INVESTMENTS IN AFFILIATES - Components (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]
Cost	$ 981,196	$ 877,810
Dividends	(336,286)	(287,263)
Equity in net earnings of affiliates	95,458	107,553
Impairment of investment in affiliate	(149,389)	0
Share of other comprehensive income of affiliates	(19,197)	5,125
Equity in net assets of affiliates	$ 571,782	$ 703,225	$ 648,780

This item represents the carrying amount on the entity's balance sheet of its investment in common stock of an equity method investee. This is not an indicator of the fair value of the investment, rather it is the initial cost adjusted for the entity's share of earnings and losses of the investee, adjusted for any distributions (dividends) and other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses recognized.

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109237563&loc=d3e33749-111570

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 280
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 25
-Subparagraph (a)
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Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant