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Investments (Investments in Fixed Maturity and Equity Securities Available-for-Sale by Sector) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Amortized Cost | $ 11,505,673 | $ 11,333,431
Unrealized Losses | 318,861 | 133,558
Estimated Fair Value | 11,934,562 | 12,380,071
% of Total | 100.00% | 100.00%
Fixed maturity securities |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Amortized Cost | 19,917,350 | 19,559,432
Unrealized Gains | 1,683,234 | 2,864,436
Unrealized Losses | 311,476 | 132,254
Estimated Fair Value | 21,289,108 | 22,291,614
% of Total | 100.00% | 100.00%
Other-than-temporary impairments in AOCI | (4,168) | (8,625)
Equity securities |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Amortized Cost | 149,108 | 217,046
Unrealized Gains | 5,187 | 6,958
Unrealized Losses | 7,385 | 1,304
Estimated Fair Value | 146,910 | 222,700
% of Total | 100.00% | 100.00%
Corporate securities | Fixed maturity securities |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Amortized Cost | 11,505,673 | 11,333,431
Unrealized Gains | 637,691 | 1,085,973
Unrealized Losses | 208,802 | 39,333
Estimated Fair Value | 11,934,562 | 12,380,071
% of Total | 56.10% | 55.50%
Other-than-temporary impairments in AOCI | 0 | 0
Canadian and Canadian provincial governments | Fixed maturity securities |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Amortized Cost | 2,719,147 | 2,676,777
Unrealized Gains | 785,840 | 1,372,731
Unrealized Losses | 13,831 | 174
Estimated Fair Value | 3,491,156 | 4,049,334
% of Total | 16.40% | 18.20%
Other-than-temporary impairments in AOCI | 0 | 0
Residential mortgage-backed securities | Fixed maturity securities |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Amortized Cost | 922,581 | 969,267
Unrealized Gains | 44,948 | 76,520
Unrealized Losses | 15,691 | 3,723
Estimated Fair Value | 951,838 | 1,042,064
% of Total | 4.50% | 4.70%
Other-than-temporary impairments in AOCI | (300) | (241)
Asset-backed securities | Fixed maturity securities |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Amortized Cost | 883,495 | 700,455
Unrealized Gains | 19,264 | 19,898
Unrealized Losses | 17,481 | 28,798
Estimated Fair Value | 885,278 | 691,555
% of Total | 4.10% | 3.10%
Other-than-temporary impairments in AOCI | (2,259) | (2,259)
Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed maturity securities |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Amortized Cost | 1,371,473 | 1,608,376
Unrealized Gains | 102,207 | 142,369
Unrealized Losses | 20,566 | 51,842
Estimated Fair Value | 1,453,114 | 1,698,903
% of Total | 6.80% | 7.60%
Other-than-temporary impairments in AOCI | (1,609) | (6,125)
US government and agencies | Fixed maturity securities |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Amortized Cost | 413,254 | 231,256
Unrealized Gains | 20,412 | 33,958
Unrealized Losses | 2,819 | 24
Estimated Fair Value | 430,847 | 265,190
% of Total | 2.00% | 1.20%
Other-than-temporary impairments in AOCI | 0 | 0
State and political subdivisions | Fixed maturity securities |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Amortized Cost | 288,757 | 270,086
Unrealized Gains | 22,626 | 38,058
Unrealized Losses | 13,654 | 5,646
Estimated Fair Value | 297,729 | 302,498
% of Total | 1.40% | 1.40%
Other-than-temporary impairments in AOCI | 0 | 0
Other foreign government, supranational and foreign government-sponsored enterprises | Fixed maturity securities |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Amortized Cost | 1,812,970 | 1,769,784
Unrealized Gains | 50,246 | 94,929
Unrealized Losses | 18,632 | 2,714
Estimated Fair Value | 1,844,584 | 1,861,999
% of Total | 8.70% | 8.30%
Other-than-temporary impairments in AOCI | 0 | 0
Nonredeemable Preferred Stock [Member] | Equity securities |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Amortized Cost | 80,985 | 68,469
Unrealized Gains | 5,187 | 6,542
Unrealized Losses | 3,333 | 170
Estimated Fair Value | 82,839 | 74,841
% of Total | 56.40% | 33.60%
Other equity securities | Equity securities |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Amortized Cost | 68,123 | 148,577
Unrealized Gains | 0 | 416
Unrealized Losses | 4,052 | 1,134
Estimated Fair Value | $ 64,071 | $ 147,859
% of Total | 43.60% | 66.40%

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- Definition Accumulated other comprehensive loss related to portion of other than temporary impairment (OTTI) due to factors other than credit losses on debt securities categorized as available-for-sale that an entity does not intend to sell and which it is not more likely than not that the entity will be required to sell before recovery of the amortized cost basis of the debt security. The amount represented by this item is net of tax, as applicable. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 14A -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28358780&loc=SL7669686-108580 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (aaa) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=d3e27161-111563 + Details
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- Definition Amount of investment in debt and equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading. + References Reference 1: 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=28360136&loc=d3e22054-111558 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph (aa) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=d3e27232-111563 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6871852&loc=d3e26610-111562 + Details
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- Definition Amount of unrealized gain before deducting unrealized loss on investments in debt and equity securities classified as available-for-sale securities. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=d3e27161-111563 + Details
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