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Investments (Fair Value and Losses by Investment Category and Length of Time in a Loss Position) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013
Fixed maturity securities |  |
Estimated Fair Values And Gross Unrealized Losses, OTTI Impairment Losses Reported In AOCI [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Fair Value - Less than 12 months | $ 2,567,914 | $ 5,407,190
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 38,133 | 234,184
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 1,450,686 | 554,529
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 79,791 | 80,715
Estimated Fair Value | 4,018,600 | 5,961,719
Gross Unrealized Losses | 117,924 | 314,899
Equity securities |  |
Estimated Fair Values And Gross Unrealized Losses, OTTI Impairment Losses Reported In AOCI [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Fair Value - Less than 12 months | 28,317 | 270,220
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 377 | 7,227
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 45,710 | 32,551
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 2,551 | 2,474
Estimated Fair Value | 74,027 | 302,771
Gross Unrealized Losses | 2,928 | 9,701
Non-investment grade securities | Fixed maturity securities |  |
Estimated Fair Values And Gross Unrealized Losses, OTTI Impairment Losses Reported In AOCI [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Fair Value - Less than 12 months | 473,448 | 399,584
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 9,932 | 11,062
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 51,014 | 85,573
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 9,205 | 17,580
Estimated Fair Value | 524,462 | 485,157
Gross Unrealized Losses | 19,137 | 28,642
Investment grade securities | Fixed maturity securities |  |
Estimated Fair Values And Gross Unrealized Losses, OTTI Impairment Losses Reported In AOCI [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Fair Value - Less than 12 months | 2,094,466 | 5,007,606
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 28,201 | 223,122
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 1,399,672 | 468,956
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 70,586 | 63,135
Estimated Fair Value | 3,494,138 | 5,476,562
Gross Unrealized Losses | 98,787 | 286,257
Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | Non-investment grade securities | Fixed maturity securities |  |
Estimated Fair Values And Gross Unrealized Losses, OTTI Impairment Losses Reported In AOCI [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Fair Value - Less than 12 months | 428,285 | 283,603
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 8,710 | 9,451
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 31,577 | 38,256
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 2,344 | 3,892
Estimated Fair Value | 459,862 | 321,859
Gross Unrealized Losses | 11,054 | 13,343
Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | Investment grade securities | Fixed maturity securities |  |
Estimated Fair Values And Gross Unrealized Losses, OTTI Impairment Losses Reported In AOCI [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Fair Value - Less than 12 months | 1,381,925 | 3,141,179
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 20,285 | 148,895
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 787,728 | 301,303
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 41,002 | 40,548
Estimated Fair Value | 2,169,653 | 3,442,482
Gross Unrealized Losses | 61,287 | 189,443
Canadian and Canadian provincial governments | Investment grade securities | Fixed maturity securities |  |
Estimated Fair Values And Gross Unrealized Losses, OTTI Impairment Losses Reported In AOCI [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Fair Value - Less than 12 months | 53,864 | 188,491
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 427 | 14,419
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 27,870 | 12,029
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 1,224 | 2,429
Estimated Fair Value | 81,734 | 200,520
Gross Unrealized Losses | 1,651 | 16,848
Residential mortgage-backed securities | Non-investment grade securities | Fixed maturity securities |  |
Estimated Fair Values And Gross Unrealized Losses, OTTI Impairment Losses Reported In AOCI [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Fair Value - Less than 12 months | 19,548 | 62,146
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 206 | 1,075
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 3,477 | 3,945
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 155 | 254
Estimated Fair Value | 23,025 | 66,091
Gross Unrealized Losses | 361 | 1,329
Residential mortgage-backed securities | Investment grade securities | Fixed maturity securities |  |
Estimated Fair Values And Gross Unrealized Losses, OTTI Impairment Losses Reported In AOCI [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Fair Value - Less than 12 months | 91,041 | 283,967
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 1,139 | 15,900
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 148,006 | 23,068
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 8,672 | 1,688
Estimated Fair Value | 239,047 | 307,035
Gross Unrealized Losses | 9,811 | 17,588
Asset-backed securities | Non-investment grade securities | Fixed maturity securities |  |
Estimated Fair Values And Gross Unrealized Losses, OTTI Impairment Losses Reported In AOCI [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Fair Value - Less than 12 months | 9,642 | 28,670
