XML 83 R18.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v2.4.0.8

Dividends | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2013
Dividends [Abstract] |
Dividends | Dividends The following table presents shareholder dividends paid in total and per share:
| Year Ended December 31,
| 2013 |  | 2012 |  | 2011
| (Amounts in thousands, except per share data)
Total paid | $ | 134,776 |  |  | $ | 134,105 |  |  | $ | 132,142 |
Per share | $ | 2.4525 |  |  | $ | 2.4425 |  |  | $ | 2.41 |
The Insurance Companies are subject to the financial capacity guidelines established by their domiciliary states. The payment of dividends from statutory unassigned surplus of the Insurance Companies is restricted, subject to certain statutory limitations. For 2014, the insurance subsidiaries of the Company are permitted to pay approximately $260 million in dividends to Mercury General without the prior approval of the DOI of domiciliary states. The above statutory regulations may have the effect of indirectly limiting the ability of the Company to pay shareholder dividends. During 2013, 2012, and 2011, the Insurance Companies paid the Company ordinary dividends of $120 million, $145 million, and $0, respectively, and extraordinary dividends of $0, $0, and $270 million, respectively. On February 7, 2014, the Board of Directors declared a $0.6150 quarterly dividend payable on March 31, 2014 to shareholders of record on March 17, 2014.

X
- Definition This includes a summary of shareholder dividends paid in total and per share. Further, this includes disclosures relating to statutory restrictions on the payment of dividends as prescribed by state regulatory authorities. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mcy_DividendsAndStatutoryRestrictionsTableTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | mcy_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DividendsAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration