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Equity (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2015
Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Tax, Attributable to Parent [Abstract] |
Schedule of Stock by Class [Table Text Block] | The changes in number of common stock shares, issued, held in treasury and outstanding are as follows for the periods indicated:
|  | Issued |  | Held In Treasury |  | Outstanding
Balance, December 31, 2012 |  | 79,137,758 |  |  | 5,210,427 |  |  | 73,927,331 |
Common Stock acquired |  | — |  |  | 4,151,312 |  |  | (4,151,312 | )
Stock-based compensation (1) |  | — |  |  | (992,199 | ) |  | 992,199 |
Balance, December 31, 2013 |  | 79,137,758 |  |  | 8,369,540 |  |  | 70,768,218 |
Common Stock acquired |  | — |  |  | 2,530,608 |  |  | (2,530,608 | )
Stock-based compensation (1) |  | — |  |  | (535,351 | ) |  | 535,351 |
Balance, December 31, 2014 |  | 79,137,758 |  |  | 10,364,797 |  |  | 68,772,961 |
Common Stock acquired |  | — |  |  | 4,145,440 |  |  | (4,145,440 | )
Stock-based compensation (1) |  | — |  |  | (577,005 | ) |  | 577,005 |
Balance, December 31, 2015 |  | 79,137,758 |  |  | 13,933,232 |  |  | 65,204,526 |
(1) | Represents net shares issued from treasury pursuant to the Company's stock-based compensation programs.
Schedule of Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Table Text Block] | The following table presents the components of the Company’s other comprehensive income (loss) for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 (dollars in thousands): For the year ended December 31, 2015:
|  | Before-Tax Amount |  | Tax (Expense) Benefit |  | After-Tax Amount
Foreign currency translation adjustments: |  |  |  |  |  |
Change arising during year |  | $ | (342,539 | ) |  | $ | 17,129 |  |  | $ | (325,410 | )
Foreign currency swap |  | 96,019 |  |  | (33,607 | ) |  | 62,412 |
Net foreign currency translation adjustments |  | (246,520 | ) |  | (16,478 | ) |  | (262,998 | )
Unrealized losses on investments:(1) |  |  |  |  |  |
Unrealized net holding losses arising during the year |  | (1,084,732 | ) |  | 359,407 |  |  | (725,325 | )
Less: Reclassification adjustment for net losses realized in net income |  | (55,767 | ) |  | 19,518 |  |  | (36,249 | )
Net unrealized losses |  | (1,028,965 | ) |  | 339,889 |  |  | (689,076 | )
Unrealized pension and postretirement benefits: |  |  |  |  |  |
Net prior service cost arising during the year |  | 337 |  |  | (107 | ) |  | 230 |
Net loss arising during the period |  | 4,618 |  |  | (1,619 | ) |  | 2,999 |
Unrealized pension and postretirement benefits, net |  | 4,955 |  |  | (1,726 | ) |  | 3,229 |
Other comprehensive income |  | $ | (1,270,530 | ) |  | $ | 321,685 |  |  | $ | (948,845 | )
For the year ended December 31, 2014:
|  | Before-Tax Amount |  | Tax (Expense) Benefit |  | After-Tax Amount
Foreign currency translation adjustments: |  |  |  |  |  |
Change arising during year |  | $ | (154,132 | ) |  | $ | (4,835 | ) |  | $ | (158,967 | )
Foreign currency swap |  | 51,894 |  |  | (18,163 | ) |  | 33,731 |
Net foreign currency translation adjustments |  | (102,238 | ) |  | (22,998 | ) |  | (125,236 | )
Unrealized gains on investments:(1) |  |  |  |  |  |
Unrealized net holding gains arising during the year |  | 1,177,017 |  |  | (357,024 | ) |  | 819,993 |
Less: Reclassification adjustment for net gains realized in net income |  | 26,405 |  |  | (9,242 | ) |  | 17,163 |
Net unrealized gains |  | 1,150,612 |  |  | (347,782 | ) |  | 802,830 |
Change in unrealized OTTI on fixed maturity securities |  | 2,612 |  |  | (914 | ) |  | 1,698 |
Unrealized pension and postretirement benefits: |  |  |  |  |  |
Net prior service cost arising during the year |  | 485 |  |  | (159 | ) |  | 326 |
Net gain arising during the period |  | (43,025 | ) |  | 14,929 |  |  | (28,096 | )
Unrealized pension and postretirement benefits, net |  | (42,540 | ) |  | 14,770 |  |  | (27,770 | )
Other comprehensive income (loss) |  | $ | 1,008,446 |  |  | $ | (356,924 | ) |  | $ | 651,522 |
For the year ended December 31, 2013: |  |  |  |  |  |
|  | Before-Tax Amount |  | Tax (Expense) Benefit |  | After-Tax Amount
Foreign currency translation adjustments: |  |  |  |  |  |
Change arising during year |  | $ | (88,409 | ) |  | $ | 1,791 |  |  | $ | (86,618 | )
Foreign currency swap |  | 40,347 |  |  | (14,121 | ) |  | 26,226 |
Net foreign currency translation adjustments |  | (48,062 | ) |  | (12,330 | ) |  | (60,392 | )
Unrealized losses on investments:(1) |  |  |  |  |  |
Unrealized net holding losses arising during the year |  | (1,519,967 | ) |  | 465,740 |  |  | (1,054,227 | )
Less: Reclassification adjustment for net gains realized in net income |  | 9,355 |  |  | (3,274 | ) |  | 6,081 |
Net unrealized losses |  | (1,529,322 | ) |  | 469,014 |  |  | (1,060,308 | )
Change in unrealized OTTI on fixed maturity securities |  | 4,456 |  |  | (1,560 | ) |  | 2,896 |
Unrealized pension and postretirement benefits: |  |  |  |  |  |
Net prior service cost arising during the year |  | 525 |  |  | (171 | ) |  | 354 |
Net loss arising during the period |  | 21,624 |  |  | (7,469 | ) |  | 14,155 |
Unrealized pension and postretirement benefits, net |  | 22,149 |  |  | (7,640 | ) |  | 14,509 |
Other comprehensive income |  | $ | (1,550,779 | ) |  | $ | 447,484 |  |  | $ | (1,103,295 | )
(1) | Includes cash flow hedges. See Note 5 for additional information on cash flow hedges.
Components Of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Table Text Block] | A summary of the components of net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) of balances carried at fair value is as follows (dollars in thousands):
For the years ended December 31, |  | 2015 |  | 2014 |  | 2013
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on: |  |  |  |  |  |
Fixed maturity securities available-for-sale |  | $ | (1,055,458 | ) |  | $ | 1,171,996 |  |  | $ | (1,528,773 | )
Other investments(1) |  | 8,983 |  |  | (14,292 | ) |  | (12,274 | )
Effect on unrealized appreciation on: |  |  |  |  |  |
Deferred policy acquisition costs |  | 17,510 |  |  | (4,480 | ) |  | 16,181 |
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) |  | $ | (1,028,965 | ) |  | $ | 1,153,224 |  |  | $ | (1,524,866 | )
(1) | Includes cash flow hedges. See Note 5 for additional information on cash flow hedges.
Schedule of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Table Text Block] | The balance of and changes in each component of AOCI were as follows (dollars in thousands):
|  | Accumulated Currency Translation Adjustments |  | Unrealized Appreciation (Depreciation) of Investments (1) |  | Pension and Postretirement Benefits |  | Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Balance, December 31, 2012 |  | $ | 267,475 |  |  | $ | 1,877,657 |  |  | $ | (36,230 | ) |  | $ | 2,108,902 |
OCI before reclassifications |  | (48,062 | ) |  | (1,530,680 | ) |  | 17,638 |  |  | (1,561,104 | )
Amounts reclassified from AOCI |  | — |  |  | 5,814 |  |  | 4,511 |  |  | 10,325 |
Deferred income tax benefit (expense) |  | (12,330 | ) |  | 467,454 |  |  | (7,640 | ) |  | 447,484 |
Balance, December 31, 2013 |  | 207,083 |  |  | 820,245 |  |  | (21,721 | ) |  | 1,005,607 |
OCI before reclassifications |  | (102,238 | ) |  | 1,185,321 |  |  | (45,688 | ) |  | 1,037,395 |
Amounts reclassified from AOCI |  | — |  |  | (32,097 | ) |  | 3,148 |  |  | (28,949 | )
Deferred income tax benefit (expense) |  | (22,998 | ) |  | (348,696 | ) |  | 14,770 |  |  | (356,924 | )
Balance, December 31, 2014 |  | 81,847 |  |  | 1,624,773 |  |  | (49,491 | ) |  | 1,657,129 |
OCI before reclassifications |  | (246,520 | ) |  | (1,101,760 | ) |  | (1,248 | ) |  | (1,349,528 | )
Amounts reclassified from AOCI |  | — |  |  | 72,795 |  |  | 6,203 |  |  | 78,998 |
Deferred income tax benefit (expense) |  | (16,478 | ) |  | 339,889 |  |  | (1,726 | ) |  | 321,685 |
Balance, December 31, 2015 |  | $ | (181,151 | ) |  | $ | 935,697 |  |  | $ | (46,262 | ) |  | $ | 708,284 |
(1) | Includes cash flow hedges. See Note 5 for additional information on cash flow hedges.
Reclassification out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Table Text Block] | The following table presents the amounts of AOCI reclassifications for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 (dollars in thousands):
|  | Amount Reclassified from AOCI |  |
Details about AOCI Components |  | 2015 |  | 2014 |  | Affected Line Item in Statement of Income
Net unrealized investment gains (losses): |  |  |  |  |  |
Net unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities |  | $ | (55,767 | ) |  | $ | 26,405 |  |  | Investment related gains (losses), net
Cash flow hedges - Interest rate swaps |  | 569 |  |  | 1,212 |  |  | (1)
Cash flow hedges - Forward bond purchase commitments |  | (87 | ) |  | — |  |  | (1)
Deferred policy acquisition costs attributed to unrealized gains and losses |  | (17,510 | ) |  | 4,480 |  |  | (2)
Total |  | (72,795 | ) |  | 32,097 |  |  |
Provision for income taxes |  | 28,109 |  |  | (7,319 | ) |  |
Net unrealized gains (losses), net of tax |  | $ | (44,686 | ) |  | $ | 24,778 |  |  |
Amortization of defined benefit plan items: |  |  |  |  |  |
Prior service cost |  | $ | (309 | ) |  | $ | (333 | ) |  | (3)
Actuarial gains/(losses) |  | (5,894 | ) |  | (2,815 | ) |  | (3)
Total |  | (6,203 | ) |  | (3,148 | ) |  |
Provision for income taxes |  | 2,171 |  |  | 1,082 |  |  |
Amortization of defined benefit plans, net of tax |  | $ | (4,032 | ) |  | $ | (2,066 | ) |  |
Total reclassifications for the period |  | $ | (48,718 | ) |  | $ | 22,712 |  |  |
(1) | See Note 5 for information on cash flow hedges.
(2) | See Note 8 for information on deferred policy acquisition costs.
(3) | See Note 10 for information on employee benefit plans.

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