related and Other Asset-Backed Securities Risk: The mortgage- and asset-backed securities in which the Fund invests may be particularly sensitive to changes in economic conditions, including delinquencies and/or defaults, and changes in prevailing interest rates.

  • Senior Loan Risk: The Fund’s investments in floating or adjustable rate senior loans are subject to increased credit and liquidity risks. Senior loan prices also may be adversely affected by supply-demand imbalances caused by conditions in the senior loan market or related markets. Below investment grade senior loans, like high-yield debt securities, or junk bonds, usually are more credit than interest rate sensitive, although the value of these instruments may be affected by interest rate swings in the overall fixed income market.

  • Foreign Company Risk: The Fund’s investment exposure to foreign (which may include emerging market) companies generally is subject to the risk that the value of securities issued by foreign companies may be adversely affected by political, economic and social volatility, lack of transparency or inadequate regulatory and accounting standards, inadequate exchange control regulations, foreign taxes, higher transaction and other costs, and delays in settlement. Because the Fund’s limit on foreign securities focuses on where the security is principally traded rather than where the issuer is organized and/or operated, the percentage of the Fund’s assets that is exposed to foreign market risks may exceed the percentage of the Fund’s assets that the Fund considers to represent foreign securities. Emerging market securities generally are more volatile than other foreign securities, and are subject to greater liquidity, regulatory, and political risks.

  • Derivatives Risk: Derivatives are subject to certain risks, including the risk that the value of the derivative may not correlate with the value of the underlying security, rate, or index in the manner anticipated by portfolio management. Derivatives may be more sensitive to changes in economic or market conditions and may become illiquid. Derivatives are subject to leverage risk, which may increase the Fund’s volatility, and counterparty risk, which means that the counterparty may fail to perform its obligations under the derivative contract.


An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. For more information on the principal risks of the Fund, please see the “More Information About the Fund – Principal Risks” section in the prospectus.

Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text] rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading PERFORMANCE
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by illustrating the variability of the Fund’s returns. Each assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by illustrating the variability of the Fund's returns.
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The Fund's past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading Bar Chart (per calendar year)-Class VC Shares
Bar Chart Narrative [Text Block] rr_BarChartNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart shows changes in the performance of the Fund's Class VC shares from calendar year to calendar year. This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.


Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text] rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

 

 

 

Best Quarter 3rd Q ‘09 +12.42%

 

Worst Quarter 3rd Q ’11 -13.59%

Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 12.42%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2011
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (13.59%)
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended December 31, 2011)
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text] rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
Performance Table Narrative rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

The table below shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare to the returns of securities indices.

Capital Structure Portfolio | S&P 500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 2.11%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (0.25%)
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 5.82%
Inception Date for Performance rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 30, 2003
Capital Structure Portfolio | 60% S&P 500® Index/40% Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 4.69%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 2.84%
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 5.89%
Inception Date for Performance rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 30, 2003
Capital Structure Portfolio | Class VC
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.75%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.48%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.23%
Management Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (0.08%) [2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Management Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.15% [2]
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 117
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 382
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 668
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,482
Annual Return 2004 rr_AnnualReturn2004 16.47%
Annual Return 2005 rr_AnnualReturn2005 3.78%
Annual Return 2006 rr_AnnualReturn2006 14.55%
Annual Return 2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 3.16%
Annual Return 2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (26.19%)
Annual Return 2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 23.41%
Annual Return 2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 14.77%
Annual Return 2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 0.19%
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 0.19%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 1.56%
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 7.32%
Inception Date for Performance rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 30, 2003
Classic Stock Portfolio
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading RISK/RETURN
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Fund’s investment objective is growth of capital and growth of income consistent with reasonable risk.

Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading FEES AND EXPENSES
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. The table does not reflect the fees and expenses of variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (together, “Variable Contracts”). If such fees and expenses were reflected, expenses shown would be higher.

Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination 2013-04-30
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading Portfolio Turnover.
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 27.01% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 27.01%
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that dividends and distributions are reinvested, and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example takes into account the contractual management fee waiver and expense reimbursement agreement between the Fund and Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC for the term of the agreement). The example does not reflect variable contract expenses, fees, and charges. If these expenses, fees, and charges were included, your costs would be higher. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

To pursue its objective, under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities of large, seasoned, U.S. and multinational companies. The Fund invests in the full spectrum of large companies, including those with value or growth characteristics. The Fund may invest in U.S. and foreign (which may include emerging market) companies. Foreign companies may be traded on U.S. or non-U.S. securities exchanges and may include American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). The Fund’s investments primarily include the following types of securities and other financial instruments:


  • Equity securities, including common stocks, preferred stocks, and equity interests in trusts (including real estate investment trusts), partnerships, joint ventures, and limited liability companies. The Fund considers equity securities to include rights offerings and investments that convert into the equity securities described above.

  • Large companies having a market capitalization at the time of purchase that falls within the market capitalization range of companies in the Russell 1000® Index.

  • Value companies that portfolio management believes to be underpriced or undervalued according to certain financial measurements of intrinsic worth or business prospects and have the potential for capital appreciation.

  • Growth companies that portfolio management believes exhibit faster-than-average gains in earnings and have the potential to continue profit growth at a high level.


At its discretion and consistent with the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund selectively may use derivatives, including futures and options, to hedge against the decline in value of the Fund’s investments and for other risk management purposes, to efficiently gain targeted investment exposure, and to seek to increase the Fund’s investment returns.


The Fund generally will sell a security when the Fund believes the security is less likely to benefit from the current market and economic environment, shows signs of deteriorating fundamentals, or has reached its valuation target, among other reasons. The Fund seeks to remain fully invested in accordance with its investment objective; however, in response to adverse economic, market or other unfavorable conditions, the Fund may invest its assets in a temporary defensive manner.

Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading PRINCIPAL RISKS
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund.


The Fund invests principally in stocks and other securities described above that may experience significant volatility at times and may fall sharply in response to adverse events. Individual securities also may experience dramatic movements in price. In addition to the risks of overall market movements, risks of events affecting a particular industry or sector, and risks that are specific to an individual security, the principal risks of investing in the Fund, which could adversely affect its performance, include:


  • Portfolio Management Risk: If the strategies used and securities selected by the Fund’s portfolio management fail to produce the intended result, the Fund may suffer losses or underperform other funds with the same investment objective or strategies, even in a rising market.

  • Large Company Risk: As compared to smaller successful companies, larger companies may be less able to respond quickly to certain market developments and may have slower rates of growth.

  • Blend Style Risk: The Fund uses a “blend” strategy to invest in both growth and value stocks, or in stocks with characteristics of both. The prices of growth stocks may fall dramatically if the company fails to meet earnings or revenue projections. The prices of value stocks may lag the stock market for long periods of time if the market fails to recognize the company’s intrinsic worth.

  • Foreign Company Risk: The Fund’s investment exposure to foreign (which may include emerging market) companies generally is subject to the risk that the value of securities issued by foreign companies may be adversely affected by political, economic and social volatility, lack of transparency or inadequate regulatory and accounting standards, inadequate exchange control regulations, foreign taxes, higher transaction and other costs, and delays in settlement. Because the Fund’s limit on foreign securities focuses on where the security is principally traded rather than where the issuer is organized and/or operated, the percentage of the Fund’s assets that is exposed to foreign market risks may exceed the percentage of the Fund’s assets that the Fund considers to represent foreign securities. Emerging market securities generally are more volatile than other foreign securities, and are subject to greater liquidity, regulatory, and political risks.

  • Derivatives Risk: Derivatives are subject to certain risks, including the risk that the value of the derivative may not correlate with the value of the underlying security, rate, or index in the manner anticipated by portfolio management. Derivatives may be more sensitive to changes in economic or market conditions and may become illiquid. Derivatives are subject to leverage risk, which may increase the Fund’s volatility, and counterparty risk, which means that the counterparty may fail to perform its obligations under the derivatives contract.


An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. For more information on the principal risks of the Fund, please see the “More Information About the Fund – Principal Risks” section in the prospectus.

Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text] rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading PERFORMANCE
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by illustrating the variability of the Fund’s returns. Each assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by illustrating the variability of the Fund's returns.
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The Fund's past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading Bar Chart (per calendar year) - Class VC Shares
Bar Chart Narrative [Text Block] rr_BarChartNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart shows changes in the performance of the Fund's Class VC shares from calendar year to calendar year. This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.


Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text] rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

 

 

 

Best Quarter 3rd Q ‘09 +14.57%

 

Worst Quarter 4th Q ’08 -19.84%

Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 14.57%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (19.84%)
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended December 31, 2011)
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text] rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
Performance Table Narrative rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

The table below shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare to the returns of securities indices.

Classic Stock Portfolio | Russell 1000® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 1.50%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (0.02%)
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 3.68%
Inception Date for Performance rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 29, 2005
Classic Stock Portfolio | S&P 500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 2.11%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (0.25%)
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 3.40%
Inception Date for Performance rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 29, 2005
Classic Stock Portfolio | Class VC
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.70%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.60%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.30%
Management Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (0.35%) [3]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Management Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.95% [3]
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 97
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 378
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 679
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,537
Annual Return 2006 rr_AnnualReturn2006 12.91%
Annual Return 2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 10.68%
Annual Return 2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (31.28%)
Annual Return 2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 25.50%
Annual Return 2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 14.12%
Annual Return 2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 (8.15%)
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (8.15%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.01%
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 3.15%
Inception Date for Performance rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 29, 2005
Developing Growth Portfolio
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading RISK/RETURN
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Fund’s investment objective is long-term growth of capital.

Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading FEES AND EXPENSES
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. The table does not reflect the fees and expenses of variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (together, “Variable Contracts”). If such fees and expenses were reflected, expenses shown would be higher.

Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination 2013-04-30
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading Portfolio Turnover.
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 173.40% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 173.40%
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that dividends and distributions are reinvested, and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example takes into account the contractual management fee waiver and expense reimbursement agreement between the Fund and Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC for the term of the agreement). The example does not reflect variable contract expenses, fees, and charges. If these expenses, fees, and charges were included, your costs would be higher. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

To pursue its objective, the Fund invests primarily in the common stocks of companies demonstrating above-average, long-term growth potential. The Fund seeks to identify companies that it believes are strongly positioned in the developing growth phase, which the Fund defines as the period of swift development after a company’s start-up phase when growth occurs at a rate rarely equaled by established companies in their mature years.


Under normal market conditions, the Fund invests at least 65% of its net assets in equity securities of small companies. In selecting investments, the Fund may invest in U.S. and foreign (which may include emerging market) companies. Foreign companies may be traded on U.S. or non-U.S. securities exchanges and may include American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). The Fund’s principal investments include the following types of securities and other financial instruments:


  • Equity securities usually include common stocks, but also may include preferred stocks, convertible securities, and equity interests in trusts, partnerships, and limited liability companies. The Fund also may invest in securities that are tied to the price of stock, including rights and convertible debt securities.

  • Small companies having a market capitalization at the time of purchase that falls within the market capitalization range of companies in the Russell 2000® Index.

  • Growth companies that the Fund believes exhibit faster-than-average gains in earnings and have the potential to continue profit growth at a high level.


The Fund generally will sell a security when the Fund believes the security is less likely to benefit from the current market and economic environment, shows signs of deteriorating fundamentals, or has reached its valuation target, among other reasons. The Fund seeks to remain fully invested in accordance with its investment objective; however, in response to adverse economic, market or other unfavorable conditions, the Fund may invest its assets in a temporary defensive manner.

Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading PRINCIPAL RISKS
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund.


The Fund invests primarily in stocks and other equity securities that may experience significant volatility at times and may fall sharply in response to adverse events. Individual securities also may experience dramatic movements in price. In addition to the risks of overall market movements, risks of events affecting a particular industry or sector, and risks that are specific to an individual security, the principal risks of investing in the Fund, which could adversely affect its performance, include:


  • Portfolio Management Risk: If the strategies used and securities selected by the Fund’s portfolio management fail to produce the intended result, the Fund may suffer losses or underperform other funds with the same investment objective or strategies, even in a rising market.

  • Small Company Risk: The Fund invests primarily in equity securities of small companies, which typically involve greater investment risks than larger companies. Small companies may have limited management experience or depth, limited ability to generate or borrow capital needed for growth, and limited products or services or operate in markets that have not yet been established. Accordingly, small company securities tend to be more sensitive to changing economic conditions and tend to be more volatile and less liquid than equity securities of larger companies.

  • Growth Investing Risk: The Fund uses a growth investing style, which may be out of favor or may not produce the best results over short or longer time periods. In addition, growth stocks tend to be more volatile than slower-growing value stocks.

  • Foreign Company Risk: The Fund’s investment exposure to foreign (which may include emerging market) companies generally is subject to the risk that the value of securities issued by foreign companies may be adversely affected by political, economic and social volatility, lack of transparency, or inadequate regulatory and accounting standards, inadequate exchange control regulations, foreign taxes, higher transaction and other costs, and delays in settlement. Because the Fund’s limit on foreign securities focuses on where the security is principally traded rather than where the issuer is organized and/or operated, the percentage of the Fund’s assets that is exposed to foreign market risks may exceed the percentage of the Fund’s assets that the Fund considers to represent foreign securities. Emerging market securities generally are more volatile than other foreign securities, and are subject to greater liquidity, regulatory, and political risks.


An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. For more information on the principal risks of the Fund, please see the “More Information About the Fund – Principal Risks” section in the prospectus.

Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text] rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading PERFORMANCE
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The table below provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by comparing the Fund’s performance with a broad measure of market performance. Each assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The table below provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by comparing the Fund's performance with a broad measure of market performance.
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The Fund's past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading Bar Chart (per calendar year) - Class VC Shares
Bar Chart Narrative [Text Block] rr_BarChartNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart shows the performance of the Fund's Class VC shares for the calendar year ended December 31, 2011. This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.


Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text] rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock
 

 

 

Best Quarter 4th Q ’11 +12.16%

 

Worst Quarter 3rd Q ’11 -22.58%

Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Dec. 31, 2011
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 12.16%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2011
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (22.58%)
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended December 31, 2011)
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text] rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
Performance Table Narrative rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

The table below shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare to the returns of a securities index.

Developing Growth Portfolio | Russell 2000® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (2.91%)
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 6.89%
Inception Date for Performance rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 30, 2010
Developing Growth Portfolio | Class VC
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.75%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 29.22%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 29.97%
Management Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (29.07%) [1]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Management Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.90% [1]
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 92
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 4,871
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 7,561
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 10,202
Annual Return 2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 (2.14%)
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (2.14%)
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 12.45%
Inception Date for Performance rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 30, 2010
Fundamental Equity Portfolio
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading RISK/RETURN
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Fund’s investment objective is long-term growth of capital and income without excessive fluctuations in market value.

Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading FEES AND EXPENSES
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. The table does not reflect the fees and expenses of variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (together, “Variable Contracts”). If such fees and expenses were reflected, expenses shown would be higher.

Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination 2013-04-30
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading Portfolio Turnover.
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 55.92% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 55.92%
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that dividends and distributions are reinvested, and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example takes into account the contractual management fee waiver and expense reimbursement agreement between the Fund and Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC for the term of the agreement). The example does not reflect variable contract expenses, fees, and charges. If these expenses, fees, and charges were included, your costs would be higher. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

To pursue its objective, the Fund invests principally in equity securities of U.S. and multinational companies that the Fund believes are undervalued in all market capitalization ranges. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities. The Fund normally will invest at least 50% of its net assets in large, established companies having a market capitalization within the range of companies included in the Russell 1000® Index. The Fund normally will invest the remainder of its assets in securities of mid-sized and small companies.


The Fund attempts to invest in companies the portfolio manager believes have been undervalued by the market and are selling at reasonable prices. The Fund seeks to identify companies that have the strongest fundamentals relative to valuations and looks for positive factors that the Fund believes are likely to improve the value of the company’s stock price. The Fund may invest in U.S. and foreign (including emerging market) companies. Foreign companies may be traded on U.S. or non-U.S. securities exchanges and may include American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). The Fund’s investments primarily include the following types of securities and other financial instruments:


  • Equity securities of large, mid-sized, and small companies. Equity securities may include common stocks, preferred stocks, and equity interests in trusts (including real estate investment trusts), partnerships, joint ventures, and limited liability companies. The Fund considers equity securities to include rights offerings and investments that convert into the equity securities described above.

  • Value companies of any size that portfolio management believes to be undervalued according to certain financial measurements of intrinsic worth or business prospects and have the potential for capital appreciation.


At its discretion and consistent with the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund selectively may use derivatives, including futures, forwards, options, and swaps, to hedge against the decline in value of the Fund’s investments and for other risk management purposes, to efficiently gain targeted investment exposure, and to seek to increase the Fund’s investment returns.


The Fund generally will sell a security when the Fund believes the security is less likely to benefit from the current market and economic environment, shows signs of deteriorating fundamentals, or has reached its valuation target, among other reasons. The Fund seeks to remain fully invested in accordance with its investment objective; however, in response to adverse economic, market or other unfavorable conditions, the Fund may invest its assets in a temporary defensive manner.

Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading PRINCIPAL RISKS
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund.


The Fund invests principally in stocks and other securities described above that may experience significant volatility at times and may fall sharply in response to adverse events. Individual securities also may experience dramatic movements in price. In addition to the risks of overall market movements, risks of events affecting a particular industry or sector, and risks that are specific to an individual security, the principal risks of investing in the Fund, which could adversely affect its performance, include:


  • Portfolio Management Risk: If the strategies used and securities selected by the Fund’s portfolio management fail to produce the intended result, the Fund may suffer losses or underperform other funds with the same investment objective or strategies, even in a rising market.

  • Large Company Risk: As compared to smaller successful companies, larger companies may be less able to respond quickly to certain market developments and may have slower rates of growth.

  • Mid-Sized and Small Company Risk: Securities of mid-sized and small companies generally involve greater risks than investments in larger companies. Mid-sized and small companies may have limited management experience or depth, limited access to capital, and limited products or services, or may operate in markets that have not yet been established. Mid-sized and small company securities tend to be more volatile and less liquid than equity securities of larger companies.

  • Value Investing Risk: The prices of value stocks may lag the stock market for long periods of time if the market fails to recognize the company’s intrinsic worth.

  • Foreign Company Risk: The Fund’s investment exposure to foreign (which may include emerging market) companies generally is subject to the risk that the value of securities issued by foreign companies may be adversely affected by political, economic, and social volatility, lack of transparency or inadequate regulatory and accounting standards, inadequate exchange control regulations, foreign taxes, higher transaction and other costs, and delays in settlement. Because the Fund’s limit on foreign securities focuses on where the security is principally traded rather than where the issuer is organized and/or operated, the percentage of the Fund’s assets that is exposed to foreign market risks may exceed the percentage of the Fund’s assets that the Fund considers to represent foreign securities. Emerging market securities generally are more volatile than other foreign securities, and are subject to greater liquidity, regulatory, and political risks.

  • Derivatives Risk: Derivatives are subject to certain risks, including the risk that the value of the derivative may not correlate with the value of the underlying security, rate, or index in the manner anticipated by portfolio management. Derivatives may be more sensitive to changes in economic or market conditions and may become illiquid. Derivatives are subject to leverage risk, which may increase the Fund’s volatility, and counterparty risk, which means that the counterparty may fail to perform its obligations under the derivative contract.


An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. For more information on the principal risks of the Fund, please see the “More Information About the Fund – Principal Risks” section in the prospectus.

Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text] rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading PERFORMANCE
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by illustrating the variability of the Fund’s returns. Each assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by illustrating the variability of the Fund's returns.
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The Fund's past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading Bar Chart (per calendar year) - Class VC Shares
Bar Chart Narrative [Text Block] rr_BarChartNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart shows changes in the performance of the Fund's Class VC shares from calendar year to calendar year. This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.


Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text] rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

 

 

 

Best Quarter 3rd Q ’09 +16.04%

 

Worst Quarter 3rd Q ’11 -19.84%

Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 16.04%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2011
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (19.84%)
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended December 31, 2011)
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text] rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
Performance Table Narrative rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

The table below shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare to the returns of securities indices.

Fundamental Equity Portfolio | Russell 3000® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 1.03%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (0.01%)
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 6.43%
Inception Date for Performance rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 30, 2003
Fundamental Equity Portfolio | Russell 3000® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (0.10%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (2.58%)
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 6.30%
Inception Date for Performance rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 30, 2003
Fundamental Equity Portfolio | S&P 500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 2.11%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (0.25%)
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 5.82%
Inception Date for Performance rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 30, 2003
Fundamental Equity Portfolio | Class VC
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.75%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.45%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.20%
Management Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (0.05%) [2]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Management Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.15% [2]
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 117
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 376
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 655
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,450
Annual Return 2004 rr_AnnualReturn2004 15.71%
Annual Return 2005 rr_AnnualReturn2005 6.95%
Annual Return 2006 rr_AnnualReturn2006 14.64%
Annual Return 2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 6.72%
Annual Return 2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (28.67%)
Annual Return 2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 25.97%
Annual Return 2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 19.03%
Annual Return 2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 (4.49%)
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (4.49%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 1.74%
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 7.93%
Inception Date for Performance rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 30, 2003
Growth and Income Portfolio
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading RISK/RETURN
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Fund’s investment objective is long-term growth of capital and income without excessive fluctuations in market value.

Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading FEES AND EXPENSES
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. The table does not reflect the fees and expenses of variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (together, “Variable Contracts”). If such fees and expenses were reflected, expenses shown would be higher.

Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading Portfolio Turnover.
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 70.69% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 70.69%
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that dividends and distributions are reinvested, and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. The example does not reflect variable contract expenses, fees, and charges. If these expenses, fees, and charges were included, your costs would be higher. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

To pursue its objective under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities of large companies. The Fund invests principally in large, established U.S. and multinational companies that the portfolio manager believes are undervalued.


The Fund may invest in U.S. and foreign (which may include emerging market) companies. Foreign companies may be traded on U.S. or non-U.S. securities exchanges and may include American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). The Fund’s investments primarily include the following types of securities and other financial instruments:


  • Equity securities, including common stocks, preferred stocks, and equity interests in trusts (including real estate investment trusts), partnerships, joint ventures, and limited liability companies. The Fund considers equity securities to include rights offerings and investments that convert into the equity securities described above.

  • Large companies having a market capitalization at the time of purchase that falls within the market capitalization range of companies in the Russell 1000® Index.

  • Value companies that portfolio management believes to be underpriced or undervalued according to certain financial measurements of intrinsic worth or business prospects and have the potential for capital appreciation.


At its discretion and consistent with the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund selectively may use derivatives, including futures, forwards, options, and swaps, to hedge against the decline in value of the Fund’s investments and for other risk management purposes, to efficiently gain targeted investment exposure, and to seek to increase the Fund’s investment returns.


The Fund generally will sell a security when the Fund believes the security is less likely to benefit from the current market and economic environment, shows signs of deteriorating fundamentals, or has reached its valuation target, among other reasons. The Fund seeks to remain fully invested in accordance with its investment objective; however, in response to adverse economic, market or other unfavorable conditions, the Fund may invest its assets in a temporary defensive manner.

Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading PRINCIPAL RISKS
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund.


The Fund invests principally in stocks and other securities described above that may experience significant volatility at times and may fall sharply in response to adverse events. Individual securities also may experience dramatic movements in price. In addition to the risks of overall market movements, risks of events affecting a particular industry or sector, and risks that are specific to an individual security, the principal risks of investing in the Fund, which could adversely affect its performance, include:


  • Portfolio Management Risk: If the strategies used and securities selected by the Fund’s portfolio management fail to produce the intended result, the Fund may suffer losses or underperform other funds with the same investment objective or strategies, even in a rising market.

  • Large Company Risk: As compared to smaller successful companies, larger companies may be less able to respond quickly to certain market developments and may have slower rates of growth.

  • Value Investing Risk: The prices of value stocks may lag the stock market for long periods of time if the market fails to recognize the company’s intrinsic worth.

  • Foreign Company Risk: The Fund’s investment exposure to foreign (which may include emerging market) companies generally is subject to the risk that the value of securities issued by foreign companies may be adversely affected by political, economic and social volatility, lack of transparency or inadequate regulatory and accounting standards, inadequate exchange control regulations, foreign taxes, higher transaction and other costs, and delays in settlement. Because the Fund’s limit on foreign securities focuses on where the security is principally traded rather than where the issuer is organized and/or operated, the percentage of the Fund’s assets that is exposed to foreign market risks may exceed the percentage of the Fund’s assets that the Fund considers to represent foreign securities. Emerging market securities generally are more volatile than other foreign securities, and are subject to greater liquidity, regulatory, and political risks.

  • Derivatives Risk: Derivatives are subject to certain risks, including the risk that the value of the derivative may not correlate with the value of the underlying security, rate, or index in the manner anticipated by portfolio management. Derivatives may be more sensitive to changes in economic or market conditions and may become illiquid. Derivatives are subject to leverage risk, which may increase the Fund’s volatility, and counterparty risk, which means that the counterparty may fail to perform its obligations under the derivative contract.


