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Reinsurance and Policy Provisions (Amounts Ceded to Equitrust and Athene, Impact on Consolidated Statements of Operations and Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2016 | Sep. 30, 2016 | Jun. 30, 2016 | Mar. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015 | Sep. 30, 2015 | Jun. 30, 2015 | Mar. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014
Effects of Reinsurance [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Annuity product charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 173,579 | $ 136,168 | $ 118,990
Change in fair value of derivatives | $ 95,391 | $ 103,794 | $ 39,099 | $ (74,065) | $ 69,338 | $ (351,360) | $ (23,024) | $ (31,100) | 164,219 | (336,146) | 504,825
Interest sensitive and index product benefits |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 725,472 | 968,053 | 1,473,700
Change in fair value of embedded derivatives |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 543,465 | (464,698) | 32,321
Other operating costs and expenses |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 102,231 | 96,218 | 81,584
Coinsurance deposits |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (1,317,555) | (80,777) | 109,184
Coinsurance Agreements, EquiTrust and Athene [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Effects of Reinsurance [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Annuity product charges |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5,366 | 5,427 | 5,956
Change in fair value of derivatives |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 18,446 | (14,360) | 31,076
Coinsurance, revenues included in consolidated statement of operations |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 23,812 | (8,933) | 37,032
Interest sensitive and index product benefits |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 93,487 | 88,923 | 122,666
Change in fair value of embedded derivatives |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 23,848 | (22,616) | 35,820
Other operating costs and expenses |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 24,039 | 9,922 | 9,241
Coinsurance, benefits and expenses included in the consolidated statement of operations |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 141,374 | 76,229 | 167,727
Annuity deposits |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (1,736,054) | (471,822) | (171,124)
Cash payments to policyholders |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 418,499 | 391,045 | 280,308
Coinsurance deposits |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ (1,317,555) | $ (80,777) | $ 109,184

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- Definition Item represents annuity deposits received under coinsurance agreements during the reporting period. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Item represents benefits and expenses included in the Consolidated Statement of Operations as a result of coinsurance agreements with Equitrst Life Insurance Company and Athene Life Re Ltd. Company. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Item represents revenues included in the Consolidated Statement of Operations as a result of coinsurance agreements with Equitrst Life Insurance Company and Athene Life Re Ltd. Company. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition This element includes index credits on fixed index policies, interest allocated to policies that provide a guaranteed yield, and living income benefit rider credits to policies that the policyholder has elected to add to those policies. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The net cash inflow (outflow) associated with coinsurance deposits during the period. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Cash received from reinsurer for payments to policyholders for policy that were ceded to reinsurer. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Amount of increase (decrease) in the fair value of derivatives recognized in the income statement. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 815 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4A -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64837297&loc=SL5618551-113959 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 815 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4C -Subparagraph (a),(c),(d),(e) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64837297&loc=SL5624171-113959 + Details
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- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Net Increase or Decrease in the fair value of the embedded derivative or group of embedded derivatives included in earnings in the period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 815 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4C -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=64837297&loc=SL5624171-113959 + Details
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- Definition Income from agency and brokerage operations (includes sales of annuities and supplemental contracts); service charges, commissions, and fees from the sale of insurance and related services; and management fees from separate accounts, deferred annuities, and universal life products. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 225 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.4) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879464&loc=d3e573970-122913 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 225 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.13(c),(d)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882 + Details
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- Definition The total amount of other operating cost and expense items that are associated with the entity's normal revenue producing operation. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688 + Details
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- Details
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