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Schedule II - Condensed Financial Information of Registrant (Condensed Statements of Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands |  | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | ---
Aug. 01, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Sep. 30, 2018 | Jun. 30, 2018 | Mar. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Sep. 30, 2017 | Jun. 30, 2017 | Mar. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016
Operating activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net income |  | $ 53,823 | $ 169,328 | $ 93,903 | $ 140,962 | $ 36,803 | $ 56,957 | $ 26,946 | $ 53,939 | $ 458,016 | $ 174,645 | $ 83,243
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accrual of discount on equity security |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 19,204 | 15,431 | 1,070
Change in fair value of derivatives |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 777,575 | (1,678,956) | (165,727)
Loss on extinguishment of debt |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | $ 18,389 | $ 428 | 0 | 0 | 18,817 | 0
Share-based compensation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 11,097 | 6,464 | 6,692
Deferred income taxes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (12,563) | (46,730) | (10,408)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (844) | 448 | 1,812
Other liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (17,318) | (84,416) | (55,940)
Net cash provided by operating activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 43,185 | 1,923,847 | 1,416,386
Investing activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Purchases of property, plant and equipment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (4,283) | (4,809) | (1,197)
Net cash used in investing activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (2,408,331) | (2,593,390) | (4,501,109)
Financing activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Financing fees incurred and deferred |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | (5,817) | (1,456)
Repayment of notes payable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | (413,252) | 0
Repayment of loan payable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | (100,000) | 0
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 499,650 | 0
Proceeds from issuance of loan payable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 100,000
Proceeds from issuance of common stock | $ 134,700 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 9,681 | 14,028 | 139,654
Dividends paid |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (25,265) | (23,148) | (21,110)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,275,497 | 1,312,322 | 3,478,240
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (1,089,649) | 642,779 | 393,517
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year |  |  |  |  | 1,434,045 |  |  |  | 791,266 | 1,434,045 | 791,266 | 397,749
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year |  | 344,396 |  |  |  | 1,434,045 |  |  |  | 344,396 | 1,434,045 | 791,266
Cash paid during the year for interest: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest paid |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 39,575 | 55,445 | 39,647
Non-cash financing activity: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Common stock issued to settle warrants that have expired |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 93
Parent Company |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Operating activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net income |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 458,016 | 174,645 | 83,243
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Provision for depreciation and amortization |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 916 | 1,610 | 1,946
Accrual of discount on equity security |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (8) | (7) | (7)
Equity in undistributed income of subsidiaries |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (411,094) | (165,572) | (65,635)
Change in fair value of derivatives |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (1,325) | (657) | (698)
Loss on extinguishment of debt |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 18,817 | 0
Accrual of discount on debenture issued to subsidiary trust |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 254 | 236 | 221
Share-based compensation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,626 | 951 | 818
Deferred income taxes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 40 | 1,583 | 2,117
Changes in operating assets and liabilities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Receivable from subsidiaries |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (1,004) | 16 | (125)
Federal income tax recoverable/payable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 9,951 | (4,673) | 11,361
Other assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (229) | 158 | (326)
Other liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4,860 | (12,427) | 2,546
Net cash provided by operating activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 62,003 | 14,680 | 35,461
Investing activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Capital contributions to subsidiaries |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | (255,000)
Purchases of property, plant and equipment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (29) | (45) | (54)
Net cash used in investing activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (29) | (45) | (255,054)
Financing activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Financing fees incurred and deferred |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | (5,817) | (1,456)
Repayment of notes payable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | (413,252) | 0
Repayment of loan payable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | (100,000) | 0
Proceeds from issuance of notes payable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 499,650 | 0
Proceeds from issuance of loan payable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 100,000
Proceeds from issuance of common stock |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 9,681 | 14,028 | 139,654
Dividends paid |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (25,265) | (23,152) | (21,114)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (15,584) | (28,543) | 217,084
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 46,390 | (13,908) | (2,509)
Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year |  |  |  |  | $ 22,486 |  |  |  | $ 36,394 | 22,486 | 36,394 | 38,903
Cash and cash equivalents at end of year |  | $ 68,876 |  |  |  | $ 22,486 |  |  |  | 68,876 | 22,486 | 36,394
Non-cash financing activity: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Common stock issued to settle warrants that have expired |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | 93
Parent Company | Notes and Loans Payable |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash paid during the year for interest: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest paid |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 25,000 | 40,537 | 27,164
Parent Company | Subordinated Debentures |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash paid during the year for interest: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Interest paid |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 13,593 | $ 14,573 | $ 12,454

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