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Investments Investments (Transfers) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2012
Reported Value Measurement [Member] |
Transfer To Investments [Line Items] |
Transfer to Investments | $ 5,406,898
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] |
Transfer To Investments [Line Items] |
Transfer to Investments | 5,457,290
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Member] | Reported Value Measurement [Member] |
Transfer To Investments [Line Items] |
Transfer to Investments | 1,009,454
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] |
Transfer To Investments [Line Items] |
Transfer to Investments | 1,021,661
Short-term Investments [Member] | Reported Value Measurement [Member] |
Transfer To Investments [Line Items] |
Transfer to Investments | 101,428
Short-term Investments [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] |
Transfer To Investments [Line Items] |
Transfer to Investments | 101,338
Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member] | Reported Value Measurement [Member] |
Transfer To Investments [Line Items] |
Transfer to Investments | 501,593
Cash and Cash Equivalents [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] |
Transfer To Investments [Line Items] |
Transfer to Investments | 501,593
Accrued Interest [Member] | Reported Value Measurement [Member] |
Transfer To Investments [Line Items] |
Transfer to Investments | 43,739
Accrued Interest [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] |
Transfer To Investments [Line Items] |
Transfer to Investments | 43,739
Fixed Maturities [Member] | Reported Value Measurement [Member] |
Transfer To Investments [Line Items] |
Transfer to Investments | 3,750,684
Fixed Maturities [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] |
Transfer To Investments [Line Items] |
Transfer to Investments | 3,788,959
Fixed Maturities [Member] | Corporate securities | Reported Value Measurement [Member] |
Transfer To Investments [Line Items] |
Transfer to Investments | 2,585,095
Fixed Maturities [Member] | Corporate securities | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] |
Transfer To Investments [Line Items] |
Transfer to Investments | 2,606,816
Fixed Maturities [Member] | Asset-backed securities | Reported Value Measurement [Member] |
Transfer To Investments [Line Items] |
Transfer to Investments | 137,251
Fixed Maturities [Member] | Asset-backed securities | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] |
Transfer To Investments [Line Items] |
Transfer to Investments | 138,918
Fixed Maturities [Member] | Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Reported Value Measurement [Member] |
Transfer To Investments [Line Items] |
Transfer to Investments | 703,313
Fixed Maturities [Member] | Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] |
Transfer To Investments [Line Items] |
Transfer to Investments | 704,065
Fixed Maturities [Member] | US Government Agencies Debt Securities [Member] | Reported Value Measurement [Member] |
Transfer To Investments [Line Items] |
Transfer to Investments | 240,952
Fixed Maturities [Member] | US Government Agencies Debt Securities [Member] | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] |
Transfer To Investments [Line Items] |
Transfer to Investments | 256,168
Fixed Maturities [Member] | State and political subdivisions | Reported Value Measurement [Member] |
Transfer To Investments [Line Items] |
Transfer to Investments | 27,297
Fixed Maturities [Member] | State and political subdivisions | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] |
Transfer To Investments [Line Items] |
Transfer to Investments | 27,555
Fixed Maturities [Member] | Other foreign government, supranational and foreign government-sponsored enterprises | Reported Value Measurement [Member] |
Transfer To Investments [Line Items] |
Transfer to Investments | 56,776
Fixed Maturities [Member] | Other foreign government, supranational and foreign government-sponsored enterprises | Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member] |
Transfer To Investments [Line Items] |
Transfer to Investments | $ 55,437

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- Definition Value of investments transferred to the entity's investments in noncash transactions. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4332-108586 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4313-108586 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367179&loc=d3e4304-108586 + Details
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