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Investments (Fair Value and Losses by Investment Category and Length of Time in a Loss Position) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | Mar. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016
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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 | $ 6,933,325 | $ 8,327,843
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 188,704 | 253,005
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 982,327 | 1,210,148
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 82,496 | 108,194
Estimated Fair Value | 7,915,652 | 9,537,991
Gross Unrealized Losses | 271,200 | 361,199
Equity securities |  |
Estimated Fair Values And Gross Unrealized Losses, OTTI Impairment Losses Reported In AOCI [Line Items] |  |
Estimated Fair Value - Less than 12 months | 70,591 | 212,899
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 3,604 | 7,851
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 24,289 | 28,630
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 2,801 | 5,807
Estimated Fair Value | 94,880 | 241,529
Gross Unrealized Losses | 6,405 | 13,658
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 | 207,022 | 374,831
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 3,215 | 10,607
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 136,657 | 215,908
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 32,986 | 45,409
Estimated Fair Value | 343,679 | 590,739
Gross Unrealized Losses | 36,201 | 56,016
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 | 6,726,303 | 7,953,012
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 185,489 | 242,398
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 845,670 | 994,240
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 49,510 | 62,785
Estimated Fair Value | 7,571,973 | 8,947,252
Gross Unrealized Losses | 234,999 | 305,183
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 | 195,427 | 330,757
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 3,023 | 7,914
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 110,909 | 163,152
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 31,844 | 41,605
Estimated Fair Value | 306,336 | 493,909
Gross Unrealized Losses | 34,867 | 49,519
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 | 3,658,776 | 4,661,706
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 89,271 | 124,444
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 412,413 | 549,273
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 33,285 | 43,282
Estimated Fair Value | 4,071,189 | 5,210,979
Gross Unrealized Losses | 122,556 | 167,726
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 | 137,014 | 101,578
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 3,457 | 3,541
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 0 | 0
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 0 | 0
Estimated Fair Value | 137,014 | 101,578
Gross Unrealized Losses | 3,457 | 3,541
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 | 0
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 0 | 0
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 122 | 412
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 5 | 12
Estimated Fair Value | 122 | 412
Gross Unrealized Losses | 5 | 12
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 | 467,812 | 490,473
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 9,394 | 9,733
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 101,886 | 112,216
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 2,277 | 3,635
Estimated Fair Value | 569,698 | 602,689
Gross Unrealized Losses | 11,671 | 13,368
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 | 0 | 5,904
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 0 | 700
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 11,463 | 12,581
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 680 | 1,465
Estimated Fair Value | 11,463 | 18,485
Gross Unrealized Losses | 680 | 2,165
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 | 381,219 | 563,259
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 4,213 | 12,010
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 270,456 | 257,166
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 8,248 | 9,653
Estimated Fair Value | 651,675 | 820,425
Gross Unrealized Losses | 12,461 | 21,663
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 | 1,891 | 5,815
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 108 | 735
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 0 | 0
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 0 | 0
Estimated Fair Value | 1,891 | 5,815
Gross Unrealized Losses | 108 | 735
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 | 370,152 | 368,465
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 6,816 | 6,858
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 7,398 | 10,853
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 111 | 166
Estimated Fair Value | 377,550 | 379,318
Gross Unrealized Losses | 6,927 | 7,024
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 | 1,122,884 | 1,056,101
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 55,334 | 63,044
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 0 | 0
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 0 | 0
Estimated Fair Value | 1,122,884 | 1,056,101
Gross Unrealized Losses | 55,334 | 63,044
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 | 155,720 | 187,194
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 7,963 | 9,396
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 13,086 | 13,635
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 3,604 | 3,068
Estimated Fair Value | 168,806 | 200,829
Gross Unrealized Losses | 11,567 | 12,464
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 | 9,704 | 32,355
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 84 | 1,258
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 14,163 | 39,763
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 457 | 2,327
Estimated Fair Value | 23,867 | 72,118
Gross Unrealized Losses | 541 | 3,585
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 | 432,726 | 524,236
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 9,041 | 13,372
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 40,431 | 51,097
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 1,985 | 2,981
Estimated Fair Value | 473,157 | 575,333
Gross Unrealized Losses | 11,026 | 16,353
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 | 0 | 10,831
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 0 | 831
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 24,289 | 21,879
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 2,801 | 5,506
Estimated Fair Value | 24,289 | 32,710
Gross Unrealized Losses | 2,801 | 6,337
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 | 70,591 | 202,068
Gross Unrealized Losses - Less than 12 months | 3,604 | 7,020
Estimated Fair Value - 12 months or greater | 0 | 6,751
Gross Unrealized Losses - 12 months or greater | 0 | 301
Estimated Fair Value | 70,591 | 208,819
Gross Unrealized Losses | $ 3,604 | $ 7,321

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