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Income Tax (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2012
Income Tax [Abstract] |
Schedule of Income before Income Tax, Domestic and Foreign [Table Text Block] |
|  |  | 2012 |  | 2011 |  | 2010 |
Pre-tax income - U.S. | $ | 644,219 |  | $ | 400,278 |  | $ | 500,938 |
Pre-tax income - foreign |  | 275,004 |  |  | 363,293 |  |  | 305,243 |
|  | Total pre-tax income | $ | 919,223 |  | $ | 763,571 |  | $ | 806,181 |
Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit) [Table Text Block] |
The provision for income tax expense for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010 consists of the following (dollars in thousands):
|  |  | 2012 |  | 2011 |  | 2010 |
Current income tax expense (benefit): |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. | $ | 52,378 |  | $ | (1,605) |  | $ | (217,970) |
Foreign |  | 36,840 |  |  | 50,138 |  |  | 63,233 |
| Total current |  | 89,218 |  |  | 48,533 |  |  | (154,737) |
Deferred income tax expense (benefit): |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. |  | 183,929 |  |  | 155,895 |  |  | 392,905 |
Foreign |  | 14,183 |  |  | 13,098 |  |  | 32,271 |
| Total deferred |  | 198,112 |  |  | 168,993 |  |  | 425,176 |
|  | Total provision for income taxes | $ | 287,330 |  | $ | 217,526 |  | $ | 270,439 |
Schedule of Effective Income Tax Rate Reconciliation [Table Text Block] |
Provision for income tax expense differed from the amounts computed by applying the U.S. federal income tax statutory rate of 35% to pre-tax income as a result of the following for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010 (dollars in thousands):
|  |  | 2012 |  | 2011 |  | 2010 |
Tax provision at U.S. statutory rate | $ | 321,728 |  |  | $ | 267,250 |  |  | $ | 282,163 |  |
Increase (decrease) in income taxes resulting from: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Foreign tax rate differing from U.S. tax rate |  | (14,705) |  |  |  | (9,681) |  |  |  | (7,544) |  |
| Differences in tax basis in foreign jurisdictions |  | (21,086) |  |  |  | (11,584) |  |  |  | (5,210) |  |
| Deferred tax valuation allowance |  | 635 |  |  |  | 4,147 |  |  |  | (11) |  |
| Amounts related to tax audit contingencies |  | 2,260 |  |  |  | 5,562 |  |  |  | 3,942 |  |
| Corporate rate changes - Canada |  | 1,374 |  |  |  | (40,593) |  |  |  | -- |  |
| Corporate rate changes - other |  | (1,070) |  |  |  | (1,933) |  |  |  | -- |  |
| Subpart F |  | 13,571 |  |  |  | 9,340 |  |  |  | -- |  |
| Foreign tax credits |  | (7,808) |  |  |  | (3,546) |  |  |  | -- |  |
| Return to provision adjustments |  | (7,351) |  |  |  | (1,863) |  |  |  | (2,322) |  |
| Other, net |  | (218) |  |  |  | 427 |  |  |  | (579) |  |
|  | Total provision for income taxes | $ | 287,330 |  |  | $ | 217,526 |  |  | $ | 270,439 |  |
Effective tax rate |  | 31.3 | % |  |  | 28.5 | % |  |  | 33.5 | % |
Schedule Of Income Tax Expense Benefit Intraperiod Tax Allocation [Table Text Block] |
Total income taxes for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010 were as follows (dollars in thousands):
|  |  |  | 2012 |  | 2011 |  | 2010 |
Provision for income taxes | $ | 287,330 |  | $ | 217,526 |  | $ | 270,439 |
| Income tax from OCI and additional paid-in-capital: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  | Net unrealized holding gain (loss) on debt and equity securities recognized for financial reporting purposes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  | 246,682 |  |  | 275,975 |  |  | 267,445 |
|  | Exercise of stock options |  | (2,902) |  |  | (4,934) |  |  | 2,255 |
|  | Foreign currency translation |  | (921) |  |  | 1,579 |  |  | (19,633) |
|  | Unrealized pension and post retirement |  | (2,779) |  |  | (8,581) |  |  | 911 |
|  |  | Total income taxes provided | $ | 527,410 |  | $ | 481,565 |  | $ | 521,417 |
Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities [Table Text Block] |
The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred income tax asset and liabilities at December 31, 2012 and 2011, are presented in the following tables (dollars in thousands):
|  |  |  | 2012 |  | 2011 |  |  |  |
Deferred income tax assets: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Nondeductible accruals | $ | 77,116 |  | $ | 51,101 |  |  |  |
| Differences between tax and financial reporting amounts concerning certain reinsurance transactions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  | 17,054 |  |  | 17,097 |  |  |  |
| Investment income differences |  | 109,275 |  |  | 98,496 |  |  |  |
| Deferred acquisition costs capitalized for tax |  | 91,886 |  |  | 67,006 |  |  |  |
| Net operating loss carryforward |  | 159,821 |  |  | 174,503 |  |  |  |
| Differences in foreign currency translation |  | 621 |  |  | -- |  |  |  |
| Capital loss and tax credit carryforwards |  | 23,595 |  |  | 41,737 |  |  |  |
|  | Subtotal |  | 479,368 |  |  | 449,940 |  |  |  |
Valuation allowance |  | (10,100) |  |  | (8,630) |  |  |  |
| Total deferred income tax assets |  | 469,268 |  |  | 441,310 |  |  |  |
Deferred income tax liabilities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Deferred acquisition costs capitalized for financial reporting |  | 1,082,394 |  |  | 1,047,748 |  |  |  |
| Differences between tax and financial reporting amounts concerning certain reinsurance transactions |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  | 637,002 |  |  | 473,767 |  |  |  |
| Differences in the tax basis of cash and invested assets |  | 832,940 |  |  | 574,738 |  |  |  |
| Investment income differences |  | 12,719 |  |  | 13,499 |  |  |  |
| Differences in foreign currency translation |  | -- |  |  | 8,604 |  |  |  |
|  | Total deferred income tax liabilities |  | 2,565,055 |  |  | 2,118,356 |  |  |  |
|  |  | Net deferred income tax liabilities | $ | 2,095,787 |  | $ | 1,677,046 |  |  |  |
Balance sheet presentation of net deferred income tax liabilities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Included in other assets | $ | 24,714 |  | $ | 2,788 |  |  |  |
| Included in deferred income taxes |  | 2,120,501 |  |  | 1,679,834 |  |  |  |
|  |  | Net deferred income tax liabilities | $ | 2,095,787 |  | $ | 1,677,046 |  |  |  |
Summary of Income Tax Contingencies [Table Text Block] |
|  | Total Unrecognized Tax Benefits |
|  | 2012 |  | 2011 |  | 2010 |
Beginning balance, January 1 | $ | 194,260 |  | $ | 182,354 |  | $ | 221,040 |
Additions for tax positions of prior years |  | 47,438 |  |  | 7,968 |  |  | 17,255 |
Reductions for tax positions of prior years |  | -- |  |  | -- |  |  | (59,879) |
Additions for tax positions of current year |  | 3,938 |  |  | 3,938 |  |  | 3,938 |
Ending balance, December 31 | $ | 245,636 |  | $ | 194,260 |  | $ | 182,354 |

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- Definition Tabular disclosure of the components of income tax expense attributable to continuing operations for each year presented including, but not limited to: current tax expense (benefit), deferred tax expense (benefit), investment tax credits, government grants, the benefits of operating loss carryforwards, tax expense that results from allocating certain tax benefits either directly to contributed capital or to reduce goodwill or other noncurrent intangible assets of an acquired entity, adjustments of a deferred tax liability or asset for enacted changes in tax laws or rates or a change in the tax status of the entity, and adjustments of the beginning-of-the-year balances of a valuation allowance because of a change in circumstances that causes a change in judgment about the realizability of the related deferred tax asset in future years. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Publisher FASB -Number -Article -Subparagraph -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Paragraph 9 -Section 50 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32639-109319 + Details
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- Definition Tabular disclosure of the reconciliation using percentage or dollar amounts of the reported amount of income tax expense attributable to continuing operations for the year to the amount of income tax expense that would result from applying domestic federal statutory tax rates to pretax income from continuing operations. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Publisher FASB -Number -Article -Subparagraph -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Paragraph 12 -Section 50 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32687-109319 + Details
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- Definition Tabular disclosure of tax positions taken in the tax returns filed or to be filed for which it is more likely than not that the tax position will not be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities (i.e., uncertain tax positions) and other types of income tax contingencies, including: (1) the policy on classification of interest and penalties; (2) a tabular reconciliation of the total amounts of unrecognized tax benefits at the beginning and end of the period; the total amount(s) of: (3) unrecognized tax benefits that, if recognized, would affect the effective tax rate, and (4) interest and penalties recognized in each of the income statement and balance sheet; (5) for positions for which it is reasonably possible that the total amounts unrecognized will significantly change within 12 months of the reporting date the: (i) nature of the uncertainty, (ii) nature of the event that could occur that would cause the change, and (iii) an estimate of the range of the reasonably possible change or a statement that an estimate of the range cannot be made; and (6) a description of tax years that remain subject to examination by major tax jurisdictions. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 48 -Paragraph 21 -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 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32718-109319 + Details
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