<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001247272-09-000070
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20090428
<FILING-DATE>20090429
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20090429
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>MORBY JEFFREY L
<CIK>0001247237
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-10890
<FILM-NUMBER>09779333
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O HORACE MANN EDUCATORS CORP
<STREET2>1 HORACE MANN PLAZA
<CITY>SPRINGFIELD
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>62715
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>HORACE MANN EDUCATORS CORP /DE/
<CIK>0000850141
<ASSIGNED-SIC>6331
<IRS-NUMBER>370911756
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1 HORACE MANN PLZ
<CITY>SPRINGFIELD
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>62715-0001
<PHONE>2177892500
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>1 HORACE MANN PLZ
<CITY>SPRINGFIELD
<STATE>IL
<ZIP>62715-0001
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
<FORMER-COMPANY>
<FORMER-CONFORMED-NAME>HORACE MANN EDUCATORS CORP
<DATE-CHANGED>19920108
</FORMER-COMPANY>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-04-28</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000850141</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>HORACE MANN EDUCATORS CORP /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>HMN</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001247237</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>MORBY JEFFREY L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>116 WOODLAND ROAD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PITTSBURGH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>PA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>15232</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock equivalent units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-04-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>224.014</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>1988-08-08</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>1988-08-08</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>224.014</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>224.014</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Each Common Stock equivalnet unit is the economic equivalent of one share of Common Stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The Common Stock equivalent units are estimated based on the market price of Horace Mann Educators Corporation Common Stock and are to be settled in Common Stock pursuant to the Horace Mann Educators Corporation Deferred Equity Compensation Plan for Directors.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Rhonda R. Armstead, Attorney in Fact for Jeffrey L. Morby</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-04-29</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