An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. For more information on the principal risks of the Fund, please see the “More Information About the Fund – Principal Risks” section in the prospectus.

Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text] rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading PERFORMANCE
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by illustrating the variability of the Fund’s returns. Each assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by illustrating the variability of the Fund's returns.
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The Fund's past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading Bar Chart (per calendar year) - Class VC Shares
Bar Chart Narrative [Text Block] rr_BarChartNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart shows changes in the performance of the Fund's Class VC shares from calendar year to calendar year. This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.


Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text] rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock
 

 

 

Best Quarter 2nd Q ’09 +18.34%

 

Worst Quarter 4th Q ’08 -20.07%

Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 18.34%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (20.07%)
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended December 31, 2011)
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text] rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
Performance Table Narrative rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

The table below shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare to the returns of securities indices.

Growth and Income Portfolio | Russell 1000® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 0.39%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (2.64%)
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 3.89%
Growth and Income Portfolio | S&P 500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 2.11%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (0.25%)
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 2.92%
Growth and Income Portfolio | S&P 500® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (0.48%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (2.96%)
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 2.87%
Growth and Income Portfolio | Class VC
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.50%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.42%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.92%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 94
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 293
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 509
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,131
Annual Return 2002 rr_AnnualReturn2002 (18.03%)
Annual Return 2003 rr_AnnualReturn2003 31.01%
Annual Return 2004 rr_AnnualReturn2004 12.65%
Annual Return 2005 rr_AnnualReturn2005 3.25%
Annual Return 2006 rr_AnnualReturn2006 17.27%
Annual Return 2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 3.44%
Annual Return 2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (36.42%)
Annual Return 2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 18.90%
Annual Return 2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 17.41%
Annual Return 2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 (6.08%)
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (6.08%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (2.92%)
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 2.36%
Growth Opportunities Portfolio
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading RISK/RETURN
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Fund’s investment objective is capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading FEES AND EXPENSES
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. The table does not reflect the fees and expenses of variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (together, “Variable Contracts”). If such fees and expenses were reflected, expenses shown would be higher.

Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination 2013-04-30
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading Portfolio Turnover.
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 116.06% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 116.06%
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that dividends and distributions are reinvested, and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example takes into account the contractual management fee waiver and expense reimbursement agreement between the Fund and Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC for the term of the agreement). The example does not reflect variable contract expenses, fees, and charges. If these expenses, fees, and charges were included, your costs would be higher. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

Under normal market conditions, the Fund pursues its investment objective by investing at least 65% of its net assets in equity securities of mid-sized companies. The Fund follows a growth style of investing, which means that we favor companies that show the potential for strong revenue and earnings growth.


The Fund may invest in U.S. and foreign (which may include emerging market) companies. Foreign companies may be traded on U.S. or non-U.S. securities exchanges and may include American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). The Fund’s investments primarily include the following types of securities and other financial instruments:


  • Equity securities, including common stocks, preferred stocks, and equity interests in trusts (including real estate investment trusts), partnerships, joint ventures, and limited liability companies. The Fund considers equity securities to include rights offerings and investments that convert into the equity securities described above.

  • Mid-sized companies having a market capitalization at the time of purchase that falls within the market capitalization range of companies in the Russell Midcap® Index.

  • Growth companies that portfolio management believes exhibit faster-than-average gains in earnings and have the potential to continue profit growth at a high level.


At its discretion and consistent with the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund selectively may use derivatives, including futures, forwards, options, and swaps, to hedge against the decline in value of the Fund’s investments and for other risk management purposes, to efficiently gain targeted investment exposure, and to seek to increase the Fund’s investment returns.


The Fund generally will sell a security when the Fund believes the security is less likely to benefit from the current market and economic environment, shows signs of deteriorating fundamentals, or has reached its valuation target, among other reasons. The Fund seeks to remain fully invested in accordance with its investment objective; however, in response to adverse economic, market or other unfavorable conditions, the Fund may invest its assets in a temporary defensive manner.

Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading PRINCIPAL RISKS
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund.


The Fund invests principally in stocks and other securities described above that may experience significant volatility at times and may fall sharply in response to adverse events. Individual securities also may experience dramatic movements in price. In addition to the risks of overall market movements, risks of events affecting a particular industry or sector, and risks that are specific to an individual security, the principal risks of investing in the Fund, which could adversely affect its performance, include:


  • Portfolio Management Risk: If the strategies used and securities selected by the Fund’s portfolio management fail to produce the intended result, the Fund may suffer losses or underperform other funds with the same investment objective or strategies, even in a rising market.

  • Mid-Sized Company Risk: Securities of mid-sized companies generally involve greater risks than investments in larger companies. Mid-sized companies may have limited management experience or depth, limited access to capital, or limited products or services, or operate in markets that have not yet been established. Mid-sized company securities tend to be more volatile and less liquid than equity securities of larger companies.

  • Growth Investing Risk: Growth stocks tend to be more volatile than slower-growing value stocks. The prices of growth stocks may fall dramatically if, for example, the company fails to meet earnings or revenue projections.

  • Foreign Company Risk: The Fund’s investment exposure to foreign (which may include emerging market) companies generally is subject to the risk that the value of securities issued by foreign companies may be adversely affected by political, economic and social volatility, lack of transparency or inadequate regulatory and accounting standards, inadequate exchange control regulations, foreign taxes, higher transaction and other costs, and delays in settlement. Because the Fund’s limit on foreign securities focuses on where the security is principally traded rather than where the issuer is organized and/or operated, the percentage of the Fund’s assets that is exposed to foreign market risks may exceed the percentage of the Fund’s assets that the Fund considers to represent foreign securities. Emerging market securities generally are more volatile than other foreign securities, and are subject to greater liquidity, regulatory, and political risks.

  • Derivatives Risk: Derivatives are subject to certain risks, including the risk that the value of the derivative may not correlate with the value of the underlying security, rate, or index in the manner anticipated by portfolio management. Derivatives may be more sensitive to changes in economic or market conditions and may become illiquid. Derivatives are subject to leverage risk, which may increase the Fund’s volatility, and counterparty risk, which means that the counterparty may fail to perform its obligations under the derivative contract.


An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. For more information on the principal risks of the Fund, please see the “More Information About the Fund – Principal Risks” section in the prospectus.

Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text] rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading PERFORMANCE
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by illustrating the variability of the Fund’s returns. Each assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by illustrating the variability of the Fund's returns.
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The Fund's past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading Bar Chart (per calendar year) - Class VC Shares
Bar Chart Narrative [Text Block] rr_BarChartNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart shows changes in the performance of the Fund's Class VC shares from calendar year to calendar year. This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.


Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text] rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

 

 

 

Best Quarter 2nd Q ‘09 +17.46%

 

Worst Quarter 3rd Q ’11 -24.98%

Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 17.46%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2011
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (24.98%)
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended December 31, 2011)
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text] rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
Performance Table Narrative rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

The table below shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare to the returns of securities indices.

Growth Opportunities Portfolio | Russell Midcap® Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (1.65%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 2.44%
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 9.28%
Inception Date for Performance rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 30, 2003
Growth Opportunities Portfolio | Russell Midcap® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (1.55%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 1.41%
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 9.74%
Inception Date for Performance rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 30, 2003
Growth Opportunities Portfolio | Class VC
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.80%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.48%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.28%
Management Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (0.08%) [4]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Management Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.20% [4]
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 122
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 398
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 695
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,538
Annual Return 2004 rr_AnnualReturn2004 11.23%
Annual Return 2005 rr_AnnualReturn2005 4.62%
Annual Return 2006 rr_AnnualReturn2006 7.89%
Annual Return 2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 21.28%
Annual Return 2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (38.24%)
Annual Return 2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 45.55%
Annual Return 2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 22.92%
Annual Return 2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 (10.05%)
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (10.05%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 3.81%
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 7.08%
Inception Date for Performance rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 30, 2003
International Core Equity Portfolio
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading RISK/RETURN
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Fund’s investment objective is to seek long-term capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading FEES AND EXPENSES
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. The table does not reflect the fees and expenses of variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (together, “Variable Contracts”). If such fees and expenses were reflected, expenses shown would be higher.

Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination 2013-04-30
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading Portfolio Turnover.
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 61.91% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 61.91%
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that dividends and distributions are reinvested, and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example takes into account the contractual management fee waiver and expense reimbursement agreement between the Fund and Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC for the term of the agreement). The example does not reflect variable contract expenses, fees, and charges. If these expenses, fees, and charges were included, your costs would be higher. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

To pursue its objective, the Fund invests principally in a diversified portfolio of equity securities of large foreign companies that the portfolio managers believe are undervalued. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will diversify its investments among a number of different countries throughout the world and will invest at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities of large companies. For purposes of the Fund’s investment policies, a large company is defined as a company included among the largest 80% of companies in terms of market capitalization in the Morgan Stanley Capital International Europe, Australasia and Far East Index (“MSCI EAFE® Index”). The Fund’s investments primarily include the following types of securities and other financial instruments:


  • Equity securities of large companies. Equity securities include common stocks, preferred stocks, and equity interests in trusts (including real estate investment trusts), partnerships, joint ventures, and limited liability companies. The Fund considers equity securities to include rights offerings and investments that convert into the equity securities described above.

  • Foreign companies, which are traded on U.S. or non-U.S. securities exchanges and may include American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in securities of foreign companies that are traded primarily in emerging markets.


At its discretion and consistent with the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund selectively may use derivatives, including futures, forwards, options, and swaps. The Fund may do so to hedge against a decline in the value of certain investments, or for other risk management purposes. In addition, the Fund may use derivatives as part of a speculative strategy intended to increase the Fund’s investment return. For example, the Fund may manage cash by investing in futures or other derivatives that provide efficient short-term investment exposure to broad equity markets.


The Fund generally will sell a security when the Fund believes the security is less likely to benefit from the current market and economic environment, shows signs of deteriorating fundamentals, or has reached its valuation target, among other reasons. The Fund seeks to remain fully invested in accordance with its investment objective; however, in response to adverse economic, market or other unfavorable conditions, the Fund may invest its assets in a temporary defensive manner.

Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading PRINCIPAL RISKS
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund.


The Fund invests principally in stocks and other securities described above that may experience significant volatility at times and may fall sharply in response to adverse events. Individual securities also may experience dramatic movements in price. In addition to the risks of overall market movements, risks of events affecting a particular industry or sector, and risks that are specific to an individual security, the principal risks of investing in the Fund, which could adversely affect its performance, include:


  • Portfolio Management Risk: If the strategies used and securities selected by the Fund’s portfolio management fail to produce the intended result, the Fund may suffer losses or underperform other funds with the same investment objective or strategies, even in a rising market.

  • Foreign Company Risk: The Fund’s investment exposure to foreign companies generally is subject to the risk that the value of securities issued by foreign companies may be adversely affected by political, economic, and social volatility, currency exchange fluctuations, lack of transparency or inadequate regulatory and accounting standards, inadequate exchange control regulations, foreign taxes, higher transaction and other costs, and delays in settlement.

  • Emerging Markets Risk: Investments in emerging markets may be considered speculative and generally are riskier than investments in more developed markets because they tend to develop unevenly and may never fully develop. Emerging markets are more likely to experience hyperinflation and currency devaluations. Securities of emerging market companies may have far lower trading volumes and less liquidity than securities of issuers in developed markets. The Fund may invest in securities of companies whose economic fortunes are linked to emerging markets but which principally are traded on a non-emerging market exchange. Such investments do not meet the Fund’s definition of an emerging market security. To the extent the Fund invests in this manner, the percentage of the Fund’s portfolio that is exposed to emerging market risks may be greater than the percentage of the Fund’s assets that the Fund defines as representing emerging market securities.

  • Large Company Risk: As compared to smaller successful companies, larger companies may be less able to respond quickly to certain market developments and may have slower rates of growth.

  • Derivatives Risk: Derivatives are subject to certain risks, including the risk that the value of the derivative may not correlate with the value of the underlying security, rate, or index in the manner anticipated by portfolio management. Derivatives may be more sensitive to changes in economic or market conditions and may become illiquid. Derivatives are subject to leverage risk, which may increase the Fund’s volatility, and counterparty risk, which means that the counterparty may fail to perform its obligations under the derivative contract.


An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. For more information on the principal risks of the Fund, please see the “More Information About the Fund – Principal Risks” section in the prospectus.

Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text] rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading PERFORMANCE
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The table below provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by comparing the Fund’s performance with a broad measure of market performance. Each assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The table below provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by comparing the Fund's performance with a broad measure of market performance.
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The Fund's past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading Bar Chart (per calendar year) - Class VC Shares
Bar Chart Narrative [Text Block] rr_BarChartNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart shows the performance of the Fund's Class VC shares for the calendar year ended December 31, 2011. This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.


Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text] rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

 

 

 

Best Quarter 1st Q ’11 +4.01%

 

Worst Quarter 3rd Q ’11 -19.79%

Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Mar. 31, 2011
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 4.01%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2011
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (19.79%)
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended December 31, 2011)
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text] rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
Performance Table Narrative rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

The table below shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare to the returns of securities indices.

International Core Equity Portfolio | MSCI EAFE Index with Gross Dividends (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (11.73%)
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception (2.24%)
Inception Date for Performance rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 30, 2010
International Core Equity Portfolio | MSCI EAFE Index with Net Dividends (reflects no deduction for fees or expenses, but reflects deduction of withholding taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (12.14%)
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception (2.67%)
Inception Date for Performance rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 30, 2010
International Core Equity Portfolio | Class VC
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.75%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 10.00%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 10.75%
Management Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (9.88%) [5]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Management Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.87% [5]
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 89
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 2,201
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 4,077
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 7,901
Annual Return 2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 (13.47%)
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (13.47%)
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception (4.08%)
Inception Date for Performance rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 30, 2010
International Opportunities Portfolio
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading RISK/RETURN
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Fund’s investment objective is long-term capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading FEES AND EXPENSES
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. The table does not reflect the fees and expenses of variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (together, “Variable Contracts”). If such fees and expenses were reflected, expenses shown would be higher.

Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination 2013-04-30
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading Portfolio Turnover.
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 99.73% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 99.73%
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that dividends and distributions are reinvested, and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example takes into account the contractual management fee waiver and expense reimbursement agreement between the Fund and Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC for the term of the agreement). The example does not reflect variable contract expenses, fees, and charges. If these expenses, fees, and charges were included, your costs would be higher. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

To pursue its objective, the Fund invests principally in stocks of companies principally based outside the United States. Under normal circumstances, the Fund will diversify its investments among a number of different countries throughout the world. The Fund normally intends to invest at least 65% of its net assets in equity securities of small companies generally having a market capitalization at the time of purchase of less than $5 billion. The Fund may invest its remaining assets in equity securities of mid-sized or larger companies. With respect to the portion of the Fund’s portfolio not subject to the 65% policy referenced above, the Fund may invest in securities in accordance with its investment objective, strategies, and restrictions.


The Fund’s investments primarily include the following types of securities and other financial instruments:


  • Equity securities, including common stocks, preferred stocks, and equity interests in trusts (including real estate investment trusts), partnerships, joint ventures, and limited liability companies. The Fund considers equity securities to include rights offerings and investments that convert into the equity securities described above.

  • Foreign companies, which may be traded on U.S. or non-U.S. securities exchanges and may include American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in securities of foreign companies that are traded primarily in emerging markets.


At its discretion and consistent with the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund selectively may use derivatives, including futures, forwards, options, and swaps. The Fund may do so to hedge against a decline in the value of certain investments, or for other risk management purposes. In addition, the Fund may use derivatives as part of a speculative strategy intended to increase the Fund’s investment return. For example, the Fund may manage cash by investing in futures or other derivatives that provide efficient short-term investment exposure to broad equity markets.


The Fund generally will sell a security when the Fund believes the security is less likely to benefit from the current market and economic environment, shows signs of deteriorating fundamentals, or has reached its valuation target, among other reasons. The Fund seeks to remain fully invested in accordance with its investment objective; however, in response to adverse economic, market or other unfavorable conditions, the Fund may invest its assets in a temporary defensive manner.

Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading PRINCIPAL RISKS
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund.


The Fund invests principally in stocks and other securities described above that may experience significant volatility at times and may fall sharply in response to adverse events. Individual securities also may experience dramatic movements in price. In addition to the risks of overall market movements, risks of events affecting a particular industry or sector, and risks that are specific to an individual security, the principal risks of investing in the Fund, which could adversely affect its performance, include:


  • Portfolio Management Risk: If the strategies used and securities selected by the Fund’s portfolio management fail to produce the intended result, the Fund may suffer losses or underperform other funds with the same investment objective or strategies, even in a rising market.

