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Investments (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Investments [Abstract]

Available-for-sale Securities [Table Text Block]

The following table provides information relating to investments in fixed maturity securities by sector as of December 31, 2018 (dollars in thousands):

December 31, 2018:		Amortized Cost				Unrealized Gains				Unrealized Losses				Estimated Fair Value				% of Total			Other-than- temporary impairments in AOCI
Available-for-sale:
Corporate		$	24,006,407			$	530,804			$	555,092			$	23,982,119			59.9	%		$	—
Canadian government		2,768,466				1,126,227				2,308				3,892,385				9.7			—
RMBS		1,872,236				22,267				25,282				1,869,221				4.7			—
ABS		2,171,254				10,779				32,829				2,149,204				5.4			275
CMBS		1,428,115				9,153				18,234				1,419,034				3.5			—
U.S. government		2,233,537				10,204				57,867				2,185,874				5.5			—
State and political subdivisions		721,290				39,914				9,010				752,194				1.9			—
Other foreign government		3,680,863				109,320				47,868				3,742,315				9.4			—
Total fixed maturity securities		$	38,882,168			$	1,858,668			$	748,490			$	39,992,346			100.0	%		$	275

The following table provides information relating to investments in fixed maturity and equity securities by sector as of December 31, 2017 (dollars in thousands):

December 31, 2017:		Amortized Cost				Unrealized Gains				Unrealized Losses				Estimated Fair Value				% of Total			Other-than- temporary impairments in AOCI
Available-for-sale:
Corporate		$	21,966,803			$	1,299,594			$	55,429			$	23,210,968			60.9	%		$	—
Canadian government		2,843,273				1,378,510				1,707				4,220,076				11.1			—
RMBS		1,695,126				36,632				11,878				1,719,880				4.5			—
ABS		1,634,758				18,798				5,194				1,648,362				4.3			275
CMBS		1,285,594				22,627				4,834				1,303,387				3.4			—
U.S. government		1,953,436				12,089				21,933				1,943,592				5.1			—
State and political subdivisions		647,727				59,997				4,296				703,428				1.8			—
Other foreign government		3,254,695				154,507				8,075				3,401,127				8.9			—
Total fixed maturity securities		$	35,281,412			$	2,982,754			$	113,346			$	38,150,820			100.0	%		$	275
Non-redeemable preferred stock		$	41,553			$	479			$	2,226			$	39,806			39.7	%
Other equity securities		61,288				479				1,421				60,346				60.3
Total equity securities		$	102,841			$	958			$	3,647			$	100,152			100.0	%

Schedule of Financial Instruments Owned and Pledged as Collateral [Table Text Block]

The following table includes fixed maturity securities pledged and received as collateral and assets in trust held to satisfy collateral requirements under derivative transactions and certain third-party reinsurance treaties as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 (dollars in thousands):

	2018								2017
	Amortized Cost				Estimated Fair Value				Amortized Cost				Estimated Fair Value
Fixed maturity securities pledged as collateral	$	80,891			$	83,950			$	72,542			$	75,622
Fixed maturity securities received as collateral	n/a				616,584				n/a				590,417
Assets in trust held to satisfy collateral requirements	20,072,735				20,366,170				15,584,296				16,715,281

Concentration Risk Disclosure [Text Block]

The Company’s exposure to concentrations of credit risk from single issuers greater than 10% of the Company’s stockholders’ equity included securities of the U.S. government and its agencies, as well as the securities disclosed below, as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 (dollars in thousands):

	2018								2017
	Amortized Cost				Estimated Fair Value				Amortized Cost				Estimated Fair Value
Fixed maturity securities guaranteed or issued by:
Canadian province of Quebec	$	1,091,018			$	1,757,087			$	1,119,337			$	1,917,996
Canadian province of Ontario	913,642				1,187,526				939,837				1,282,944

Investments Classified By Contractual Maturity Date [Table Text Block]

The amortized cost and estimated fair value of fixed maturity securities classified as available-for-sale as of December 31, 2018 are shown by contractual maturity in the table below (dollars in thousands). Actual maturities can differ from contractual maturities because borrowers may have the right to call or prepay obligations with or without call or prepayment penalties. Asset and mortgage-backed securities are shown separately in the table below, as they are not due at a single maturity date.

