Schedule II - Condensed Financial Information of Registrant (Condensed Balance Sheets) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 701,514	$ 897,529	$ 1,268,545	$ 404,952
Deferred income taxes	0us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNet	301,856us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNet
Other assets, including 2015 notes hedges	280,396us-gaap_OtherAssets	471,669us-gaap_OtherAssets
Total assets	43,989,734us-gaap_Assets	39,621,499us-gaap_Assets
Liabilities:
Notes payable	421,679us-gaap_NotesPayable	549,958us-gaap_NotesPayable
Other liabilities, including 2015 notes embedded derivative	1,009,361us-gaap_OtherLiabilities	1,222,963us-gaap_OtherLiabilities
Total liabilities	41,849,858us-gaap_Liabilities	38,236,812us-gaap_Liabilities
Stockholders' equity:
Common stock	76,062us-gaap_CommonStockValue	70,535us-gaap_CommonStockValue
Additional paid-in capital	513,218us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapital	550,400us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapital
Unallocated common stock held by ESOP	0	(631)
Accumulated other comprehensive income	721,401	46,196
Retained earnings	829,195	718,187
Total stockholders' equity	2,139,876us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	1,384,687us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	1,720,237us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	1,408,679us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	43,989,734	39,621,499
Parent Company [Member]
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	61,139	252,541	11,220	12,609
Equity securities of subsidiary trusts	7,409	7,403
Receivable from subsidiaries	221	1,158
Deferred income taxes	20,612	15,734
Federal income tax recoverable, including amount from subsidiaries	10,430	11,551
Other assets, including 2015 notes hedges	47,308	131,424
Total assets, excluding investment in and advances to subsidiaries	147,119	419,811
Investment in and advances to subsidiaries	2,708,085	1,889,648
Total assets	2,855,204	2,309,459
Liabilities:
Notes payable	421,679	549,958
Subordinated debentures payable to subsidiary trusts	246,243	246,050
Other liabilities, including 2015 notes embedded derivative	47,406	128,764
Total liabilities	715,328	924,772
Stockholders' equity:
Common stock	76,062	70,535
Additional paid-in capital	513,218	550,400
Unallocated common stock held by ESOP	0	(631)
Accumulated other comprehensive income	721,401	46,196
Retained earnings	829,195	718,187
Total stockholders' equity	2,139,876	1,384,687
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	$ 2,855,204	$ 2,309,459

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Subordinated Debentures, Payable to Subsidiaries

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Accumulated change in equity from transactions and other events and circumstances from non-owner sources, net of tax effect, at period end. Excludes Net Income (Loss), and accumulated changes in equity from transactions resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners. Includes foreign currency translation items, certain pension adjustments, unrealized gains and losses on certain investments in debt and equity securities, other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses related to factors other than credit losses on available-for-sale and held-to-maturity debt securities that an entity does not intend to sell and it is not more likely than not that the entity will be required to sell before recovery of the amortized cost basis, as well as changes in the fair value of derivatives related to the effective portion of a designated cash flow hedge.

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Excess of issue price over par or stated value of the entity's capital stock and amounts received from other transactions involving the entity's stock or stockholders. Includes adjustments to additional paid in capital. Some examples of such adjustments include recording the issuance of debt with a beneficial conversion feature and certain tax consequences of equity instruments awarded to employees. Use this element for the aggregate amount of additional paid-in capital associated with common and preferred stock. For additional paid-in capital associated with only common stock, use the element additional paid in capital, common stock. For additional paid-in capital associated with only preferred stock, use the element additional paid in capital, preferred stock.

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Sum of the carrying amounts as of the balance sheet date of all assets that are recognized. Assets are probable future economic benefits obtained or controlled by an entity as a result of past transactions or events.

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Amount of currency on hand as well as demand deposits with banks or financial institutions. Includes other kinds of accounts that have the general characteristics of demand deposits. Also includes short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash and so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Excludes cash and cash equivalents within disposal group and discontinued operation.

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Aggregate par or stated value of issued nonredeemable common stock (or common stock redeemable solely at the option of the issuer). This item includes treasury stock repurchased by the entity. Note: elements for number of nonredeemable common shares, par value and other disclosure concepts are in another section within stockholders' equity.

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Amount after allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences and carryforwards.

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Represents the carrying amount of shares held by the ESOP as of the balance sheet date in which no ESOP participant has a vested interest and no lender has a claim.

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Total investments in (A) an entity in which the entity has significant influence, but does not have control, (B) subsidiaries that are not required to be consolidated and are accounted for using the equity and or cost method, and (C) an entity in which the reporting entity shares control of the entity with another party or group. Includes long-term advances receivable from a party that is affiliated with the reporting entity by means of direct or indirect ownership.

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Sum of the carrying amounts as of the balance sheet date of all liabilities that are recognized. Liabilities are probable future sacrifices of economic benefits arising from present obligations of an entity to transfer assets or provide services to other entities in the future.

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Amount of liabilities and equity items, including the portion of equity attributable to noncontrolling interests, if any.

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Including the current and noncurrent portions, aggregate carrying amount of all types of notes payable, as of the balance sheet date, with initial maturities beyond one year or beyond the normal operating cycle, if longer.

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Receivables to be collected from (obligations owed to) related parties, net as of the balance sheet date where one party can exercise control or significant influence over another party; including affiliates, owners or officers and their immediate families, pension trusts, and so forth.

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Total of all stockholders' equity (deficit) items, net of receivables from officers, directors, owners, and affiliates of the entity which are attributable to the parent. The amount of the economic entity's stockholders' equity attributable to the parent excludes the amount of stockholders' equity which is allocable to that ownership interest in subsidiary equity which is not attributable to the parent (noncontrolling interest, minority interest). This excludes temporary equity and is sometimes called permanent equity.

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