| FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS MEASURED AT FAIR VALUE ON A RECURRING BASIS [Table Text Block] |
| The table below presents the financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Quoted Prices in | | Significant | | Significant | | | | | | | | Active Markets for | | Other Observable | | Unobservable | | | | | | | | Identical Assets | | Inputs | | Inputs | | Total Fair | | | | | (Level 1) | | (Level 2) | | (Level 3) | | Value | | | | At December 31, 2011 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Assets | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Fixed maturities | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | U.S. government and agency | $ | 765,519 | | $ | 382,748 | | $ | - | | $ | 1,148,267 | | | | Non-U.S. government | | - | | | 1,212,451 | | | - | | | 1,212,451 | | | | Corporate debt | | - | | | 3,608,041 | | | 1,550 | | | 3,609,591 | | | | Agency RMBS | | - | | | 2,636,634 | | | - | | | 2,636,634 | | | | CMBS | | - | | | 312,691 | | | - | | | 312,691 | | | | Non-Agency RMBS | | - | | | 165,713 | | | - | | | 165,713 | | | | ABS | | - | | | 582,714 | | | 49,328 | | | 632,042 | | | | Municipals | | - | | | 1,222,711 | | | - | | | 1,222,711 | | | | | | 765,519 | | | 10,123,703 | | | 50,878 | | | 10,940,100 | | | | Equity securities | | 561,436 | | | 116,124 | | | - | | | 677,560 | | | | Other investments | | - | | | 286,516 | | | 412,804 | | | 699,320 | | | | Other assets (see Note 7) | | - | | | 38,175 | | | - | | | 38,175 | | | | Total | $ | 1,326,955 | | $ | 10,564,518 | | $ | 463,682 | | $ | 12,355,155 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Liabilities | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Other liabilities (see Note 7) | $ | - | | $ | 2,035 | | $ | - | | $ | 2,035 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | At December 31, 2010 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Assets | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Fixed maturities | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | U.S. government and agency | $ | 588,281 | | $ | 271,839 | | $ | - | | $ | 860,120 | | | | Non-U.S. government | | - | | | 772,798 | | | - | | | 772,798 | | | | Corporate debt | | - | | | 4,161,358 | | | 1,550 | | | 4,162,908 | | | | Agency RMBS | | - | | | 2,593,582 | | | - | | | 2,593,582 | | | | CMBS | | - | | | 474,785 | | | - | | | 474,785 | | | | Non-Agency RMBS | | - | | | 224,524 | | | 19,678 | | | 244,202 | | | | ABS | | - | | | 618,665 | | | 43,178 | | | 661,843 | | | | Municipals | | - | | | 712,659 | | | - | | | 712,659 | | | | | | 588,281 | | | 9,830,210 | | | 64,406 | | | 10,482,897 | | | | Equity securities | | 271,451 | | | 77,803 | | | - | | | 349,254 | | | | Other investments | | - | | | - | | | 519,296 | | | 519,296 | | | | Other assets (see Note 7) | | - | | | 6,641 | | | - | | | 6,641 | | | | Total | $ | 859,732 | | $ | 9,914,654 | | $ | 583,702 | | $ | 11,358,088 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Liabilities | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Other liabilities (see Note 7) | $ | - | | $ | 14,986 | | $ | - | | $ | 14,986 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | During 2011 and 2010, we had no transfers between Levels 1 and 2. |
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| CHANGES IN LEVEL 3 FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS MEASURED AT FAIR VALUE ON A RECURRING BASIS [Table Text Block] |
| Level 3 financial instruments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | The following tables present changes in Level 3 for financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis for the periods indicated: | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Fixed Maturities | | | | | | | | | | | | Corporate | | | | | | Non-Agency | | | | | | | | | Other | | | Total | | | | | | Debt | | | CMBS | | | RMBS | | | ABS | | | Total | | | Investments | | | Assets | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Year ended December 31, 2011 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Balance at beginning of period | $ | 1,550 | | $ | - | | $ | 19,678 | | $ | 43,178 | | $ | 64,406 | | $ | 519,296 | | $ | 583,702 | | | | Total net realized and unrealized gains | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | included in net income(1) | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | 74,497 | | | 74,497 | | | | Total net realized and unrealized losses | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | included in net income(1) | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | (43,498) | | | (43,498) | | | | Change in net unrealized gains included | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | in other comprehensive income | | - | | | - | | | 123 | | | 5,289 | | | 5,412 | | | - | | | 5,412 | | | | Change in net unrealized losses included | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | in other comprehensive income | | - | | | - | | | (60) | | | (937) | | | (997) | | | - | | | (997) | | | | Purchases | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | 195,000 | | | 195,000 | | | | Sales | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | (25,268) | | | (25,268) | | | | Settlements / distributions | | - | | | - | | | (2,046) | | | (93) | | | (2,139) | | | (45,720) | | | (47,859) | | | | Transfers into Level 3 | | - | | | - | | | - | | | 1,891 | | | 1,891 | | | - | | | 1,891 | | | | Transfers out of Level 3 | | - | | | - | | | (17,695) | | | - | | | (17,695) | | | (261,503) | | | (279,198) | | | | Balance at end of period | $ | 1,550 | | $ | - | | $ | - | | $ | 49,328 | | $ | 50,878 | | $ | 412,804 | | $ | 463,682 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Level 3 gains / losses included in | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | earnings attributable to the change | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | in unrealized gains /losses relating | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | to those assets held at the | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | reporting date | $ | - | | $ | - | | $ | - | | $ | - | | $ | - | | $ | 31,855 | | $ | 31,855 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Year ended December 31, 2010 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Balance at beginning of period | $ | 18,130 | | $ | 2,409 | | $ | 6,639 | | $ | 43,585 | | $ | 70,763 | | $ | 520,188 | | $ | 590,951 | | | | Total net realized and unrealized gains | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | included in net income(1) | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | - | | | 60,969 | | | 60,969 | | | | Total net realized and unrealized losses | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | included in net income(1) | | (1,550) | | | (119) | | | (581) | | | (1,134) | | | (3,384) | | | - | | | (3,384) | | | | Change in net unrealized gains included | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | in other comprehensive income | | 2,201 | | | 1,273 | | | 1,825 | | | 3,361 | | | 8,660 | | | - | | | 8,660 | | | | Change in net unrealized losses included | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | in other comprehensive income | | (34) | | | (238) | | | (27) | | | (71) | | | (370) | | | - | | | (370) | | | | Purchases | | - | | | 3,474 | | | 20,230 | | | 4,000 | | | 27,704 | | | 65,000 | | | 92,704 | | | | Sales | | (12) | | | (206) | | | (211) | | | (2,004) | | | (2,433) | | | (99,822) | | | (102,255) | | | | Settlements / distributions | | - | | | (694) | | | (1,832) | | | (369) | | | (2,895) | | | (27,039) | | | (29,934) | | | | Transfers into Level 3 | | - | | | - | | | 781 | | | - | | | 781 | | | - | | | 781 | | | | Transfers out of Level 3 | | (17,185) | | | (5,899) | | | (7,146) | | | (4,190) | | | (34,420) | | | - | | | (34,420) | | | | Balance at end of period | $ | 1,550 | | $ | - | | $ | 19,678 | | $ | 43,178 | | $ | 64,406 | | $ | 519,296 | | $ | 583,702 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Level 3 gains / losses included in | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | earnings attributable to the change | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | in unrealized gains /losses relating | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | to those assets held at the | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | reporting date | $ | (1,550) | | $ | - | | $ | - | | $ | - | | $ | (1,550) | | $ | 60,969 | | $ | 59,419 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | (1) Realized gains and losses on fixed maturities are included in net realized investment gains (losses). Realized gains and (losses) on other investments are included in net investment income. |
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