  • Small and Mid-Sized Company Risk: The Fund’s investments in equity securities of small and mid-sized companies tend to be more volatile and less liquid than equity securities of larger companies and may have limited management experience, limited ability to generate or borrow capital, and limited products, services or markets.

  • Foreign Company Risk: The Fund’s investment exposure to foreign companies generally is subject to the risk that the value of securities issued by foreign companies may be adversely affected by political, economic, and social volatility, currency exchange fluctuations, lack of transparency or inadequate regulatory and accounting standards, inadequate exchange control regulations, foreign taxes, higher transaction and other costs, and delays in settlement.

  • Emerging Markets Risk: Investments in emerging markets may be considered speculative and generally are riskier than investments in more developed markets because they tend to develop unevenly and may never fully develop. Emerging markets are more likely to experience hyperinflation and currency devaluations. Securities of emerging market companies may have far lower trading volumes and less liquidity than securities of issuers in developed markets. The Fund may invest in securities of companies whose economic fortunes are linked to emerging markets but which principally are traded on a non- emerging market exchange. Such investments do not meet the Fund’s definition of an emerging market security. To the extent the Fund invests in this manner, the percent of the Fund’s portfolio that is exposed to emerging market risks may be greater than the percent of the Fund’s assets that the Fund defines as representing emerging market securities.

  • Derivatives Risk: Derivatives are subject to certain risks, including the risk that the value of the derivative may not correlate with the value of the underlying security, rate, or index in the manner anticipated by portfolio management. Derivatives may be more sensitive to changes in economic or market conditions and may become illiquid. Derivatives are subject to leverage risk, which may increase the Fund’s volatility, and counterparty risk, which means that the counterparty may fail to perform its obligations under the derivative contract.


An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. For more information on the principal risks of the Fund, please see the “More Information About the Fund – Principal Risks” section in the prospectus.

Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text] rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading PERFORMANCE
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by illustrating the variability of the Fund’s returns. Each assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by illustrating the variability of the Fund's returns.
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The Fund's past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading Bar Chart (per calendar year) - Class VC Shares
Bar Chart Narrative [Text Block] rr_BarChartNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart shows changes in the performance of the Fund's Class VC shares from calendar year to calendar year. This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.


Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text] rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

 

 

 

Best Quarter 2nd Q ’09 +35.51%

 

Worst Quarter 3rd Q ’08 -25.17%

Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 35.51%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (25.17%)
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended December 31, 2011)
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text] rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
Performance Table Narrative rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

The table below shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare to the returns of a securities index.

International Opportunities Portfolio | S&P Developed Ex-U.S. SmallCap Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (14.49%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (3.20%)
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 9.44%
International Opportunities Portfolio | Class VC
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.75%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.76%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.51%
Management Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (0.31%) [4]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Management Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.20% [4]
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 122
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 447
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 794
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,775
Annual Return 2002 rr_AnnualReturn2002 (17.70%)
Annual Return 2003 rr_AnnualReturn2003 41.25%
Annual Return 2004 rr_AnnualReturn2004 20.71%
Annual Return 2005 rr_AnnualReturn2005 26.63%
Annual Return 2006 rr_AnnualReturn2006 29.08%
Annual Return 2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 4.73%
Annual Return 2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (51.53%)
Annual Return 2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 47.87%
Annual Return 2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 21.22%
Annual Return 2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 (15.72%)
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (15.72%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (5.17%)
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 5.81%
Mid Cap Stock Portfolio
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading RISK/RETURN
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Fund seeks capital appreciation through investments, primarily in equity securities, which are believed to be undervalued in the marketplace.

Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading FEES AND EXPENSES
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. The table does not reflect the fees and expenses of variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (together, “Variable Contracts”). If such fees and expenses were reflected, expenses shown would be higher.

Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading Portfolio Turnover.
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 41.69% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 41.69%
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that dividends and distributions are reinvested, and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. The example does not reflect variable contract expenses, fees, and charges. If these expenses, fees, and charges were included, your costs would be higher. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

To pursue its objective under normal market conditions, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets in equity securities of mid-sized companies. The Fund may invest in U.S. and foreign (which may include emerging market) companies. Foreign companies may be traded on U.S. or non-U.S. securities exchanges and may include American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). The Fund’s investments primarily include the following types of securities and other financial instruments:


  • Equity securities, including common stocks, preferred stocks, and equity interests in trusts (including real estate investment trusts), partnerships, joint ventures, and limited liability companies. The Fund considers equity securities to include rights offerings and investments that convert into the equity securities described above.

  • Mid-sized companies having a market capitalization at the time of purchase that falls within the market capitalization range of companies in the Russell Midcap® Index.

  • Value companies that portfolio management believes to be underpriced or undervalued according to certain financial measurements of intrinsic worth or business prospects and have the potential for capital appreciation.


At its discretion and consistent with the Fund’s investment objective, the Fund selectively may use derivatives, including futures, forwards, options, and swaps, to hedge against the decline in value of the Fund’s investments and for other risk management purposes, to efficiently gain targeted investment exposure, and to seek to increase the Fund’s investment returns.


The Fund generally will sell a security when the Fund believes the security is less likely to benefit from the current market and economic environment, shows signs of deteriorating fundamentals, or has reached its valuation target, among other reasons. The Fund seeks to remain fully invested in accordance with its investment objective; however, in response to adverse economic, market or other unfavorable conditions, the Fund may invest its assets in a temporary defensive manner.

Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading PRINCIPAL RISKS
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund.


The Fund invests principally in stocks and other securities described above that may experience significant volatility at times and may fall sharply in response to adverse events. Individual securities also may experience dramatic movements in price. In addition to the risks of overall market movements, risks of events affecting a particular industry or sector, and risks that are specific to an individual security, the principal risks of investing in the Fund, which could adversely affect its performance, include:


  • Portfolio Management Risk: If the strategies used and securities selected by the Fund’s portfolio management fail to produce the intended result, the Fund may suffer losses or underperform other funds with the same investment objective or strategies, even in a rising market.

  • Mid-Sized Company Risk: The Fund invests primarily in equity securities of mid-sized companies, which typically involve greater investment risks than larger companies. As compared to larger companies, mid-sized companies may have limited management experience or depth, limited ability to generate or borrow capital needed for growth, and limited products or services, or operate in less established markets. Accordingly, mid-sized company securities tend to be more sensitive to changing economic conditions and tend to be more volatile than equity securities of larger companies.

  • Value Investing Risk: The prices of value stocks may lag the stock market for long periods of time if the market fails to recognize the company’s intrinsic worth.

  • Foreign Company Risk: The Fund’s investment exposure to foreign (which may include emerging market companies) generally is subject to the risk that the value of securities issued by foreign companies may be adversely affected by political, economic and social volatility, lack of transparency or inadequate regulatory and accounting standards, inadequate exchange control regulations, foreign taxes, higher transaction and other costs, and delays in settlement. Because the Fund’s limit on foreign securities focuses on where the security is principally traded rather than where the issuer is organized and/or operated, the percentage of the Fund’s assets that is exposed to foreign market risks may exceed the percentage of the Fund’s assets that the Fund considers to represent foreign securities. Emerging market securities generally are more volatile than other foreign securities, and are subject to greater liquidity, regulatory, and political risks.

  • Derivatives Risk: Derivatives are subject to certain risks, including the risk that the value of the derivative may not correlate with the value of the underlying security, rate, or index in the manner anticipated by portfolio management. Derivatives may be more sensitive to changes in economic or market conditions and may become illiquid. Derivatives are subject to leverage risk, which may increase the Fund’s volatility, and counterparty risk, which means that the counterparty may fail to perform its obligations under the derivatives contract.


An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. For more information on the principal risks of the Fund, please see the “More Information About the Fund – Principal Risks” section in the prospectus.

Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text] rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading PERFORMANCE
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by illustrating the variability of the Fund’s returns. Each assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The bar chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by illustrating the variability of the Fund's returns.
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The Fund's past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading Bar Chart (per calendar year) - Class VC Shares
Bar Chart Narrative [Text Block] rr_BarChartNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart shows changes in the performance of the Fund's Class VC shares from calendar year to calendar year. This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.


Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text] rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

 

 

 

Best Quarter 3rd Q ’09 +19.07%

 

Worst Quarter 3rd Q ’11 -22.46%

Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 19.07%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2011
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (22.46%)
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended December 31, 2011)
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text] rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
Performance Table Narrative rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

The table below shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare to those of the returns of securities indices.

Mid Cap Stock Portfolio | Russell Midcap® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (1.38%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 0.04%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 7.67%
Mid Cap Stock Portfolio | S&P MidCap 400® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (2.43%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 1.38%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 7.45%
Mid Cap Stock Portfolio | Class VC
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.75%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.42%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.17%
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 119
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 372
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 644
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 1,420
Annual Return 2002 rr_AnnualReturn2002 (9.78%)
Annual Return 2003 rr_AnnualReturn2003 24.75%
Annual Return 2004 rr_AnnualReturn2004 24.04%
Annual Return 2005 rr_AnnualReturn2005 8.22%
Annual Return 2006 rr_AnnualReturn2006 12.23%
Annual Return 2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 0.58%
Annual Return 2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (39.36%)
Annual Return 2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 26.62%
Annual Return 2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 25.43%
Annual Return 2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 (4.01%)
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (4.01%)
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 (1.44%)
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 4.66%
Total Return Portfolio
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading RISK/RETURN
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Fund’s investment objective is to seek income and capital appreciation to produce a high total return.

Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading FEES AND EXPENSES
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. The table does not reflect the fees and expenses of variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (together, “Variable Contracts”). If such fees and expenses were reflected, expenses shown would be higher.

Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination 2013-04-30
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading Portfolio Turnover.
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 645.34% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 645.34%
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that dividends and distributions are reinvested, and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example takes into account the contractual management fee waiver and expense reimbursement agreement between the Fund and Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC for the term of the agreement). The example does not reflect variable contract expenses, fees, and charges. If these expenses, fees, and charges were included, your costs would be higher. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

Under normal market conditions, the Fund pursues its investment objective by investing primarily in investment grade debt securities. The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in high-yield debt securities (commonly referred to as “lower-rated” or “junk” bonds). In addition, the Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in non-U.S. (including emerging market) debt securities denominated in foreign currencies.


The Fund generally may invest in the following types of debt securities:


  • Securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or government-sponsored enterprises;

  • Corporate debt securities;

  • Mortgage-backed and other asset-backed securities;

  • Inflation-linked investments; and

  • Senior loans, including bridge loans, novations, assignments, and participations.


The Fund attempts to manage interest rate risk through its management of the average duration of the securities it holds in its portfolio. The Fund expects to maintain its average duration range within two years of the bond market’s duration as measured by the Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (which was approximately five years as of December 31, 2011).


In addition, the Fund may invest in derivative instruments, including options, futures contracts, forward contracts and swap agreements. The Fund may use such instruments in order to seek to enhance returns, to attempt to hedge some of its investment risk, or as a substitute position for holding the underlying asset on which the derivative instrument is based.


The Fund generally will sell a security when the Fund believes the security is less likely to benefit from the current market and economic environment, shows signs of deteriorating fundamentals, or has reached its valuation target, among other reasons. The Fund seeks to remain fully invested in accordance with its investment objective; however, in response to adverse economic, market or other unfavorable conditions, the Fund may invest its assets in a temporary defensive manner.

Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading PRINCIPAL RISKS
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund.


The Fund primarily invests in debt securities, the value of which will fluctuate in response to economic conditions and market movements. In addition to the risks of overall market movements and risks that are specific to an individual security, the principal risks of investing in the Fund, which could adversely affect its performance, include:


  • Portfolio Management Risk: If the strategies used and securities selected by the Fund’s portfolio management fail to produce the intended result, the Fund may suffer losses or underperform other funds with the same investment objective or strategies, even in a rising market.

  • Interest Rate Risk: A rise in prevailing interest rates generally will cause the price of a fixed rate debt security to fall. Generally, the longer the maturity of a security or weighted average maturity of the Fund, the more sensitive its price is to a rise in interest rates.

  • Credit Risk and High-Yield Securities Risk: The issuer of a debt security owned by the Fund may fail to make timely payments of principal or interest, or may default on such payments. A debt security may decline in value if the issuer becomes less creditworthy, even when interest rates are falling. These risks are greatest for high yield debt securities, which have lower credit ratings. The prices of high-yield bonds in general may decline during periods of uncertainty or market turmoil, and the market for high-yield bonds generally is less liquid than the market for higher-rated securities.

  • Liquidity Risk: There may be few available buyers or sellers for a security, preventing the Fund from transacting in a timely manner or at an advantageous price, and subjecting the security to greater price fluctuations.

  • Government Securities Risk and Mortgage-Related Securities Risk: The Fund invests in securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies and instrumentalities (such as the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae”), the Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), or the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”)). Unlike Ginnie Mae securities, securities issued or guaranteed by U.S. government-related organizations such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government and no assurance can be given that the U.S. government would provide financial support. Mortgage-related securities may be particularly sensitive to changes in economic conditions, including delinquencies and/or defaults. They are subject to prepayment risk (higher than expected prepayment rates of mortgage obligations due to a fall in market interest rates) and extension risk (lower than expected prepayment rates of mortgage obligations due to a rise in market interest rates). These risks increase the Fund’s overall interest rate risk. Some mortgage-related securities receive government or private support, but there is no assurance that such support will remain in place.

  • Inflation-Linked Investments Risk: The Fund may invest in Treasury Inflation Protected Securities (“TIPS”), which are U.S. government bonds whose principal automatically is adjusted for inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (“CPI-U”), and other inflation-indexed securities issued by the U.S. Department of Treasury. Unlike traditional fixed income securities, the principal and interest payments of inflation-linked investments are adjusted periodically based on the inflation rate. The value of the Fund’s inflation-linked investments may be vulnerable to changes in expectations of inflation or interest rates and there is no guarantee that the Fund’s use of these instruments will be successful.

  • Foreign Company Risk: The Fund’s investment exposure to foreign (which may include emerging market) companies generally is subject to the risk that the value of securities issued by foreign companies may be adversely affected by political, economic and social volatility, lack of transparency or inadequate regulatory and accounting standards, inadequate exchange control regulations, foreign taxes, higher transaction and other costs, and delays in settlement. Because the Fund’s definition of foreign securities focuses on the currency in which the security is denominated rather than where the issuer is organized and/or operated, the percentage of the Fund’s assets that is exposed to foreign market risks may exceed the percentage of the Fund’s assets that the Fund defines as representing foreign securities. Emerging market securities generally are more volatile than other foreign securities, and are subject to greater liquidity, regulatory, and political risks.

  • Senior Loan Risk: The Fund’s investments in floating or adjustable rate senior loans are subject to increased credit and liquidity risks. Senior loan prices also may be adversely affected by supply-demand imbalances caused by conditions in the senior loan market or related markets. Below investment grade senior loans, like high-yield debt securities, or junk bonds, usually are more credit than interest rate sensitive, although the value of these instruments may be affected by interest rate swings in the overall fixed income market.

  • Derivatives Risk: Derivatives are subject to certain risks, including the risk that the value of the derivative may not correlate with the value of the underlying security, rate, or index in the manner anticipated by portfolio management. Derivatives may be more sensitive to changes in economic or market conditions and may become illiquid. Derivatives are subject to leverage risk, which may increase the Fund’s volatility, and counterparty risk, which means that the counterparty may fail to perform its obligations under the derivative contract.


An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. For more information on the principal risks of the Fund, please see the “More Information About the Fund – Principal Risks” section in the prospectus.

Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text] rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading PERFORMANCE
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The table below provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by comparing the Fund’s performance with a broad measure of market performance. Each assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The table below provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by comparing the Fund's performance with a broad measure of market performance.
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The Fund's past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading Bar Chart (per calendar year) - Class VC Shares
Bar Chart Narrative [Text Block] rr_BarChartNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart shows the performance of the Fund's Class VC shares for the calendar year ended December 31, 2011. This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.


Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text] rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock

 

 

 

Best Quarter 3rd Q ’11 +3.68%

 

Worst Quarter 1st Q ’11 +0.98%

Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2011
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 3.68%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Mar. 31, 2011
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn 0.98%
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended December 31, 2011)
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text] rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
Performance Table Narrative rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

The table below shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare to the returns of securities indices.

Total Return Portfolio | Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 7.84%
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 6.86%
Inception Date for Performance rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 30, 2010
Total Return Portfolio | Barclays Capital U.S. Universal Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 7.40%
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 6.76%
Inception Date for Performance rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 30, 2010
Total Return Portfolio | Class VC
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.45%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 1.50%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.95%
Management Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (1.31%) [6]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Management Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.64% [6]
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 65
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 485
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 930
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 2,169
Annual Return 2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 8.77%
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 8.77%
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 8.21%
Inception Date for Performance rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 30, 2010
Value Opportunities Portfolio
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading RISK/RETURN
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock

The Fund’s investment objective is long-term capital appreciation.

Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading FEES AND EXPENSES
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. The table does not reflect the fees and expenses of variable annuity contracts or variable life insurance policies (together, “Variable Contracts”). If such fees and expenses were reflected, expenses shown would be higher.

Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption Annual Fund Operating Expenses (Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination 2013-04-30
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading Portfolio Turnover.
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 66.18% of the average value of its portfolio.

Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 66.18%
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock

The following example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that dividends and distributions are reinvested, and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same (except that the example takes into account the contractual management fee waiver and expense reimbursement agreement between the Fund and Lord, Abbett & Co. LLC for the term of the agreement). The example does not reflect variable contract expenses, fees, and charges. If these expenses, fees, and charges were included, your costs would be higher. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

To pursue its objective, the Fund normally invests at least 65% of its net assets in equity securities of small and mid-sized companies. The remainder of the Fund’s assets may be invested in companies of any size. The Fund may change this policy at any time. The Fund attempts to invest in companies the investment team believes have been undervalued by the market and are selling at reasonable prices. The Fund seeks to identify companies that have the strongest fundamentals relative to valuations and looks for positive factors that the Fund believes are likely to improve the value of the company’s stock price.


The Fund may invest in U.S. and foreign (which may include emerging market) companies. Foreign companies may be traded on U.S. or non-U.S. securities exchanges and may include American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”). The Fund’s investments primarily include the following types of securities and other financial instruments:


  • Equity securities of mid-sized and small companies. Equity securities include common stocks, preferred stocks, and equity interests in trusts (including real estate investment trusts), partnerships, joint ventures, and limited liability companies. The Fund considers equity securities to include rights offerings and investments that convert into the equity securities described above.

  • Mid-sized and small companies having a market capitalization at the time of purchase that falls within the market capitalization range of companies in the Russell 2500® Index.

  • Value companies that portfolio management believes to be undervalued according to certain financial measurements of intrinsic worth or business prospects and have the potential for capital appreciation.


The Fund generally will sell a security when the Fund believes the security is less likely to benefit from the current market and economic environment, shows signs of deteriorating fundamentals, or has reached its valuation target, among other reasons. The Fund seeks to remain fully invested in accordance with its investment objective; however, in response to adverse economic, market or other unfavorable conditions, the Fund may invest its assets in a temporary defensive manner.

Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading PRINCIPAL RISKS
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund.


The Fund invests principally in stocks and other securities described above that may experience significant volatility at times and may fall sharply in response to adverse events. Individual securities also may experience dramatic movements in price. In addition to the risks of overall market movements, risks of events affecting a particular industry or sector, and risks that are specific to an individual security, the principal risks of investing in the Fund, which could adversely affect its performance, include:


  • Portfolio Management Risk: If the strategies used and securities selected by the Fund’s portfolio management fail to produce the intended result, the Fund may suffer losses or underperform other funds with the same investment objective or strategies, even in a rising market.

  • Mid-Sized and Small Company Risk: Securities of mid-sized and small companies generally involve greater risks than investments in larger companies. Mid-sized and small companies may have limited management experience or depth, limited access to capital, and limited products or services or may operate in markets that have not yet been established. Mid-sized and small company securities tend to be more volatile and less liquid than equity securities of larger companies.

  • Value Investing Risk: The prices of value stocks may lag the stock market for long periods of time if the market fails to recognize the company’s intrinsic worth.

  • Foreign Company Risk: The Fund’s investment exposure to foreign (which may include emerging market) companies generally is subject to the risk that the value of securities issued by foreign companies may be adversely affected by political, economic, and social volatility, lack of transparency or inadequate regulatory and accounting standards, inadequate exchange control regulations, foreign taxes, higher transaction and other costs, and delays in settlement. Because the Fund’s limit on foreign securities focuses on where the security is principally traded rather than where the issuer is organized and/or operated, the percentage of the Fund’s assets that is exposed to foreign market risks may exceed the percentage of the Fund’s assets that the Fund considers to represent foreign securities. Emerging market securities generally are more volatile than other foreign securities, and are subject to greater liquidity, regulatory, and political risks.


An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. For more information on the principal risks of the Fund, please see the “More Information About the Fund – Principal Risks” section in the prospectus.

Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney As with any investment in a mutual fund, investing in the Fund involves risk, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment. When you redeem your shares, they may be worth more or less than what you paid for them, which means that you may lose a portion or all of the money you invested in the Fund.
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text] rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading PERFORMANCE
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock

The table below provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by comparing the Fund’s performance with a broad measure of market performance. Each assumes reinvestment of dividends and distributions. The Fund’s past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.

Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns The table below provides some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by comparing the Fund's performance with a broad measure of market performance.
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture The Fund's past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading Bar Chart (per calendar year) - Class VC Shares
Bar Chart Narrative [Text Block] rr_BarChartNarrativeTextBlock

The bar chart shows the performance of the Fund's Class VC shares for the calendar year ended December 31, 2011. This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.


Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text] rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads This chart does not reflect the sales charges or other expenses of Variable Contracts. If those sales charges and expenses were reflected, returns would be lower.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock
 

 

 

Best Quarter 4th Q ’11 +16.69%

 

Worst Quarter 3rd Q ’11 -23.37%

Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Dec. 31, 2011
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 16.69%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Sep. 30, 2011
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (23.37%)
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended December 31, 2011)
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text] rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
Performance Table Narrative rr_PerformanceTableNarrativeTextBlock

The table below shows how the average annual total returns of the Fund compare to the returns of securities indices.

Value Opportunities Portfolio | Russell 2500® Value Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (3.36%)
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 2.40%
Inception Date for Performance rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 30, 2010
Value Opportunities Portfolio | Russell 2500® Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (2.51%)
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 4.71%
Inception Date for Performance rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 30, 2010
Value Opportunities Portfolio | Class VC
  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.75%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 29.28%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 30.03%
Management Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (28.93%) [7]
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Management Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 1.10% [7]
Expense Example, with Redemption, 1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 112
Expense Example, with Redemption, 3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 4,888
Expense Example, with Redemption, 5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 7,573
Expense Example, with Redemption, 10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 10,202
Annual Return 2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 (4.47%)
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 (4.47%)
Life of Class rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 3.39%
Inception Date for Performance rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 30, 2010
[1] For the period from May 1, 2012 through April 30, 2013, Lord Abbett has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its management fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Fund's other expenses to the extent necessary so that the total net annual operating expenses do not exceed an annual rate of 0.90%. This agreement may be terminated only upon the approval of the Fund's Board of Directors.
[2] For the period from May 1, 2012 through April 30, 2013, Lord Abbett has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its management fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Fund's other expenses to the extent necessary so that the total net annual operating expenses do not exceed an annual rate of 1.15%. This agreement may be terminated only upon the approval of the Fund's Board of Directors.
[3] For the period from May 1, 2012 through April 30, 2013, Lord Abbett has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its management fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Fund's other expenses to the extent necessary so that the total net annual operating expenses do not exceed an annual rate of 0.95%. This agreement may be terminated only upon the approval of the Fund's Board of Directors.
[4] For the period from May 1, 2012 through April 30, 2013, Lord Abbett has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its management fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Fund's other expenses to the extent necessary so that the total net annual operating expenses do not exceed an annual rate of 1.20%. This agreement may be terminated only upon the approval of the Fund's Board of Directors.
[5] For the period from May 1, 2012 through April 30, 2013, Lord Abbett has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its management fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Fund's other expenses to the extent necessary so that the total net annual operating expenses do not exceed an annual rate of 0.87%. This agreement may be terminated only upon the approval of the Fund's Board of Directors.
[6] For the period from May 1, 2012 through April 30, 2013, Lord Abbett has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its management fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Fund's other expenses to the extent necessary so that the total net annual operating expenses do not exceed an annual rate of 0.64%. This agreement may be terminated only upon the approval of the Fund's Board of Directors.
[7] For the period from May 1, 2012 through April 30, 2013, Lord Abbett has contractually agreed to waive all or a portion of its management fee and, if necessary, reimburse the Fund's other expenses to the extent necessary so that the total net annual operating expenses do not exceed an annual rate of 1.10% This agreement may be terminated only upon the approval of the Fund's Board of Directors.