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Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs, Deferred Sales Inducements and Lifetime Income Benefit Rider Reserves (Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015
Movement Analysis of Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs [Roll Forward] |  |  |
Balance at beginning of year | $ 2,905,377 | $ 2,905,136 | $ 2,058,556
Costs deferred during the year: commissions | 401,124 | 538,863 | 651,094
Costs deferred during the year: policy issue costs | 5,517 | 4,462 | 6,545
Amortization | (255,964) | (374,012) | (286,114)
Effect of net unrealized gains/losses | (341,531) | (169,072) | 475,055
Balance at end of year | $ 2,714,523 | $ 2,905,377 | $ 2,905,136

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- Definition Amount of amortization expense (reversal of expense) for deferred policy acquisition costs. + 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(7)(a)) -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 944 -SubTopic 30 -Section 35 -Paragraph 11 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=95462302&loc=d3e10157-158409 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 235 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.12-16(Column I)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34713774&loc=d3e574960-122915 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 235 -Section S99 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (SX 210.12-18(Column I)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34713774&loc=d3e575016-122915 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6480726&loc=d3e6691-158385 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35755530&loc=d3e11264-158415 + Details
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