Name:	pfg_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedGainBeforePortfolioLayerMethodBasisAdjustment
Namespace Prefix:	pfg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

No definition available.

Name:	pfg_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedGainPortfolioLayerMethodBasisAdjustment
Namespace Prefix:	pfg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount, before tax, of unrealized loss in accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale) before portfolio layer method basis adjustment.

No definition available.

Name:	pfg_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedLossBeforePortfolioLayerMethodBasisAdjustment
Namespace Prefix:	pfg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount excluding accrued interest, of allowance for credit loss on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale) before portfolio layer method basis adjustment.

No definition available.

Name:	pfg_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAllowanceForCreditLossExcludingAccruedInterestBeforePortfolioLayerMethodBasisAdjustment
Namespace Prefix:	pfg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Amortized cost excluding accrued interest, after allowance for credit loss, of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale) before portfolio layer method basis adjustment.

No definition available.

Name:	pfg_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAmortizedCostExcludingAccruedInterestAfterAllowanceForCreditLossBeforePortfolioLayerMethodBasisAdjustment
Namespace Prefix:	pfg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

No definition available.

Name:	pfg_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAmortizedCostExcludingAccruedInterestAfterAllowanceForCreditLossPortfolioLayerMethodBasisAdjustment
Namespace Prefix:	pfg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount excluding accrued interest, of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale) before portfolio layer method basis adjustment.

No definition available.

Name:	pfg_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleExcludingAccruedInterestBeforePortfolioLayerMethodBasisAdjustment
Namespace Prefix:	pfg_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (b)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147481800/320-10-50-2

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedGainBeforeTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147481800/320-10-50-2

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesAccumulatedGrossUnrealizedLossBeforeTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479130/326-30-45-1

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAmortizedCostAllowanceForCreditLossExcludingAccruedInterest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Amortized cost excluding accrued interest, before allowance for credit loss, of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale).

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAmortizedCostExcludingAccruedInterestBeforeAllowanceForCreditLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount excluding accrued interest, of investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147479130/326-30-45-1

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleExcludingAccruedInterest
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of interest earned but not received. Also called accrued interest or accrued interest receivable.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(3)(a)(4))
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147480566/210-10-S99-1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 310
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)
-Publisher FASB
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/1943274/2147477802/946-310-45-1

Name:	us-gaap_InterestReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_MarketableSecuritiesLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_USTreasuryAndGovernmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_ForeignGovernmentDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_USStatesAndPoliticalSubdivisionsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_CommercialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_CollateralizedDebtObligationsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: