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Fair Values of Financial Instruments (Assets and Liabilities Measured on a Recurring Basis by Fair Value Hierarchy) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016
--- | --- | ---
Interest Rate Caps [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Derivative assets | $ 415 | $ 1,082
Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 45,372,989 | 41,060,494
Other Investments: Equity Securities, Available For Sale [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 292,429 | 8,000
United States Government Full Faith and Credit [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 11,876 | 11,805
United States Government Sponsored Agencies [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 1,305,017 | 1,344,787
United States Municipalities, States and Territories [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 4,166,812 | 3,926,950
Foreign Government Obligations [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 239,360 | 236,341
Corporate Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 29,878,971 | 27,114,418
Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 1,105,567 | 1,254,835
Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 5,544,850 | 5,365,235
Other Asset Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 3,120,536 | 1,806,123
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Derivative assets | 1,568,380 | 830,519
Cash and cash equivalents | 1,434,045 | 791,266
Counterparty collateral | 186,108 | 145,693
Assets | 48,854,366 | 42,837,054
Liabilities |  |
Fixed index annuities - embedded derivatives | 8,790,427 | 6,563,288
Liabilities | 8,791,216 | 6,565,401
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Interest Rate Caps [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Interest rate derivative assets | 415 | 1,082
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Interest Rate Swap [Member] |  |
Liabilities |  |
Interest rate derivative liabilities | 789 | 2,113
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Other Investments: Equity Securities, Available For Sale [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 292,429 | 8,000
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | United States Government Full Faith and Credit [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 11,876 | 11,805
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | United States Government Sponsored Agencies [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 1,305,017 | 1,344,787
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | United States Municipalities, States and Territories [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 4,166,812 | 3,926,950
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Foreign Government Obligations [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 239,360 | 236,341
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Corporate Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 29,878,971 | 27,114,418
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 1,105,567 | 1,254,835
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 5,544,850 | 5,365,235
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Other Asset Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 3,120,536 | 1,806,123
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Derivative assets | 0 | 0
Cash and cash equivalents | 1,434,045 | 791,266
Counterparty collateral | 0 | 0
Assets | 1,724,690 | 796,653
Liabilities |  |
Fixed index annuities - embedded derivatives | 0 | 0
Liabilities | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member] | Interest Rate Caps [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Interest rate derivative assets | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member] | Interest Rate Swap [Member] |  |
Liabilities |  |
Interest rate derivative liabilities | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member] | Other Investments: Equity Securities, Available For Sale [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 285,000 | 0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | 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 | 5,640 | 5,381
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | 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
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | 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
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member] | Foreign Government Obligations [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member] | Corporate Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 5 | 6
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member] | Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member] | Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Quoted Prices in Active Markets (Level 1) [Member] | Other Asset Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Derivative assets | 1,568,380 | 830,519
Cash and cash equivalents | 0 | 0
Counterparty collateral | 186,108 | 145,693
Assets | 47,129,676 | 42,040,401
Liabilities |  |
Fixed index annuities - embedded derivatives | 0 | 0
Liabilities | 789 | 2,113
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Interest Rate Caps [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Interest rate derivative assets | 415 | 1,082
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Interest Rate Swap [Member] |  |
Liabilities |  |
Interest rate derivative liabilities | 789 | 2,113
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Other Investments: Equity Securities, Available For Sale [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 7,429 | 8,000
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | United States Government Full Faith and Credit [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 6,236 | 6,424
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | United States Government Sponsored Agencies [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 1,305,017 | 1,344,787
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | United States Municipalities, States and Territories [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 4,166,812 | 3,926,950
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Foreign Government Obligations [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 239,360 | 236,341
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Corporate Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 29,878,966 | 27,114,412
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 1,105,567 | 1,254,835
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 5,544,850 | 5,365,235
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) [Member] | Other Asset Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 3,120,536 | 1,806,123
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Derivative assets | 0 | 0
Cash and cash equivalents | 0 | 0
Counterparty collateral | 0 | 0
Assets | 0 | 0
Liabilities |  |
Fixed index annuities - embedded derivatives | 8,790,427 | 6,563,288
Liabilities | 8,790,427 | 6,563,288
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Interest Rate Caps [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Interest rate derivative assets | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Interest Rate Swap [Member] |  |
Liabilities |  |
Interest rate derivative liabilities | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Other Investments: Equity Securities, Available For Sale [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | 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
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | United States Government Sponsored Agencies [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | United States Municipalities, States and Territories [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Foreign Government Obligations [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Corporate Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | 0 | 0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Other Asset Backed Securities [Member] | Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |
Assets |  |
Available for sale securities | $ 0 | $ 0

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