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Fair Values of Financial Instruments (Fair Values and Carrying Amounts of Financial Instruments) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | Sep. 30, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014
--- | --- | ---
Assets |  |
Held for investment | $ 62,000 | $ 75,838
Other investments | 284,994 | 286,726
Coinsurance deposits | 3,062,924 | 3,044,342
Liabilities |  |
Policy benefit reserves | 43,582,521 | 39,802,861
Carrying Amount [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Mortgage loans on real estate | 2,452,402 | 2,434,580
Derivative instruments | 180,649 | 731,113
Other investments | 275,300 | 266,488
Cash and cash equivalents | 523,614 | 701,514
Coinsurance deposits | 3,062,924 | 3,044,342
2015 notes hedges | 0 | 30,291
Counterparty collateral | 30,880 | 206,096
Liabilities |  |
Policy benefit reserves | 43,240,623 | 39,463,987
Single premium immediate annuity (SPIA) benefit reserves | 334,921 | 365,440
Notes payable | 400,000 | 421,679
Subordinated debentures | 246,397 | 246,243
2015 notes embedded conversion derivative | 0 | 30,291
Carrying Amount [Member] | Interest Rate Caps [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Interest rate derivative assets | 1,492 | 2,778
Carrying Amount [Member] | Interest Rate Swap [Member] |  |
Liabilities |  |
Interest rate derivative liabilities | 4,528 | 2,644
Carrying Amount [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 35,389,842 | 32,445,202
Held for investment | 76,574 | 76,432
Carrying Amount [Member] | Equity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 7,833 | 7,805
Fair Value [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Mortgage loans on real estate | 2,492,283 | 2,493,901
Derivative instruments | 180,649 | 731,113
Other investments | 282,277 | 273,004
Cash and cash equivalents | 523,614 | 701,514
Coinsurance deposits | 2,750,361 | 2,698,552
2015 notes hedges | 0 | 30,291
Counterparty collateral | 30,880 | 206,096
Liabilities |  |
Policy benefit reserves | 36,871,234 | 33,078,978
Single premium immediate annuity (SPIA) benefit reserves | 346,930 | 377,654
Notes payable | 421,500 | 503,349
Subordinated debentures | 204,817 | 244,437
2015 notes embedded conversion derivative | 0 | 30,291
Fair Value [Member] | Interest Rate Caps [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Interest rate derivative assets | 1,492 | 2,778
Fair Value [Member] | Interest Rate Swap [Member] |  |
Liabilities |  |
Interest rate derivative liabilities | 4,528 | 2,644
Fair Value [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 35,389,842 | 32,445,202
Held for investment | 62,000 | 75,838
Fair Value [Member] | Equity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | $ 7,833 | $ 7,805

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