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Statutory Financial Information - Additional Details (Detail) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2010 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2011 United States Traditional Insurance Subsidiaries [Member] USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2011 Unum U.K. GBP (£)
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Statutory Accounting Practices [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of States that Adopted Accounting Principles materially different from NAIC | 0 |  |  |
Statutory Accounting Practices, Statutory Amount Available for Dividend Payments |  |  | $ 634.4 | £ 187.0
Cash and Securities Segregated under Federal and Other Regulations | $ 294.3 | $ 293.6 |  |

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- Definition Amount of cash subject to withdrawal restrictions, restricted deposits held as compensating balances, and cash and securities segregated in compliance with regulations (such as cash deposited in a special reserve account for the exclusive benefit of customers). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Audit and Accounting Guide (AAG) -Number AAG-BRD -Chapter 4 -Paragraph 80 -Subparagraph Exhibit 4-8, 3 -IssueDate 2006-05-01 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Audit and Accounting Guide (AAG) -Number AAG-BRD -Chapter 4 -Paragraph 21 -IssueDate 2006-05-01 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. + Details
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- Definition Amount available as of the balance sheet date for dividend payments after computation of statutory restrictions on capital surplus. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 60 -Paragraph 60 -Subparagraph h -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 505 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6486098&loc=d3e24708-158529 + Details
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