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Investments (Fair Value and Losses by Investment Category and Length of Time in a Loss Position) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | Jun. 30, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015
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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 | $ 1,728,972 | $ 10,578,982
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 53,258 | 513,764
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 2,169,909 | 822,840
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 136,912 | 105,483
Estimated Fair Value | 3,898,881 | 11,401,822
Gross Unrealized Losses | 190,170 | 619,247
Equity securities |  |
Estimated Fair Values And Gross Unrealized Losses, OTTI Impairment Losses Reported In AOCI [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Fair Value - Less than 12 months | 3,248 | 50,658
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 261 | 4,417
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 30,853 | 12,191
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 8,121 | 3,787
Estimated Fair Value | 34,101 | 62,849
Gross Unrealized Losses | 8,382 | 8,204
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 | 291,016 | 648,027
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 15,218 | 79,258
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 403,790 | 163,901
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 53,136 | 44,544
Estimated Fair Value | 694,806 | 811,928
Gross Unrealized Losses | 68,354 | 123,802
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 | 1,437,956 | 9,930,955
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 38,040 | 434,506
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 1,766,119 | 658,939
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 83,776 | 60,939
Estimated Fair Value | 3,204,075 | 10,589,894
Gross Unrealized Losses | 121,816 | 495,445
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 | 282,830 | 554,688
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 14,077 | 71,171
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 335,351 | 114,427
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 45,761 | 31,076
Estimated Fair Value | 618,181 | 669,115
Gross Unrealized Losses | 59,838 | 102,247
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 | 649,275 | 6,388,148
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 15,424 | 323,961
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 1,208,939 | 294,755
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 59,206 | 40,861
Estimated Fair Value | 1,858,214 | 6,682,903
Gross Unrealized Losses | 74,630 | 364,822
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 |  | 122,746
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months |  | 2,532
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater |  | 0
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater |  | 0
Estimated Fair Value |  | 122,746
Gross Unrealized Losses |  | 2,532
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 | 0 | 22,646
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 0 | 282
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 379 | 7,679
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 11 | 298
Estimated Fair Value | 379 | 30,325
Gross Unrealized Losses | 11 | 580
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 | 67,472 | 452,297
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 1,672 | 7,036
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 120,431 | 82,314
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 3,990 | 4,057
Estimated Fair Value | 187,903 | 534,611
Gross Unrealized Losses | 5,662 | 11,093
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 | 5,858 | 6,772
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 1,118 | 201
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 8,623 | 9,335
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 1,545 | 1,250
Estimated Fair Value | 14,481 | 16,107
Gross Unrealized Losses | 2,663 | 1,451
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 | 534,180 | 581,701
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 18,943 | 9,825
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 258,828 | 199,298
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 10,507 | 7,100
Estimated Fair Value | 793,008 | 780,999
Gross Unrealized Losses | 29,450 | 16,925
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 |  | 3,253
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months |  | 248
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater |  | 767
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater |  | 117
Estimated Fair Value |  | 4,020
Gross Unrealized Losses |  | 365
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 | 78,002 | 514,877
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 423 | 9,806
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 41,399 | 31,177
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 702 | 997
Estimated Fair Value | 119,401 | 546,054
Gross Unrealized Losses | 1,125 | 10,803
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 |  | 1,010,387
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months |  | 57,718
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater |  | 0
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater |  | 0
Estimated Fair Value |  | 1,010,387
Gross Unrealized Losses |  | 57,718
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 | 9,697 | 157,837
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 443 | 5,349
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 56,930 | 13,016
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 5,694 | 3,718
Estimated Fair Value | 66,627 | 170,853
Gross Unrealized Losses | 6,137 | 9,067
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 | 2,328 | 60,668
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 23 | 7,356
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 59,437 | 31,693
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 5,819 | 11,803
Estimated Fair Value | 61,765 | 92,361
Gross Unrealized Losses | 5,842 | 19,159
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 | 99,330 | 702,962
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 1,135 | 18,279
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 79,592 | 38,379
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 3,677 | 4,206
Estimated Fair Value | 178,922 | 741,341
Gross Unrealized Losses | 4,812 | 22,485
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 | 3,248 | 12,331
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 261 | 2,175
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 24,247 | 12,191
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 7,675 | 3,787
Estimated Fair Value | 27,495 | 24,522
Gross Unrealized Losses | 7,936 | 5,962
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 | 0 | 38,327
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 0 | 2,242
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 6,606 | 0
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 446 | 0
Estimated Fair Value | 6,606 | 38,327
Gross Unrealized Losses | $ 446 | $ 2,242

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