		Amortized Cost				Estimated Fair Value
Available-for-sale:
Due in one year or less		$	1,185,868			$	1,190,931
Due after one year through five years		8,760,200				8,851,307
Due after five years through ten years		9,060,972				9,149,497
Due after ten years		14,403,523				15,363,152
Asset and mortgage-backed securities		5,471,605				5,437,459
Total		$	38,882,168			$	39,992,346

Fixed Maturity Holdings Industry Types [Table Text Block]

The tables below show the major industry types of the Company’s corporate fixed maturity holdings as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 (dollars in thousands):

December 31, 2018:		Amortized Cost				Estimated Fair Value				% of Total
Finance		$	8,793,742			$	8,730,568			36.3	%
Industrial		12,336,857				12,342,111				51.6
Utility		2,875,808				2,909,440				12.1
Total		$	24,006,407			$	23,982,119			100.0	%
December 31, 2017:		Amortized Cost				Estimated Fair Value				% of Total
Finance		$	7,977,885			$	8,362,774			36.1	%
Industrial		11,535,166				12,199,333				52.5
Utility		2,453,752				2,648,861				11.4
Total		$	21,966,803			$	23,210,968			100.0	%

Roll Forward Of Cumulative Credit Loss Component Of Otti Income Loss [Table Text Block]

The following table sets forth the amount of pre-tax credit loss impairments on fixed maturity securities held by the Company as of the dates indicated, for which a portion of the OTTI loss was recognized in AOCI, and the corresponding changes in such amounts (dollars in thousands):

		2018				2017				2016
Balance, beginning of period		$	3,677			$	6,013			$	7,284
Additional impairments - credit loss OTTI recognized on securities previously impaired		—				—				231
Credit loss impairments previously recognized on securities impaired to fair value during the period		—				(2,336		)		—
Credit loss previously recognized on securities that matured, paid down, prepaid or were sold during the period		—				—				(1,502		)
Balance, end of period		$	3,677			$	3,677			$	6,013

Investments In Debt And Equity Securities Gross Unrealized Losses Disclosures [Table Text Block]

The following table presents the total gross unrealized losses for the 3,109 fixed maturity securities as of December 31, 2018, where the estimated fair value had declined and remained below amortized cost by the indicated amount (dollars in thousands):

		2018
		Gross Unrealized Losses				% of Total
Less than 20%		$	721,015			96.3	%
20% or more for less than six months		21,336				2.9
20% or more for six months or greater		6,139				0.8
Total		$	748,490			100.0	%

The following table presents the total gross unrealized losses for the 1,116 fixed maturity and equity securities as of December 31, 2017, where the estimated fair value had declined and remained below amortized cost by the indicated amount (dollars in thousands):

		2017
		Gross Unrealized Losses				% of Total
Less than 20%		$	113,466			97.0	%
20% or more for less than six months		689				0.6
20% or more for six months or greater		2,838				2.4
Total		$	116,993			100.0	%

Fair Value And Investments In Debt And Equity Securities Disclosures [Table Text Block]

The following table presents the estimated fair values and gross unrealized losses, including other-than-temporary impairment losses reported in AOCI, for 3,109 fixed maturity securities that have estimated fair values below amortized cost as of December 31, 2018 (dollars in thousands). These investments are presented by class and grade of security, as well as the length of time the related fair value has remained below amortized cost.

		Less than 12 months								12 months or greater								Total
December 31, 2018:		Estimated Fair Value				Gross Unrealized Losses				Estimated Fair Value				Gross Unrealized Losses				Estimated Fair Value				Gross Unrealized Losses
Investment grade securities:
Corporate		$	8,505,371			$	302,604			$	3,611,266			$	195,082			$	12,116,637			$	497,686
Canadian government		25,169				419				131,806				1,612				156,975				2,031
RMBS		269,558				2,488				836,741				22,760				1,106,299				25,248
ABS		1,102,677				24,271				381,609				8,523				1,484,286				32,794
CMBS		384,259				4,304				414,719				13,930				798,978				18,234
U.S. government		8,616				80				1,086,694				57,787				1,095,310				57,867
State and political subdivisions		103,504				1,538				157,330				7,472				260,834				9,010
Other foreign government		789,859				24,509				472,934				17,446				1,262,793				41,955
Total investment grade securities		11,189,013				360,213				7,093,099				324,612				18,282,112				684,825
Below investment grade securities:
Corporate		755,679				42,760				122,559				14,646				878,238				57,406
Canadian government		443				34				1,770				243				2,213				277
RMBS		—				—				1,026				34				1,026				34
ABS		—				—				1,063				35				1,063				35
Other foreign government		128,725				5,574				7,479				339				136,204				5,913
Total below investment grade securities		884,847				48,368				133,897				15,297				1,018,744				63,665
Total fixed maturity securities		$	12,073,860			$	408,581			$	7,226,996			$	339,909			$	19,300,856			$	748,490

