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Investments (Details 6) (USD $)	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Sovereign Fixed Maturity By Country [Line Items]
Available For Sale Securities Amortized Cost	$ 10,885,071,000	$ 6,931,958,000
Available For Sale Securities Fair Value Disclosure	11,899,722,000	7,461,106,000
Australia [Member]
Sovereign Fixed Maturity By Country [Line Items]
Available For Sale Securities Amortized Cost	454,131,000	437,713,000
Available For Sale Securities Fair Value Disclosure	470,628,000	446,694,000
Percentage Of Total Available For Sales Securities	33.30%	39.10%
Japan [Member]
Sovereign Fixed Maturity By Country [Line Items]
Available For Sale Securities Amortized Cost	221,977,000	214,994,000
Available For Sale Securities Fair Value Disclosure	228,478,000	219,276,000
Percentage Of Total Available For Sales Securities	16.20%	19.20%
United Kingdom [Member]
Sovereign Fixed Maturity By Country [Line Items]
Available For Sale Securities Amortized Cost	129,960,000	118,618,000
Available For Sale Securities Fair Value Disclosure	140,478,000	130,106,000
Percentage Of Total Available For Sales Securities	10.00%	11.40%
Germany [Member]
Sovereign Fixed Maturity By Country [Line Items]
Available For Sale Securities Amortized Cost	42,360,000	72,926,000
Available For Sale Securities Fair Value Disclosure	45,229,000	75,741,000
Percentage Of Total Available For Sales Securities	3.20%	6.60%
New Zealand [Member]
Sovereign Fixed Maturity By Country [Line Items]
Available For Sale Securities Amortized Cost	54,077,000	51,547,000
Available For Sale Securities Fair Value Disclosure	54,716,000	51,544,000
Percentage Of Total Available For Sales Securities	3.90%	4.50%
South Africa [Member]
Sovereign Fixed Maturity By Country [Line Items]
Available For Sale Securities Amortized Cost	63,037,000	37,624,000
Available For Sale Securities Fair Value Disclosure	67,240,000	38,528,000
Percentage Of Total Available For Sales Securities	4.80%	3.40%
South Korea [Member]
Sovereign Fixed Maturity By Country [Line Items]
Available For Sale Securities Amortized Cost	41,396,000	30,592,000
Available For Sale Securities Fair Value Disclosure	44,619,000	32,025,000
Percentage Of Total Available For Sales Securities	3.20%	2.80%
France [Member]
Sovereign Fixed Maturity By Country [Line Items]
Available For Sale Securities Amortized Cost	38,694,000
Available For Sale Securities Fair Value Disclosure	41,945,000
Percentage Of Total Available For Sales Securities	3.00%
Cayman Islands [Member]
Sovereign Fixed Maturity By Country [Line Items]
Available For Sale Securities Amortized Cost	69,333,000
Available For Sale Securities Fair Value Disclosure	76,661,000
Percentage Of Total Available For Sales Securities	5.40%
Other [Member]
Sovereign Fixed Maturity By Country [Line Items]
Available For Sale Securities Amortized Cost	215,586,000	139,927,000
Available For Sale Securities Fair Value Disclosure	240,896,000	148,792,000
Percentage Of Total Available For Sales Securities	17.00%	13.00%
Combined Sovereign Debt [Member]
Sovereign Fixed Maturity By Country [Line Items]
Available For Sale Securities Amortized Cost	1,330,551,000	1,103,941,000
Available For Sale Securities Fair Value Disclosure	$ 1,410,890,000	$ 1,142,706,000
Percentage Of Total Available For Sales Securities	100.00%	100.00%

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Percentage of available for sale securities

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

This item represents the cost of debt and equity securities, which are categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading, net of adjustments including accretion, amortization, collection of cash, previous other-than-temporary impairments recognized in earnings (less any cumulative-effect adjustments recognized, as defined), and fair value hedge accounting adjustments, if any.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name FASB Staff Position (FSP)

-Number FAS115-1/124-1

-Paragraph 7

-Footnote 2

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 115

-Paragraph 19

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.



Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.2)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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- Definition

This element represents the portion of the balance sheet assertion valued at fair value by the entity whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission. This item represents Available-for-sale Securities which consist of all investments in certain debt and equity securities neither classified as trading or held-to-maturity securities. A debt security represents a creditor relationship with an enterprise. Debt securities include, among other items, US Treasury securities, US government securities, municipal securities, corporate bonds, convertible debt, commercial paper, and all securitized debt instruments. An equity security represents an ownership interest in an enterprise or the right to acquire or dispose of an ownership interest in an enterprise at fixed or determinable prices. Equity securities include, among other things, common stock, certain preferred stock, warrant rights, call options, and put options, but do not include convertible debt. An entity may opt to provide the reader with additional narrative text to better understand the nature of investments in debt and equity securities which are categorized as Available-for-sale.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 115

-Paragraph 12

-Subparagraph b

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 25

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6379932&loc=d3e22054-111558



Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Available-for-Sale Securities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6505594

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