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Long-Term Debt - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended |  |  | 12 Months Ended |  | 12 Months Ended |  | 12 Months Ended |  | 12 Months Ended |  |
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Dec. 31, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2011 | Jun. 30, 2012 | Jun. 04, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2012 Third call option [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Minimum [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Minimum [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Maximum [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Maximum [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Surplus Notes [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Surplus Notes [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 5.1% junior surplus notes, segregated account, due 2020 [Member] | May 31, 2011 5.1% junior surplus notes, segregated account, due 2020 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 5.1% surplus notes, segregated account, due 2020 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 5.1% surplus notes, segregated account, due 2020 [Member] | Jun. 30, 2012 5.1% surplus notes, general account, due 2020 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Aggregate outstanding Segregated Account Surplus Notes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 1,210,821 | $ 2,000,000 | $ 36,082 | $ 36,082 | $ 53,000 | $ 53,000 |
Long-term debt interest rate |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 53.90% |  | 58.30% |  | 52.80% |  |
Maturity period |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Jun. 07, 2020 |  | Jun. 07, 2020 |  | Jun. 07, 2020 |  |
Aggregate par amount of surplus notes subject to repurchase | 939,179 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Total par value of repurchased surplus notes |  |  | 789,179 | 789,179 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Aggregate payment to repurchase surplus notes |  |  |  | 188,446 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 188,446
Additional borrowings of debt |  |  |  |  | 150,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Losses (gains)on extinguishment of debt | (177,580) | 3,119 |  |  | 177,745 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Unpaid principal amount of outstanding long-term debt | 15,684,925 | 15,337,407 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Maturity period |  |  |  |  |  | 2013-02 | 2012-02 | 2047-12 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage Rate Range | 8.97% |  |  |  |  | 0.39% | 1.00% | 12.63% | 12.63% |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Notes outstanding par value | 14,588 | 35,600 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest on secured borrowings | 6.65% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Securities in invested assets outstanding par amount | 266,848 | 329,129 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Securities in invested assets fair value | 201,329 | 172,880 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
VIE long-term debt, 2013 | 660,050 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
VIE long-term debt, 2014 | 189,597 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
VIE long-term debt, 2015 | 576,268 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
VIE long-term debt, 2016 | 0 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
VIE long-term debt, 2017 | $ 0 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

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- Definition The par amount of invested assets which are owned but transferred to serve as collateral for the payment of the related debt obligation, primarily a secured borrowing or repurchase agreement, and for which the transferee is not permitted to sell or re-pledge them to an unrelated party. + References No definition available. + Details
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