The following table presents the estimated fair values and gross unrealized losses, including other-than-temporary impairment losses reported in AOCI, for 1,116 fixed maturity and equity securities that have estimated fair values below amortized cost as of December 31, 2017 (dollars in thousands):

		Less than 12 months								12 months or greater								Total
December 31, 2017:		Estimated Fair Value				Gross Unrealized Losses				Estimated Fair Value				Gross Unrealized Losses				Estimated Fair Value				Gross Unrealized Losses
Investment grade securities:
Corporate		$	1,886,212			$	17,099			$	1,009,750			$	28,080			$	2,895,962			$	45,179
Canadian government		18,688				91				111,560				1,596				130,248				1,687
RMBS		566,699				5,852				224,439				6,004				791,138				11,856
ABS		434,274				2,707				168,524				2,434				602,798				5,141
CMBS		220,401				1,914				103,269				2,920				323,670				4,834
U.S. government		800,298				6,177				767,197				15,756				1,567,495				21,933
State and political subdivisions		43,510				242				68,666				4,054				112,176				4,296
Other foreign government		369,717				2,707				191,265				4,704				560,982				7,411
Total investment grade securities		4,339,799				36,789				2,644,670				65,548				6,984,469				102,337
Below investment grade securities:
Corporate		194,879				3,317				75,731				6,933				270,610				10,250
Canadian government		1,995				20				—				—				1,995				20
RMBS		—				—				1,369				22				1,369				22
ABS		—				—				1,489				53				1,489				53
Other foreign government		28,600				113				15,134				551				43,734				664
Total below investment grade securities		225,474				3,450				93,723				7,559				319,197				11,009
Total fixed maturity securities		$	4,565,273			$	40,239			$	2,738,393			$	73,107			$	7,303,666			$	113,346
Non-redeemable preferred stock		$	82			$	1			$	26,471			$	2,225			$	26,553			$	2,226
Other equity securities		5,820				1,023				47,251				398				53,071				1,421
Total equity securities		$	5,902			$	1,024			$	73,722			$	2,623			$	79,624			$	3,647

Investment Income [Table Text Block]

Major categories of investment income, net of related expenses, consist of the following (dollars in thousands):

		2018				2017				2016
Fixed maturity securities available-for-sale		$	1,528,086			$	1,401,585			$	1,285,406
Equity securities		4,343				4,445				12,513
Mortgage loans on real estate		214,387				197,755				168,582
Policy loans		59,332				60,617				63,837
Funds withheld at interest		309,977				457,774				368,728
Short-term investments and cash and cash equivalents		14,349				7,171				8,051
Other invested assets		98,557				106,015				76,858
Investment income		2,229,031				2,235,362				1,983,975
Investment expense		(90,506		)		(80,711		)		(72,089		)
Investment income, net of related expenses		$	2,138,525			$	2,154,651			$	1,911,886

Gain (Loss) on Securities [Table Text Block]

Investment related gains (losses), net, consist of the following (dollars in thousands):

		2018				2017				2016
Fixed maturity securities available-for-sale:
Other-than-temporary impairment losses		$	(28,494	)		$	(42,639	)		$	(38,805	)
Portion of loss recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income		—				—				74
Gain on investment activity		65,211				110,546				145,172
Loss on investment activity		(158,870		)		(37,328		)		(47,094		)
Equity securities:
Other-than-temporary impairment losses		—				(1,202		)		—
Gain on investment activity		4,429				23				9,198
Loss on investment activity		(1,937		)		(4,351		)		(2,871		)
Change in unrealized gains (losses) recognized in earnings		(23,184		)		—				—
Other impairment losses and change in mortgage loan provision		(11,919		)		(9,497		)		(11,006		)
Derivatives and other, net		(15,324		)		152,328				39,527
Total investment related gains (losses), net		$	(170,088	)		$	167,880			$	94,195

Schedule of Repurchase Agreements [Table Text Block]

The following table includes the amount of borrowed securities, securities lent and securities collateral received as part of the securities lending program, repurchased/reverse repurchased securities pledged and received and cash received as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 (dollars in thousands):

