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Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs, Deferred Sales Inducements and Liability for Lifetime Income Benefit Riders (Liability for Lifetime Income Benefit Riders) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items] |  |  |
Balance at beginning of year | $ 61,893,945 |  |
Balance at end of year | $ 61,768,246 | $ 61,893,945 |
Aggregate investment spread assumption, near term, rate | 2.40% |  |
Aggregate investment spread assumption, long term, rate | 2.60% | 2.60% |
Mean reversion period | 8 years | 20 years |
Crediting / Discount rate assumption, near term, rate | 1.60% | 1.90% |
Crediting / Discount rate assumption, long term, rate | 2.10% | 2.90% |
Experience study on products with lifetime income benefit riders, period |  | 10 years |
Assumptions for future crediting rates, US Treasury rate |  | 3.80% |
Liability for Lifetime Income Benefit Riders |  |  |
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items] |  |  |
Balance at beginning of year | $ 1,303,451 | $ 808,167 | $ 704,441
Benefit expense accrual | 311,211 | 179,901 | 157,333
Impact of unlocking | 285,825 | 315,383 | (53,607)
Claim payments | 0 | 0 | 0
Balance at end of year | $ 1,900,487 | $ 1,303,451 | $ 808,167
Lifetime Income Benefit Rider, Fee Rider |  |  |
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items] |  |  |
Ultimate utilization assumption, rate |  | 60.00% | 75.00%
Lifetime Income Benefit Rider, No Fee Rider |  |  |
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items] |  |  |
Ultimate utilization assumption, rate |  | 30.00% | 37.50%

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- Definition Amount, before effect of reinsurance, of present value of future benefit to be paid to or on behalf of policyholder and related expense less present value of future net premium receivable under insurance contract. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117419472&loc=d3e14931-158439 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 55 -Paragraph 29E -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117419784&loc=SL117819541-158441 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(13)(a)(1)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=119400593&loc=d3e572229-122910 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 65 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (g)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117419843&loc=SL117420844-207641 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117419472&loc=d3e14931-158439 + Details
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