XML 138 R49.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v2.4.1.9

Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014 Integer | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] |  |  |
Number of Operating Segments | 3 us-gaap_NumberOfOperatingSegments |  |
Ceded Policy Loans | $ 3,068.4 unm_PolicyLoansCededtoReinsurers | $ 3,043.7 unm_PolicyLoansCededtoReinsurers |
Accumulated Depreciation for Property and Equipment | 823.3 us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment | 760.8 us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment |
Value of Business Acquired | 15.2 us-gaap_ValueOfBusinessAcquiredVOBA | 19.0 us-gaap_ValueOfBusinessAcquiredVOBA |
Accumulated Amortization of Value of Business Acquired | 134.7 us-gaap_AccumulatedAmortizationOfOtherDeferredCosts | 138.2 us-gaap_AccumulatedAmortizationOfOtherDeferredCosts |
Amortization of Value of Business Acquired | 3.5 us-gaap_PresentValueOfFutureInsuranceProfitsAmortizationExpense1 | 4.5 us-gaap_PresentValueOfFutureInsuranceProfitsAmortizationExpense1 | 7.5 us-gaap_PresentValueOfFutureInsuranceProfitsAmortizationExpense1
Deferred Gain on Reinsurance | 41.7 us-gaap_DeferredRevenueAndCredits | 53.6 us-gaap_DeferredRevenueAndCredits |
Premium tax expense | 139.2 unm_PremiumTaxExpense | 137.0 unm_PremiumTaxExpense | 136.0 unm_PremiumTaxExpense
Assets, Participation Fund Account (PFA) | $ 358.6 unm_AssetsParticipationFundAccount | $ 339.2 unm_AssetsParticipationFundAccount |

X
- Definition Seperate fund for mutual policies in-force. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | unm_AssetsParticipationFundAccount
Namespace Prefix: | unm_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Loans ceded to reinsurers. These loans use insurance policy funds such as cash surrender values as collateral. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | unm_PolicyLoansCededtoReinsurers
Namespace Prefix: | unm_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Taxes incurred for premium written during the period. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | unm_PremiumTaxExpense
Namespace Prefix: | unm_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Accumulated amortization of other deferred costs capitalized at the end of the reporting period. Does not include deferred finance costs, deferred acquisition costs of insurance companies, or deferred leasing costs for real estate operations. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.17) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 17 -Article 5 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AccumulatedAmortizationOfOtherDeferredCosts
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of accumulated depreciation, depletion and amortization for physical assets used in the normal conduct of business to produce goods and services. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6391035&loc=d3e2868-110229 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.14) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 14 -Article 5 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Total carrying amount of consideration received or receivable as of the balance sheet date representing potential earnings that were not as yet recognized as revenue or other forms of income in conformity with GAAP. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 13 -Section A Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 605 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SAB TOPIC 13.A.4(a).Q1 Response) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012821&loc=d3e214044-122780 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DeferredRevenueAndCredits
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Number of operating segments. An operating segment is a component of an enterprise: (a) that engages in business activities from which it may earn revenues and incur expenses (including revenues and expenses relating to transactions with other components of the same enterprise), (b) whose operating results are regularly reviewed by the enterprise's chief operating decision maker to make decisions about resources to be allocated to the segment and assess its performance, and (c) for which discrete financial information is available. An operating segment may engage in business activities for which it has yet to earn revenues, for example, start-up operations may be operating segments before earning revenues. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_NumberOfOperatingSegments
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_OrganizationConsolidationAndPresentationOfFinancialStatementsAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of the present value of future profits asset amortized. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 20 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27015749&loc=d3e569990-122904 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_PresentValueOfFutureInsuranceProfitsAmortizationExpense1
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The remaining unamortized carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of expected future earnings from insurance contracts acquired (also known as present value of future profits). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.10) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 20 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27015749&loc=d3e569990-122904 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 10 -Article 7 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ValueOfBusinessAcquiredVOBA
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant