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Equity (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2016
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, 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 |
Common Stock acquired |  | — |  |  | 1,356,892 |  |  | (1,356,892 | )
Stock-based compensation (1) |  | — |  |  | (454,868 | ) |  | 454,868 |
Balance, December 31, 2016 |  | 79,137,758 |  |  | 14,835,256 |  |  | 64,302,502 |
(1) | Represents net shares issued from treasury pursuant to the Company’s stock-based compensation programs.
Schedule of Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Table Text Block] | Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) The following table presents the components of the Company’s other comprehensive income (loss) for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014 (dollars in thousands): For the year ended December 31, 2016:
|  | Before-Tax Amount |  | Tax (Expense) Benefit |  | After-Tax Amount
Foreign currency translation adjustments: |  |  |  |  |  |
Change arising during year |  | $ | 39,925 |  |  | $ | (24,663 | ) |  | $ | 15,262 |
Foreign currency swap |  | (10,234 | ) |  | 3,582 |  |  | (6,652 | )
Net foreign currency translation adjustments |  | 29,691 |  |  | (21,081 | ) |  | 8,610 |
Unrealized gains on investments:(1) |  |  |  |  |  |
Unrealized net holding gains arising during the year |  | 641,606 |  |  | (180,448 | ) |  | 461,158 |
Less: Reclassification adjustment for net gains realized in net income |  | 65,798 |  |  | (23,029 | ) |  | 42,769 |
Net unrealized gains |  | 575,808 |  |  | (157,419 | ) |  | 418,389 |
Change in unrealized OTTI on fixed maturity securities |  | 1,457 |  |  | (510 | ) |  | 947 |
Unrealized pension and postretirement benefits: |  |  |  |  |  |
Net prior service cost arising during the year |  | 444 |  |  | (149 | ) |  | 295 |
Net gain arising during the period |  | 4,427 |  |  | (1,623 | ) |  | 2,804 |
Unrealized pension and postretirement benefits, net |  | 4,871 |  |  | (1,772 | ) |  | 3,099 |
Other comprehensive income (loss) |  | $ | 611,827 |  |  | $ | (180,782 | ) |  | $ | 431,045 |
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 gain 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 loss 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 |
(1) | Includes cash flow hedges. See Note 5 f
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, |  | 2016 |  | 2015 |  | 2014
Change in net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) on: |  |  |  |  |  |
Fixed maturity securities available-for-sale |  | $ | 561,906 |  |  | $ | (1,055,458 | ) |  | $ | 1,171,996 |
Other investments(1) |  | 18,900 |  |  | 8,983 |  |  | (14,292 | )
Effect on unrealized appreciation on: |  |  |  |  |  |
Deferred policy acquisition costs |  | (3,541 | ) |  | 17,510 |  |  | (4,480 | )
Net unrealized appreciation (depreciation) |  | $ | 577,265 |  |  | $ | (1,028,965 | ) |  | $ | 1,153,224 |
(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, 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 |
OCI before reclassifications |  | 29,691 |  |  | 646,887 |  |  | (951 | ) |  | 675,627 |
Amounts reclassified from AOCI |  | — |  |  | (69,622 | ) |  | 5,822 |  |  | (63,800 | )
Deferred income tax benefit (expense) |  | (21,081 | ) |  | (157,929 | ) |  | (1,772 | ) |  | (180,782 | )
Balance, December 31, 2016 |  | $ | (172,541 | ) |  | $ | 1,355,033 |  |  | $ | (43,163 | ) |  | $ | 1,139,329 |
(1) | Includes cash flow hedges of $(2,496), $(29,397) and $(31,591) as of December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively. 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, 2016 and 2015 (dollars in thousands):
|  | Amount Reclassified from AOCI |  |
Details about AOCI Components |  | 2016 |  | 2015 |  | Affected Line Item in Statement of Income
Net unrealized investment gains (losses): |  |  |  |  |  |
Net unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities |  | $ | 65,798 |  |  | $ | (55,767 | ) |  | Investment related gains (losses), net
OTTI on fixed maturity securities |  | 74 |  |  | — |  |  | Investment related gains (losses), net
Cash flow hedges - Currency/Interest rate |  | 510 |  |  | 569 |  |  | (1)
Cash flow hedges - Forward bond purchase commitments |  | (301 | ) |  | (87 | ) |  | (1)
Deferred policy acquisition costs attributed to unrealized gains and losses |  | 3,541 |  |  | (17,510 | ) |  | (2)
Total |  | 69,622 |  |  | (72,795 | ) |  |
Provision for income taxes |  | (17,672 | ) |  | 28,109 |  |  |
Net unrealized gains (losses), net of tax |  | $ | 51,950 |  |  | $ | (44,686 | ) |  |
Amortization of defined benefit plan items: |  |  |  |  |  |
Prior service cost (credit) |  | $ | 328 |  |  | $ | (309 | ) |  | (3)
Actuarial gains/(losses) |  | (6,150 | ) |  | (5,894 | ) |  | (3)
Total |  | (5,822 | ) |  | (6,203 | ) |  |
Provision for income taxes |  | 2,038 |  |  | 2,171 |  |  |
Amortization of defined benefit plans, net of tax |  | $ | (3,784 | ) |  | $ | (4,032 | ) |  |
Total reclassifications for the period |  | $ | 48,166 |  |  | $ | (48,718 | ) |  |
(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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