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Fair Values of Financial Instruments (Assets and Liabilities Measured on a Recurring Basis by Fair Value Hierarchy) (Details) (Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Total Fair Value [Member]
Assets
Derivative assets	$ 625,236	$ 415,258
Cash and cash equivalents	934,931	1,268,545
2015 notes hedges	144,904	43,105
Counterparty collateral	240,713
Assets	28,223,726	25,955,713
Liabilities
2015 notes embedded derivatives	147,150	43,105
2015 warrants	51,077
Fixed index annuities - embedded derivatives	3,975,862	3,337,556
Liabilities	4,174,311	3,384,922
Total Fair Value [Member] | Equity Securities, Available For Sale [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	9,708	53,422
Total Fair Value [Member] | United States Government Full Faith and Credit [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	4,907	5,154
Total Fair Value [Member] | United States Government Sponsored Agencies [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	1,239,603	1,772,025
Total Fair Value [Member] | United States Municipalities, States and Territories [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	3,461,131	3,578,323
Total Fair Value [Member] | Foreign Government Obligations [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	92,682	105,259
Total Fair Value [Member] | Corporate Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	16,741,581	14,466,772
Total Fair Value [Member] | Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	2,118,827	2,888,113
Total Fair Value [Member] | Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	1,590,310	357,982
Total Fair Value [Member] | Other Asset Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	1,013,837	998,508
Total Fair Value [Member] | Interest Rate Caps [Member]
Assets
Derivative assets	5,356	3,247
Total Fair Value [Member] | Interest Rate Swap [Member]
Liabilities
Derivative liabilities	222	4,261
Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member]
Assets
Derivative assets	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents	934,931	1,268,545
2015 notes hedges	0	0
Counterparty collateral	0
Assets	950,902	1,344,136
Liabilities
2015 notes embedded derivatives	0	0
2015 warrants	0
Fixed index annuities - embedded derivatives	0	0
Liabilities	0	0
Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member] | Equity Securities, Available For Sale [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	1,908	36,928
Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member] | United States Government Full Faith and Credit [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	4,907	5,154
Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member] | United States Government Sponsored Agencies [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	0	0
Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member] | United States Municipalities, States and Territories [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	0	0
Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member] | Foreign Government Obligations [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	0	0
Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member] | Corporate Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	8,794	33,131
Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member] | Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	0	0
Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member] | Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	0	0
Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member] | Other Asset Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	362	378
Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member] | Interest Rate Caps [Member]
Assets
Derivative assets	0	0
Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member] | Interest Rate Swap [Member]
Liabilities
Derivative liabilities	0	0
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member]
Assets
Derivative assets	625,236	415,258
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
2015 notes hedges	144,904	43,105
Counterparty collateral	240,713
Assets	27,271,510	24,609,765
Liabilities
2015 notes embedded derivatives	147,150	43,105
2015 warrants	51,077
Fixed index annuities - embedded derivatives	0	0
Liabilities	198,449	47,366
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Equity Securities, Available For Sale [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	7,800	16,494
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | United States Government Full Faith and Credit [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	0	0
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | United States Government Sponsored Agencies [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	1,239,603	1,772,025
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | United States Municipalities, States and Territories [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	3,461,131	3,578,323
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Foreign Government Obligations [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	92,682	105,259
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Corporate Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	16,732,787	14,433,641
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	2,117,513	2,886,301
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	1,590,310	357,982
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Other Asset Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	1,013,475	998,130
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Interest Rate Caps [Member]
Assets
Derivative assets	5,356	3,247
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Interest Rate Swap [Member]
Liabilities
Derivative liabilities	222	4,261
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
Assets
Derivative assets	0	0
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0
2015 notes hedges	0	0
Counterparty collateral	0
Assets	1,314	1,812
Liabilities
2015 notes embedded derivatives	0	0
2015 warrants	0
Fixed index annuities - embedded derivatives	3,975,862	3,337,556
Liabilities	3,975,862	3,337,556
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Equity Securities, Available For Sale [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	0	0
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | United States Government Full Faith and Credit [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	0	0
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | United States Government Sponsored Agencies [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	0	0
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | United States Municipalities, States and Territories [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	0	0
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Foreign Government Obligations [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	0	0
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Corporate Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	0	0
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	1,314	1,812
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	0	0
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Other Asset Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Assets
Available for sale securities	0	0
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Interest Rate Caps [Member]
Assets
Derivative assets	0	0
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Interest Rate Swap [Member]
Liabilities
Derivative liabilities	$ 0	$ 0

X

- Definition

Fair Value Liabilities Measured on Recurring Basis, 2015 Notes Embedded Derivative

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Hedge transacation whereby we have the option to receive the cash equivalent of the conversion spread on16.0 million shares of our common stock based upon a strike price of $12.50 per share, subject to certain conversion rate adjustments in the 2015 Notes.

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Fair value of fixed index embedded derivative liabilities.

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- Definition

This element represents the fair value of warrants as of the balance sheet date.

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- Definition

This element represents the aggregate of the assets reported on the balance sheet at period end measured at fair value by the entity. This element is intended to be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)

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- Definition

This element represents the portion of the balance sheet assertion valued at fair value by the entity whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission. This item represents Available-for-sale Securities which consist of all investments in certain debt and equity securities neither classified as trading or held-to-maturity securities. A debt security represents a creditor relationship with an enterprise. Debt securities include, among other items, US Treasury securities, US government securities, municipal securities, corporate bonds, convertible debt, commercial paper, and all securitized debt instruments. An equity security represents an ownership interest in an enterprise or the right to acquire or dispose of an ownership interest in an enterprise at fixed or determinable prices. Equity securities include, among other things, common stock, certain preferred stock, warrant rights, call options, and put options, but do not include convertible debt. An entity may opt to provide the reader with additional narrative text to better understand the nature of investments in debt and equity securities which are categorized as Available-for-sale.

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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- Definition

This element represents the portion of the balance sheet assertion valued at fair value by the entity whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission. This item includes currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions. It also includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits in that the Company may deposit additional funds at any time and also effectively may withdraw funds at any time without prior notice or penalty. Cash equivalents, excluding items classified as marketable securities, include short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash, and so near their maturity that they present minimal risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Generally, only investments with original maturities of three months or less qualify under that definition. Original maturity means original maturity to the entity holding the investment. For example, both a three-month US Treasury bill and a three-year Treasury note purchased three months from maturity qualify as cash equivalents. However, a Treasury note purchased three years ago does not become a cash equivalent when its remaining maturity is three months.

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-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.



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Fair value of derivative liability, presented on a gross basis even when the derivative instrument is subject to master netting arrangements and qualifies for net presentation in the statement of financial position.

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- Definition

This element represents the aggregate of the liabilities reported on the balance sheet at period end measured at fair value by the entity. This element is intended to be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements.

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- Definition

This element represents the portion of the balance sheet assertion valued at fair value by the entity whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission. This element represents the fair value of assets categorized as other which are not in and of themselves material enough to require separate disclosure.

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