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Investments (Investments in Fixed Maturity and Equity Securities Available-for-Sale by Sector) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015
--- | --- | ---
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | $ 18,924,711 | $ 17,575,507
Available-for-sale Securities | 19,619,084 | 17,708,156
Fixed Maturities [Member] |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 30,211,787 | 28,322,977
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 2,243,037 | 1,939,175
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 361,199 | 619,247
Available-for-sale Securities | $ 32,093,625 | $ 29,642,905
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 | $ 100 | $ 1,555
Equity Securities [Member] |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 285,579 | 126,229
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 3,440 | 7,837
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 13,658 | 8,204
Available-for-sale Securities | $ 275,361 | $ 125,862
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 | $ 18,924,711 | $ 17,575,507
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 911,618 | 599,718
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 217,245 | 467,069
Available-for-sale Securities | $ 19,619,084 | $ 17,708,156
Percentage Of Total Available For Sale Securities | 61.10% | 59.70%
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 | 2,561,605 | 2,469,009
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 1,085,982 | 1,110,282
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 3,541 | 2,532
Available-for-sale Securities | $ 3,644,046 | $ 3,576,759
Percentage Of Total Available For Sale Securities | 11.40% | 12.10%
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 | 1,258,039 | 1,277,998
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 33,917 | 45,152
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 13,380 | 11,673
Available-for-sale Securities | $ 1,278,576 | $ 1,311,477
Percentage Of Total Available For Sale Securities | 4.00% | 4.40%
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Other than Temporary Impairment, Not Credit Loss, Net of Tax, Available-for-sale, Debt Securities | $ 375 | $ 300
Asset-backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturities [Member] |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 1,443,822 | 1,219,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 9,350 | 12,052
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 23,828 | 18,376
Available-for-sale Securities | $ 1,429,344 | $ 1,212,676
Percentage Of Total Available For Sale Securities | 4.50% | 4.10%
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Other than Temporary Impairment, Not Credit Loss, Net of Tax, Available-for-sale, Debt Securities | $ 275 | $ 354
Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturities [Member] |  |
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items] |  |
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis | 1,342,440 | 1,456,848
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 28,973 | 37,407
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 7,759 | 11,168
Available-for-sale Securities | $ 1,363,654 | $ 1,483,087
Percentage Of Total Available For Sale Securities | 4.20% | 5.00%
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Other than Temporary Impairment, Not Credit Loss, Net of Tax, Available-for-sale, Debt Securities | $ 0 | $ 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 | 1,518,702 | 1,423,791
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 12,644 | 15,586
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 63,044 | 57,718
Available-for-sale Securities | $ 1,468,302 | $ 1,381,659
Percentage Of Total Available For Sale Securities | 4.60% | 4.70%
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 | 566,761 | 480,067
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 37,499 | 40,014
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 12,464 | 9,067
Available-for-sale Securities | $ 591,796 | $ 511,014
Percentage Of Total Available For Sale Securities | 1.80% | 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 | 2,595,707 | 2,420,757
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 123,054 | 78,964
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 19,938 | 41,644
Available-for-sale Securities | $ 2,698,823 | $ 2,458,077
Percentage Of Total Available For Sale Securities | 8.40% | 8.30%
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 | 55,812 | 85,645
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 1,648 | 7,837
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 6,337 | 5,962
Available-for-sale Securities | $ 51,123 | $ 87,520
Percentage Of Total Available For Sale Securities | 18.60% | 69.50%
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 | $ 229,767 | $ 40,584
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Gains | 1,792 | 0
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | 7,321 | 2,242
Available-for-sale Securities | $ 224,238 | $ 38,342
Percentage Of Total Available For Sale Securities | 81.40% | 30.50%

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