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Mortgage Loans on Real Estate (Allowance for Loan Losses Rollforward) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 3 Months Ended
--- | ---
Mar. 31, 2020 | Mar. 31, 2019
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss [Roll Forward] |  |  |
Beginning allowance balance (1) |  | $ (9,179) |
Ending allowance balance |  | (19,776) |
Commercial Real Estate Portfolio Segment |  |  |
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss [Roll Forward] |  |  |
Beginning allowance balance (1) |  | (9,179) |
Ending allowance balance |  | (19,776) |
Specific Allowance | Commercial Real Estate Portfolio Segment |  |  |
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss [Roll Forward] |  |  |
Beginning allowance balance (1) | [1] | (229) | $ (229)
Charge-offs |  | 0 | 0
Recoveries |  | 0 | 0
Change in provision for credit losses |  | (2,197) | 0
Ending allowance balance |  | (2,426) | (229)
General Allowance | Commercial Real Estate Portfolio Segment |  |  |
Financing Receivable, Allowance for Credit Loss [Roll Forward] |  |  |
Beginning allowance balance (1) | [1] | (17,550) | (8,010)
Charge-offs |  | 0 | 0
Recoveries |  | 0 | 0
Change in provision for credit losses |  | 200 | 60
Ending allowance balance |  | $ (17,350) | $ (7,950)
[1] | (1) Upon adoption of authoritative guidance effective January 1, 2020, we updated our accounting policies and methodology for calculating the general loan loss allowance, resulting in an adjustment to our commercial mortgage loan valuation allowance. See Note 1 for further details.

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- Definition Amount of allowance for credit loss on financing receivable. Excludes allowance for financing receivable covered under loss sharing agreement. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 11B -Subparagraph (c)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118936363&loc=SL6953423-111524 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118955202&loc=SL82895884-210446 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=119407570&loc=SL82919249-210447 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(7)(d)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -Subparagraph (f) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=119407570&loc=SL82919249-210447 + Details
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- Definition Amount of recovery of financing receivables doubtful of collection that were previously charged off. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 55 -Paragraph 79 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118955255&loc=SL82922352-210448 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(7)(d)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -Subparagraph (e) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=119407570&loc=SL82919249-210447 Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 11B -Subparagraph (c)(4) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118936363&loc=SL6953423-111524 + Details
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