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Supplementary Insurance Information (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs |  | $ 3,338,605 | $ 3,392,437 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Liability for Future Policy Benefits, Losses, Claims and Loss Expense Reserves |  | 33,610,927 | 33,276,124 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Policy Claims and Benefits Payable |  | 4,263,026 | 4,094,640 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Premium Revenue |  | 9,248,871 | 8,570,741 | $ 8,669,854
Supplementary Insurance Information, Net Investment Income |  | 1,911,886 | 1,734,495 | 1,713,691
Supplementary Insurance Information, Benefits, Claims, Losses and Settlement Expense |  | 8,358,066 | 7,826,346 | 7,857,672
Supplementary Insurance Information, Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs | [1] | 381,192 | 229,876 | 979,365
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Operating Expense |  | 1,738,307 | 1,617,161 | 1,058,624
US Traditional Segment Reporting Information [Member] |  |  |  |
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs |  | 1,818,211 | 1,807,407 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Liability for Future Policy Benefits, Losses, Claims and Loss Expense Reserves |  | 10,990,560 | 10,593,424 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Policy Claims and Benefits Payable |  | 1,659,473 | 1,681,130 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Premium Revenue |  | 5,249,571 | 4,806,706 | 4,725,505
Supplementary Insurance Information, Net Investment Income |  | 699,833 | 636,779 | 552,805
Supplementary Insurance Information, Benefits, Claims, Losses and Settlement Expense |  | 4,717,850 | 4,444,196 | 4,181,492
Supplementary Insurance Information, Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs | [1] | 177,255 | 131,439 | 467,067
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Operating Expense |  | 698,762 | 653,620 | 283,064
US Non-Traditional Segment Reporting Information [Member] |  |  |  |
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs |  | 582,031 | 691,944 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Liability for Future Policy Benefits, Losses, Claims and Loss Expense Reserves |  | 13,074,231 | 12,882,145 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Policy Claims and Benefits Payable |  | 20,352 | 16,430 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Premium Revenue |  | 24,349 | 22,177 | 20,079
Supplementary Insurance Information, Net Investment Income |  | 631,097 | 566,180 | 644,285
Supplementary Insurance Information, Benefits, Claims, Losses and Settlement Expense |  | 333,107 | 310,464 | 402,387
Supplementary Insurance Information, Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs | [1] | 133,501 | 40,416 | 203,605
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Operating Expense |  | 90,458 | 85,022 | 105,207
Canada Traditional Segment Reporting Information [Member] |  |  |  |
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs |  | 201,149 | 197,243 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Liability for Future Policy Benefits, Losses, Claims and Loss Expense Reserves |  | 2,713,510 | 2,498,385 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Policy Claims and Benefits Payable |  | 200,246 | 160,478 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Premium Revenue |  | 928,642 | 838,894 | 953,389
Supplementary Insurance Information, Net Investment Income |  | 178,927 | 182,621 | 193,610
Supplementary Insurance Information, Benefits, Claims, Losses and Settlement Expense |  | 707,428 | 670,477 | 784,470
Supplementary Insurance Information, Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs | [1] | 10,621 | 11,299 | 190,164
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Operating Expense |  | 265,250 | 217,061 | 83,446
Canada Non-Traditional Segment Reporting Information [Member] |  |  |  |
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs |  | 0 | 0 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Liability for Future Policy Benefits, Losses, Claims and Loss Expense Reserves |  | 29,531 | 26,547 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Policy Claims and Benefits Payable |  | 4,599 | 2,829 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Premium Revenue |  | 38,701 | 37,969 | 21,192
Supplementary Insurance Information, Net Investment Income |  | 2,692 | 1,436 | 2,595
Supplementary Insurance Information, Benefits, Claims, Losses and Settlement Expense |  | 36,275 | 29,251 | 20,116
Supplementary Insurance Information, Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs | [1] | 0 | 0 | 0
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Operating Expense |  | 2,718 | 1,881 | 1,969
EMEA Traditional Segment Reporting Information [Member] |  |  |  |
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs |  | 206,837 | 236,194 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Liability for Future Policy Benefits, Losses, Claims and Loss Expense Reserves |  | 913,351 | 1,104,771 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Policy Claims and Benefits Payable |  | 740,218 | 754,573 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Premium Revenue |  | 1,140,062 | 1,121,540 | 1,157,407
