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Investments (Investments in Fixed Maturity and Equity Securities Available-for-Sale by Sector) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014
--- | --- | ---
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | $ 17,575,507 | $ 14,010,604
Available-for-sale Securities | 17,708,156 | 14,885,583
Fixed Maturities [Member] |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 28,322,977 | 23,105,597
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 1,939,175 | 2,508,673
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 619,247 | 133,298
Available-for-sale Securities | $ 29,642,905 | $ 25,480,972
Percentage Of Total Available For Sale Securities | 100.00% | 100.00%
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Other than Temporary Impairment, Not Credit Loss, Net of Tax, Available-for-sale, Debt Securities | $ 1,555 | $ 1,555
Equity Securities [Member] |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 126,229 | 120,534
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 7,837 | 7,947
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 8,204 | 1,621
Available-for-sale Securities | $ 125,862 | $ 126,860
Percentage Of Total Available For Sale Securities | 100.00% | 100.00%
Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturities [Member] |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | $ 17,575,507 | $ 14,010,604
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 599,718 | 965,523
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 467,069 | 90,544
Available-for-sale Securities | $ 17,708,156 | $ 14,885,583
Percentage Of Total Available For Sale Securities | 59.70% | 58.40%
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Other than Temporary Impairment, Not Credit Loss, Net of Tax, Available-for-sale, Debt Securities | $ 0 | $ 0
Canadian Provincial Governments [Member] | Fixed Maturities [Member] |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 2,469,009 | 2,668,852
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 1,110,282 | 1,196,420
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 2,532 | 7
Available-for-sale Securities | $ 3,576,759 | $ 3,865,265
Percentage Of Total Available For Sale Securities | 12.10% | 15.20%
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Other than Temporary Impairment, Not Credit Loss, Net of Tax, Available-for-sale, Debt Securities | $ 0 | $ 0
Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturities [Member] |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 1,277,998 | 991,867
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 45,152 | 52,640
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 11,673 | 6,611
Available-for-sale Securities | $ 1,311,477 | $ 1,037,896
Percentage Of Total Available For Sale Securities | 4.40% | 4.10%
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Other than Temporary Impairment, Not Credit Loss, Net of Tax, Available-for-sale, Debt Securities | $ 300 | $ 300
Asset-backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturities [Member] |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 1,219,000 | 1,059,660
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 12,052 | 20,301
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 18,376 | 10,375
Available-for-sale Securities | $ 1,212,676 | $ 1,069,586
Percentage Of Total Available For Sale Securities | 4.10% | 4.20%
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Other than Temporary Impairment, Not Credit Loss, Net of Tax, Available-for-sale, Debt Securities | $ 354 | $ 354
Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturities [Member] |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 1,456,848 | 1,453,657
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 37,407 | 87,593
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 11,168 | 8,659
Available-for-sale Securities | $ 1,483,087 | $ 1,532,591
Percentage Of Total Available For Sale Securities | 5.00% | 6.00%
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Other than Temporary Impairment, Not Credit Loss, Net of Tax, Available-for-sale, Debt Securities | $ 1,609 | $ 1,609
US Treasury and Government [Member] | Fixed Maturities [Member] |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 1,423,791 | 501,352
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 15,586 | 25,014
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 57,718 | 515
Available-for-sale Securities | $ 1,381,659 | $ 525,851
Percentage Of Total Available For Sale Securities | 4.70% | 2.00%
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Other than Temporary Impairment, Not Credit Loss, Net of Tax, Available-for-sale, Debt Securities | $ 0 | $ 0
US States and Political Subdivisions Debt Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturities [Member] |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 480,067 | 378,457
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 40,014 | 51,117
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 9,067 | 3,498
Available-for-sale Securities | $ 511,014 | $ 426,076
Percentage Of Total Available For Sale Securities | 1.70% | 1.70%
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Other than Temporary Impairment, Not Credit Loss, Net of Tax, Available-for-sale, Debt Securities | $ 0 | $ 0
Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturities [Member] |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 2,420,757 | 2,041,148
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 78,964 | 110,065
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 41,644 | 13,089
Available-for-sale Securities | $ 2,458,077 | $ 2,138,124
Percentage Of Total Available For Sale Securities | 8.30% | 8.40%
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Other than Temporary Impairment, Not Credit Loss, Net of Tax, Available-for-sale, Debt Securities | $ 0 | $ 0
Nonredeemable Preferred Stock [Member] | Equity Securities [Member] |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 85,645 | 93,540
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 7,837 | 7,350
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 5,962 | 1,527
Available-for-sale Securities | $ 87,520 | $ 99,363
Percentage Of Total Available For Sale Securities | 69.50% | 78.30%
Equity Securities Other Than Non-redeemable Preferred Stock [Member] | Equity Securities [Member] |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | $ 40,584 | $ 26,994
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 0 | 597
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 2,242 | 94
Available-for-sale Securities | $ 38,342 | $ 27,497
Percentage Of Total Available For Sale Securities | 30.50% | 21.70%

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