<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001247272-09-000102
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20090630
<FILING-DATE>20090702
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20090702
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>HECKMAN PETER H
<CIK>0001247247
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-10890
<FILM-NUMBER>09924833
</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>2009-06-30</periodOfReport>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001247247</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HECKMAN PETER H</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1 HORACE MANN PLAZA</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SPRINGFIELD</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>IL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>62715</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>EVP &amp; Chief Financial Officer</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock equivalent units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-06-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>173.543</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>173.543</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>173.543</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">One-for-one.</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 acquired under the Horace Mann Educators Corporation Deferred Compensation Plan for employees which are to be settled 100% in cash on the earlier of the reporting person's retirement date, termination date or a date certain.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Ann M. Caparros, Attorney in Fact for Peter H. Heckman</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-07-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
