<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001470459-09-000020
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20090930
<FILING-DATE>20091002
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20091002
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>Wilkinson Thomas
<CIK>0001442569
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-10890
<FILM-NUMBER>091101211
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>C/O HORACE MANN EDUCATORS CORPORATION
<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>2009-09-30</periodOfReport>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001442569</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Wilkinson Thomas</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>Executive Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock equivalent units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>0</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-09-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>12.257</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>12.257</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>12.257</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Each Common Stock equivalent 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 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 specified by the reporting person.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Ann M. Caparros,  Attorney in Fact for Thomas C. Wilkinson</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-10-02</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