	2018								2017
	Amortized Cost				Estimated Fair Value				Amortized Cost				Estimated Fair Value
Borrowed securities	$	335,781			$	366,663			$	358,875			$	377,820
Securities lending:
Securities loaned	101,981				102,618				117,246				121,551
Securities received	n/a				112,000				n/a				128,000
Repurchase program/reverse repurchase program:
Securities pledged	554,806				554,589				413,819				428,344
Securities received	n/a				530,932				n/a				417,550

Schedule of Underlying Assets of Repurchase Agreements when Amount of Repurchase Agreements Exceeds 10 Percent of Assets [Table Text Block]

The following tables present information on the Company’s securities lending and repurchase transactions as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively (dollars in thousands). Collateral associated with certain borrowed securities is not included within the tables as the collateral pledged to each counterparty is the right to reinsurance treaty cash flows.

	December 31, 2018
	Remaining Contractual Maturity of the Agreements
	Overnight and Continuous				Up to 30 Days				30-90 Days				Greater than 90 Days				Total
Securities lending transaction:
Corporate	$	—			$	—			$	—			$	102,618			$	102,618
Total	—				—				—				102,618				102,618
Repurchase transactions:
Corporate	—				—				—				254,151				254,151
U.S. government	—				—				—				221,572				221,572
Foreign government	—				—				—				78,866				78,866
Total	—				—				—				554,589				554,589
Total transactions	$	—			$	—			$	—			$	657,207			$	657,207
Gross amount of recognized liabilities for securities lending and repurchase transactions in preceding table																	$	671,492
Amounts related to agreements not included in offsetting disclosure																	$	14,285

	December 31, 2017
	Remaining Contractual Maturity of the Agreements
	Overnight and Continuous				Up to 30 Days				30-90 Days				Greater than 90 Days				Total
Securities lending transaction:
Corporate	$	—			$	—			$	—			$	121,551			$	121,551
Total	—				—				—				121,551				121,551
Repurchase transactions:
Corporate	—				—				312				184,334				$	184,646
U.S. government	—				—				—				220,765				220,765
Foreign government	—				—				—				21,802				21,802
Other	1,131				—				—				—				1,131
Total	1,131				—				312				426,901				428,344
Total transactions	$	1,131			$	—			$	312			$	548,452			$	549,895
Gross amount of recognized liabilities for repurchase transactions in preceding table																	$	576,786
Amounts related to agreements not included in offsetting disclosure																	$	26,891

Disclosure Of Real Estate Holdings By Property Type [Table Text Block]

The recorded investment in mortgage loans on real estate presented below is gross of unamortized deferred loan origination fees and expenses, and valuation allowances.

The distribution of mortgage loans by property type is as follows as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 (dollars in thousands):

		2018							2017
		Carrying Value				Percentage of Total			Carrying Value				Percentage of Total
Property type:
Office building		$	1,725,748			34.6	%		$	1,487,392			33.6	%
Retail		1,432,394				28.7			1,270,676				28.8
Industrial		961,924				19.3			938,612				21.3
Apartment		571,291				11.5			510,052				11.6
Other commercial		291,997				5.9			206,439				4.7
Recorded investment		$	4,983,354			100.0	%		$	4,413,171			100.0	%
Unamortized balance of loan origination fees and expenses		(5,770		)					(3,254		)
Valuation allowances		(11,286		)					(9,384		)
Total mortgage loans on real estate		$	4,966,298						$	4,400,533

Disclosure of Real Estate Holdings Classified By Contractual Maturity Date [Table Text Block]

The maturities of the mortgage loans as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 are as follows (dollars in thousands):

		2018							2017
		Recorded Investment				% of Total			Recorded Investment				% of Total
Due within five years		$	1,425,598			28.6	%		$	1,091,066			24.8	%
Due after five years through ten years		2,686,264				53.9			2,516,872				57.0
Due after ten years		871,492				17.5			805,233				18.2
Total		$	4,983,354			100.0	%		$	4,413,171			100.0	%

Financing Receivable Credit Quality Indicators [Table Text Block]

The following tables set forth certain key credit quality indicators of the Company’s recorded investment in mortgage loans as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 (dollars in thousands):

