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Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs and Deferred Sales Inducements Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs (Tables) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2012
Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs and Deferred Sales Inducements [Abstract] |
Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs [Table Text Block] | Policy acquisition costs deferred and amortized are as follows:
| December 31,
| 2012 |  | 2011 |  | 2010
| (Dollars in thousands)
Balance at beginning of year | $ | 1,683,857 |  |  | $ | 1,747,760 |  |  | $ | 1,625,785 |
Costs deferred during the year: |  |  |  |  |
Commissions | 399,001 |  |  | 463,889 |  |  | 390,631 |
Policy issue costs | 4,410 |  |  | 14,945 |  |  | 11,976 |
Amortization | (164,919 | ) |  | (143,478 | ) |  | (136,388 | )
Effect of net unrealized gains/losses | (212,550 | ) |  | (399,259 | ) |  | (144,244 | )
Balance at end of year | $ | 1,709,799 |  |  | $ | 1,683,857 |  |  | $ | 1,747,760 |

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- Definition Tabular disclosure of costs relating to the production of new business that are capitalized and amortized in proportion to expected gross profits from interest margins and surrender charges. + References No definition available. + Details
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