Supplementary Insurance Information, Net Investment Income |  | 50,301 | 51,370 | 52,086
Supplementary Insurance Information, Benefits, Claims, Losses and Settlement Expense |  | 999,005 | 979,225 | 1,013,331
Supplementary Insurance Information, Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs | [1] | 33,795 | 39,164 | 43,549
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Operating Expense |  | 132,290 | 123,943 | 117,864
EMEA Non-Traditional Segment Reporting Information [Member] |  |  |  |
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs |  | 0 | 0 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Liability for Future Policy Benefits, Losses, Claims and Loss Expense Reserves |  | 3,457,196 | 3,994,702 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Policy Claims and Benefits Payable |  | 46,761 | 35,801 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Premium Revenue |  | 180,271 | 171,830 | 216,562
Supplementary Insurance Information, Net Investment Income |  | 125,282 | 73,432 | 55,043
Supplementary Insurance Information, Benefits, Claims, Losses and Settlement Expense |  | 178,014 | 161,917 | 204,110
Supplementary Insurance Information, Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs | [1] | 0 | 0 | 0
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Operating Expense |  | 24,497 | 16,304 | 17,351
Asia Pacific Traditional Segment Reporting Information [Member] |  |  |  |
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs |  | 512,123 | 457,372 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Liability for Future Policy Benefits, Losses, Claims and Loss Expense Reserves |  | 1,288,642 | 1,115,987 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Policy Claims and Benefits Payable |  | 1,563,707 | 1,420,248 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Premium Revenue |  | 1,681,505 | 1,551,586 | 1,540,910
Supplementary Insurance Information, Net Investment Income |  | 83,049 | 80,549 | 84,489
Supplementary Insurance Information, Benefits, Claims, Losses and Settlement Expense |  | 1,345,951 | 1,208,984 | 1,208,611
Supplementary Insurance Information, Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs | [1] | 24,597 | 7,373 | 74,571
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Operating Expense |  | 286,674 | 316,346 | 312,652
Asia Pacific Non-Traditional Segment Reporting Information [Member] |  |  |  |
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs |  | 18,254 | 2,277 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Liability for Future Policy Benefits, Losses, Claims and Loss Expense Reserves |  | 641,614 | 758,301 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Policy Claims and Benefits Payable |  | 19,643 | 14,634 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Premium Revenue |  | 5,428 | 19,474 | 34,030
Supplementary Insurance Information, Net Investment Income |  | 23,648 | 18,678 | 17,972
Supplementary Insurance Information, Benefits, Claims, Losses and Settlement Expense |  | 37,976 | 20,766 | 42,351
Supplementary Insurance Information, Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs | [1] | 1,423 | 185 | 409
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Operating Expense |  | 19,920 | 16,011 | 15,829
Corporate And Other Segment Reporting Information [Member] |  |  |  |
Supplementary Insurance Information, by Segment [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs |  | 0 | 0 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Liability for Future Policy Benefits, Losses, Claims and Loss Expense Reserves |  | 502,292 | 301,862 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Policy Claims and Benefits Payable |  | 8,027 | 8,517 |
Supplementary Insurance Information, Premium Revenue |  | 342 | 565 | 780
Supplementary Insurance Information, Net Investment Income |  | 117,057 | 123,450 | 110,806
Supplementary Insurance Information, Benefits, Claims, Losses and Settlement Expense |  | 2,460 | 1,066 | 804
Supplementary Insurance Information, Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs | [1] | 0 | 0 | 0
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Operating Expense |  | $ 217,738 | $ 186,973 | $ 121,242
[1] | During 2015, the Company enhanced its process to track certain DAC components. See Note 8 - “Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs” in the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information.

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- Definition Amount of amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs recognized. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 235 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.12-16) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34713774&loc=d3e574960-122915 + Details
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- Definition Net amount of deferred policy acquisition costs capitalized on contracts remaining in force on the balance sheet date. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 235 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.12-16) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34713774&loc=d3e574960-122915 + Details
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