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 161 | 415
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 9,514 | 32,392
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 2,143 | 5,498
Estimated Fair Value | 19,156 | 61,062
Gross Unrealized Losses | 2,304 | 5,913
Asset-backed securities | Investment grade securities | Fixed maturity securities |  |
Estimated Fair Values And Gross Unrealized Losses, OTTI Impairment Losses Reported In AOCI [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Fair Value - Less than 12 months | 234,958 | 255,656
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 2,074 | 4,916
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 121,589 | 56,668
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 4,656 | 4,983
Estimated Fair Value | 356,547 | 312,324
Gross Unrealized Losses | 6,730 | 9,899
Commercial mortgage-backed securities | Non-investment grade securities | Fixed maturity securities |  |
Estimated Fair Values And Gross Unrealized Losses, OTTI Impairment Losses Reported In AOCI [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Fair Value - Less than 12 months | 0 | 15,762
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 0 | 81
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 6,446 | 10,980
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 4,563 | 7,936
Estimated Fair Value | 6,446 | 26,742
Gross Unrealized Losses | 4,563 | 8,017
Commercial mortgage-backed securities | Investment grade securities | Fixed maturity securities |  |
Estimated Fair Values And Gross Unrealized Losses, OTTI Impairment Losses Reported In AOCI [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Fair Value - Less than 12 months | 103,327 | 219,110
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 922 | 3,725
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 40,865 | 20,068
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 2,950 | 5,745
Estimated Fair Value | 144,192 | 239,178
Gross Unrealized Losses | 3,872 | 9,470
US Government Agencies Debt Securities [Member] | Investment grade securities | Fixed maturity securities |  |
Estimated Fair Values And Gross Unrealized Losses, OTTI Impairment Losses Reported In AOCI [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Fair Value - Less than 12 months | 40,941 | 133,697
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 70 | 4,469
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 71,551 | 4,406
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 1,682 | 279
Estimated Fair Value | 112,492 | 138,103
Gross Unrealized Losses | 1,752 | 4,748
US States and Political Subdivisions Debt Securities [Member] | Investment grade securities | Fixed maturity securities |  |
Estimated Fair Values And Gross Unrealized Losses, OTTI Impairment Losses Reported In AOCI [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Fair Value - Less than 12 months | 40,692 | 120,193
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 124 | 9,723
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 45,205 | 15,202
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 4,654 | 4,616
Estimated Fair Value | 85,897 | 135,395
Gross Unrealized Losses | 4,778 | 14,339
Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member] | Non-investment grade securities | Fixed maturity securities |  |
Estimated Fair Values And Gross Unrealized Losses, OTTI Impairment Losses Reported In AOCI [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Fair Value - Less than 12 months | 15,973 | 9,403
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 855 | 40
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 0 | 0
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 0 | 0
Estimated Fair Value | 15,973 | 9,403
Gross Unrealized Losses | 855 | 40
Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member] | Investment grade securities | Fixed maturity securities |  |
Estimated Fair Values And Gross Unrealized Losses, OTTI Impairment Losses Reported In AOCI [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Fair Value - Less than 12 months | 147,718 | 665,313
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 3,160 | 21,075
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 156,858 | 36,212
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 5,746 | 2,847
Estimated Fair Value | 304,576 | 701,525
Gross Unrealized Losses | 8,906 | 23,922
Nonredeemable Preferred Stock [Member] | Equity securities |  |
Estimated Fair Values And Gross Unrealized Losses, OTTI Impairment Losses Reported In AOCI [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Fair Value - Less than 12 months | 3,765 | 51,386
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 287 | 5,479
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 17,149 | 1
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 1,411 | 2
Estimated Fair Value | 20,914 | 51,387
Gross Unrealized Losses | 1,698 | 5,481
Other equity securities | Equity securities |  |
Estimated Fair Values And Gross Unrealized Losses, OTTI Impairment Losses Reported In AOCI [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Fair Value - Less than 12 months | 24,552 | 218,834
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 90 | 1,748
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 28,561 | 32,550
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 1,140 | 2,472
Estimated Fair Value | 53,113 | 251,384
Gross Unrealized Losses | $ 1,230 | $ 4,220

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