	Recorded Investment
	Debt Service Ratios												Construction loans
	>1.20x				1.00x - 1.20x				<1.00x								Total				% of Total
December 31, 2018:
Loan-to-Value Ratio
0% - 59.99%	$	2,410,556			$	61,246			$	38,177			$	13,691			$	2,523,670			50.6	%
60% - 69.99%	1,618,374				73,908				38,120				18,929				1,749,331				35.1
70% - 79.99%	414,269				48,438				54,440				—				517,147				10.4
Greater than 80%	117,978				49,668				25,560				—				193,206				3.9
Total	$	4,561,177			$	233,260			$	156,297			$	32,620			$	4,983,354			100.0	%

	Recorded Investment
	Debt Service Ratios												Construction loans
	>1.20x				1.00x - 1.20x				<1.00x								Total				% of Total
December 31, 2017:
Loan-to-Value Ratio
0% - 59.99%	$	2,148,428			$	53,979			$	3,801			$	—			$	2,206,208			50.0	%
60% - 69.99%	1,517,029				47,128				43,921				—				1,608,078				36.4
70% - 79.99%	396,446				19,461				15,367				—				431,274				9.8
Greater than 80%	120,850				30,713				6,362				9,686				167,611				3.8
Total	$	4,182,753			$	151,281			$	69,451			$	9,686			$	4,413,171			100.0	%

Past Due Financing Receivables [Table Text Block]

The age analysis of the Company’s past due recorded investments in mortgage loans as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 (dollars in thousands):

		2018				2017
31-60 days past due		$	—			$	17,100
61-90 days past due		—				2,056
Total past due		—				19,156
Current		4,983,354				4,394,015
Total		$	4,983,354			$	4,413,171

Recorded Investment And Allowance For Credit Losses [Table Text Block]

The following table presents the recorded investment in mortgage loans, by method of measuring impairment, and the related valuation allowances, as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 (dollars in thousands):

		2018				2017
Mortgage loans:
Individually measured for impairment		$	30,635			$	5,858
Collectively measured for impairment		4,952,719				4,407,313
Recorded investment		$	4,983,354			$	4,413,171
Valuation allowances:
Individually measured for impairment		$	—			$	—
Collectively measured for impairment		11,286				9,384
Total valuation allowances		$	11,286			$	9,384

Allowance For Loan And Lease Losses Provision For Loss Net [Table Text Block]

Information regarding the Company’s loan valuation allowances for mortgage loans as of December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016 are as follows (dollars in thousands):

		2018				2017				2016
Balance, beginning of period		$	9,384			$	7,685			$	6,813
Provision		1,918				1,691				872
Translation adjustment		(16		)		8				—
Balance, end of period		$	11,286			$	9,384			$	7,685

Impaired Financing Receivables [Table Text Block]

Information regarding the portion of the Company’s mortgage loans that were impaired as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 is as follows (dollars in thousands):

		Unpaid Principal Balance				Recorded Investment				Related Allowance				Carrying Value
December 31, 2018:
Impaired mortgage loans with no valuation allowance recorded		$	30,660			$	30,635			$	—			$	30,635
Impaired mortgage loans with valuation allowance recorded		—				—				—				—
Total impaired mortgage loans		$	30,660			$	30,635			$	—			$	30,635
December 31, 2017:
Impaired mortgage loans with no valuation allowance recorded		$	6,427			$	5,858			$	—			$	5,858
Impaired mortgage loans with valuation allowance recorded		—				—				—				—
Total impaired mortgage loans		$	6,427			$	5,858			$	—			$	5,858

The Company’s average investment balance of impaired mortgage loans and the related interest income are reflected in the table below for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016 (dollars in thousands):

		2018								2017								2016
		Average Investment(1)				Interest Income				Average Investment(1)				Interest Income				Average Investment(1)				Interest Income
Impaired mortgage loans with no valuation allowance recorded		$	24,240			$	1,129			$	3,621			$	186			$	2,249			$	142
Impaired mortgage loans with valuation allowance recorded		—				—				—				—				—				—
Total		$	24,240			$	1,129			$	3,621			$	186			$	2,249			$	142

(1) Average recorded investment represents the average loan balances as of the beginning of period and all subsequent quarterly end of period balances.

Schedule of Other Assets [Table Text Block]

Other invested assets represented approximately 3.5% and 2.9% of the Company’s total investments as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Carrying values of these assets as of December 31, 2018 and 2017 are as follows (dollars in thousands):

		2018				2017
Limited partnership interests and real estate joint ventures		$	965,094			$	781,124
Equity release mortgages		475,905				219,940
Derivatives		180,699				137,613
FVO contractholder-directed unit-linked investments		197,770				218,541
Other		95,829				148,114
Total other invested assets		$	1,915,297			$	1,505,332

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