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Operating segment data (Details) (USD $)
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3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Sep. 30, 2013
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Sep. 30, 2012
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Sep. 30, 2013
segment
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Sep. 30, 2012
|
Dec. 31, 2012
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Sep. 30, 2013
Consolidation Eliminations
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Sep. 30, 2012
Consolidation Eliminations
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Sep. 30, 2013
Consolidation Eliminations
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Sep. 30, 2012
Consolidation Eliminations
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Sep. 30, 2013
Intersegment Elimination
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Sep. 30, 2012
Intersegment Elimination
|
Sep. 30, 2013
Intersegment Elimination
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Sep. 30, 2012
Intersegment Elimination
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Sep. 30, 2013
Insurance and insurance services
Operating Segments
|
Sep. 30, 2012
Insurance and insurance services
Operating Segments
|
Sep. 30, 2013
Insurance and insurance services
Operating Segments
|
Sep. 30, 2012
Insurance and insurance services
Operating Segments
|
Sep. 30, 2013
Insurance and insurance services
Intersegment Elimination
|
Sep. 30, 2012
Insurance and insurance services
Intersegment Elimination
|
Sep. 30, 2013
Insurance and insurance services
Intersegment Elimination
|
Sep. 30, 2012
Insurance and insurance services
Intersegment Elimination
|
Sep. 30, 2013
Specialty finance
Operating Segments
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Sep. 30, 2012
Specialty finance
Operating Segments
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Sep. 30, 2013
Specialty finance
Operating Segments
|
Sep. 30, 2012
Specialty finance
Operating Segments
|
Sep. 30, 2013
Specialty finance
Intersegment Elimination
|
Sep. 30, 2012
Specialty finance
Intersegment Elimination
|
Sep. 30, 2013
Specialty finance
Intersegment Elimination
|
Sep. 30, 2012
Specialty finance
Intersegment Elimination
|
Sep. 30, 2013
Asset management
Operating Segments
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Sep. 30, 2012
Asset management
Operating Segments
|
Sep. 30, 2013
Asset management
Operating Segments
|
Sep. 30, 2012
Asset management
Operating Segments
|
Sep. 30, 2013
Asset management
Intersegment Elimination
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Sep. 30, 2012
Asset management
Intersegment Elimination
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Sep. 30, 2013
Asset management
Intersegment Elimination
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Sep. 30, 2012
Asset management
Intersegment Elimination
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Sep. 30, 2013
Real estate
Operating Segments
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Sep. 30, 2012
Real estate
Operating Segments
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Sep. 30, 2013
Real estate
Operating Segments
|
Sep. 30, 2012
Real estate
Operating Segments
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Sep. 30, 2013
Real estate
Intersegment Elimination
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Sep. 30, 2012
Real estate
Intersegment Elimination
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Sep. 30, 2013
Real estate
Intersegment Elimination
|
Sep. 30, 2012
Real estate
Intersegment Elimination
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Sep. 30, 2013
PFG
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Jul. 13, 2012
PFG
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Sep. 30, 2013
PFG
Insurance and insurance services
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Sep. 30, 2013
Star Asia Finance, Limited
Care
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Aug. 31, 2011
Star Asia Opportunity, LLC
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Sep. 30, 2013
Star Asia Opportunity, LLC
Care
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Dec. 20, 2012
Star Asia Opportunity II, LLC
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Sep. 30, 2012
Star Asia Opportunity II, LLC
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Sep. 30, 2013
Star Asia Opportunity II, LLC
Care
|
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| Segment Reporting Information [Line Items] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number of reportable operating segments | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Separate account assets | $ 4,353,490,000 | $ 4,353,490,000 | $ 4,035,053,000 | $ 4,353,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Long-term servicing agreement, amount of COLI and BOLI administered by subsidiary | 35,000,000,000 | 35,000,000,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ownership percentage | 17.00% | 27.59% | 27.60% | 50.00% | 20.33% | 50.00% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Revenues | 41,129,000 | 45,092,000 | 105,235,000 | 96,692,000 | 15,586,000 | 17,920,000 | 9,470,000 | 30,052,000 | (9,052,000) | (15,555,000) | (18,711,000) | (25,182,000) | 17,393,000 | 16,354,000 | 51,471,000 | 29,116,000 | 2,148,000 | 407,000 | 5,455,000 | (223,000) | 5,896,000 | 6,626,000 | 17,249,000 | 23,683,000 | 3,075,000 | 11,592,000 | (1,223,000) | 12,783,000 | 85,000 | 184,000 | 296,000 | 1,025,000 | 3,901,000 | 3,274,000 | 12,776,000 | 12,289,000 | 2,169,000 | 4,008,000 | 26,749,000 | 12,816,000 | (72,000) | 282,000 | 1,703,000 | 333,000 | ||||||||||
| Interest revenue | 3,916,000 | 2,317,000 | 11,131,000 | 7,498,000 | (3,722,000) | (3,688,000) | (10,760,000) | (11,534,000) | 1,251,000 | 1,121,000 | 3,658,000 | 3,314,000 | 5,794,000 | 4,684,000 | 16,729,000 | 15,115,000 | 4,000 | 0 | 4,000 | 0 | 589,000 | 200,000 | 1,500,000 | 603,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Operating Expenses | 37,794,000 | 27,565,000 | 105,806,000 | 69,849,000 | 11,455,000 | 2,710,000 | 22,698,000 | 15,698,000 | 17,243,000 | 16,002,000 | 51,090,000 | 29,208,000 | 2,949,000 | 1,206,000 | 7,208,000 | 5,912,000 | 3,855,000 | 3,461,000 | 11,293,000 | 6,658,000 | 2,292,000 | 4,186,000 | 13,517,000 | 12,373,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Interest expense | 4,110,000 | 3,348,000 | 12,008,000 | 4,416,000 | 0 | (1,488,000) | (2,790,000) | (4,289,000) | 3,121,000 | 2,840,000 | 9,383,000 | 2,840,000 | 596,000 | 431,000 | 1,660,000 | 1,115,000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 393,000 | 1,565,000 | 3,755,000 | 4,750,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Net income available to common stockholders | 1,830,000 | 3,089,000 | 6,563,000 | 6,508,000 | (5,650,000) | (17,733,000) | (26,100,000) | (42,772,000) | 2,298,000 | 760,000 | 5,837,000 | (315,000) | 3,529,000 | 19,962,000 | 8,395,000 | 42,162,000 | 131,000 | (3,000) | 1,779,000 | 6,656,000 | 1,522,000 | 103,000 | 16,652,000 | 777,000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Segment assets | $ 6,604,233,000 | $ 5,533,802,000 | $ 6,604,233,000 | $ 5,533,802,000 | $ 5,533,802,000 | $ 1,000,679,000 | $ 332,513,000 | $ 1,000,679,000 | $ 332,513,000 | $ 4,680,970,000 | $ 4,354,945,000 | $ 4,680,970,000 | $ 4,354,945,000 | $ 809,363,000 | $ 650,389,000 | $ 809,363,000 | $ 650,389,000 | $ 7,400,000 | $ 4,262,000 | $ 7,400,000 | $ 4,262,000 | $ 105,821,000 | $ 191,693,000 | $ 105,821,000 | $ 191,693,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||