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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 |
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Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012 | Jun. 30, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2013 Minimum [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Minimum [Member] | Dec. 31, 2013 Maximum [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Maximum [Member] | Dec. 31, 2013 Call Options on Long-Term Debt [Member] | Dec. 31, 2013 5.1% Junior Surplus Notes, Segregated Account, Due 2020 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 5.1% Junior Surplus Notes, Segregated Account, Due 2020 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2013 5.1% Junior Surplus Notes, Segregated Account, Due 2020 [Member] One State Street, LLC [Member] | Jun. 30, 2012 5.1% Surplus Notes, General Account, Due 2020 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2013 Surplus Notes [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Surplus Notes [Member] | Dec. 31, 2013 5.1% Surplus Notes, Segregated Account, Due 2020 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 5.1% Surplus Notes, Segregated Account, Due 2020 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Aggregate outstanding Segregated Account Surplus Notes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 36,082 | $ 28,039 | $ 8,043 |  | $ 1,210,821 | $ 1,210,821 | $ 53,000 | $ 53,000
Long-term debt interest rate |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 58.30% |  |  |  | 53.90% |  | 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 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Aggregate payment to repurchase surplus notes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 188,446 |  |  |  |
Additional borrowings of debt |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 150,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Losses (gains) on extinguishment of debt |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 177,745 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Adjusted interest rate |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 19.50% |  |  |  |  |  | 10.50% |
Unpaid principal amount of outstanding long-term debt | 14,251,771 | 15,684,925 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Maturity period |  |  |  | 2015-02 | 2013-02 | 2047-12 | 2047-12 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Effective Percentage Rate Range | 8.97% |  |  | 0.50% | 0.39% | 13.00% | 12.63% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Notes outstanding par value | 0 | 14,588 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest on secured borrowings | 6.65% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Securities in Invested assets outstanding par amount | 233,484 | 266,848 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Securities in Invested assets fair value | 240,150 | 201,329 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
VIE long-term debt, 2014 | 0 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
VIE long-term debt, 2015 | 598,455 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
VIE long-term debt, 2016 | 0 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
VIE long-term debt, 2017 | 0 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
VIE long-term debt, 2018 | $ 173,206 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

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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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- Definition Amount of long-term debt before deduction of unamortized discount or premium. Includes, but is not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, commercial loans, mortgage loans, convertible debt, subordinated debt and other types of debt, with initial maturities beyond one year or the normal operating cycle, if longer. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 20 -Article 5 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 22 -Article 5 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 16 -Article 9 + Details
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- Definition The effective interest rate at the end of the reporting period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 835 -SubTopic 30 -Section 45 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 22 -Article 5 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
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- Definition Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 835 -SubTopic 30 -Section 45 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 22 -Article 5 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
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- Definition Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, in CCYY-MM-DD format. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 22 -Article 5 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(2)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
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- Definition The carrying amount, as of the date of the latest financial statement presented, of other 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 Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 860 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1A -Subparagraph (b)(1)(i) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7523297&loc=SL6224234-111729 + Details
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