Investments Changes in Net Unrealized Gains/Losses on Investments (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Alt A Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Debt Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	$ 21,957,027
Fixed Maturity Securities, Unrealized Loss Position, Classified as Investment Grade	75.00%	83.00%
Available-for-sale Securities, Change in Net Unrealized Holding Gain (Loss) before Taxes	735,696	1,274,692	411,938
Available-for-sale Securities, Change in Net Unrealized Holding Gain (Loss), Net of Tax	229,578	375,409	112,276
Adjustment for Effect on Other Balance Sheet Accounts [Abstract]
Adjustments for Assumed Changes in Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs and Deferred Sales Inducements	(382,498)	(697,140)	(239,206)
Increase (Decrease) in Deferred Income Taxes	(123,620)	(202,143)	(60,456)
Changes Net Unrealized Gains/Losses for Adjustments in Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs, Deferred Sales Inducements, Deferred Tax Valuation Allowances, and Deferred Income Taxes	(506,118)	(899,283)	(299,662)
Fixed Maturities [Member]
Alt A Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Abstract]
Change in Net Unrealized Gain/Loss, Fixed Maturity Securities, Held for Investment	14,783	40,668	(7,233)
Available-for-sale Securities, Change in Net Unrealized Holding Gain (Loss) before Taxes	731,279	1,275,061	417,318
Equity Securities [Member]
Alt A Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Change in Net Unrealized Holding Gain (Loss) before Taxes	4,417	(369)	(5,380)
Maximum [Member] \| Equity Securities [Member]
Alt A Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Abstract]
Available-for-sale Securities, Impairment, Recovary of Book Value, Reasonable Period	18
Residential Mortgage Backed Securities, Alt-A Sector [Member] \| Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Alt A Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Abstract]
Available-for-sale, Securities in Unrealized Loss Positions, Qualitative Disclosure, Number of Positions	36
Available-for-sale Debt Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	374,000
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value Disclosure	$ 376,100

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Adjustments for Assumed Changes in Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs and Deferred Sales Inducements Due to Net Unrealized Gains and Losses on Available for Sale Fixed Maturity and Equity Securities.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Represents the reasonable period of time from the date of impairment for a security to recover to book value.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Change in Net Unrealized Gain or Loss, Fixed Maturity Securities, Held for Investment

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No definition available.

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- Definition

Represents the aggregate of the adjustments for the effect on other balance sheet accounts related to the pretax change in net unrealized holding gain (loss) on available-for-sale securities that has been included in accumulated other comprehensive income, a separate component of shareholders' equity, during the period.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

This item represents the percentage of unrealized losses on fixed maturity securities that is on securities classified as investment grade.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

This item represents the cost of debt securities, which are categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading, net of adjustments including accretion, amortization, collection of cash, previous other-than-temporary impairments recognized in earnings (less any cumulative-effect adjustments recognized, as defined), and fair value hedge accounting adjustments, if any.

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No definition available.

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This item represents the pretax change in net unrealized holding gain (loss) on available-for-sale securities that has been included in accumulated other comprehensive income, a separate component of shareholders' equity, during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 115

-Paragraph 21

-Subparagraph d

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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- Definition

The change in unrealized holding gain (loss), net of tax, on available-for-sale securities included in a separate component of shareholders' equity during the period.

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- Definition

This element represents the portion of the balance sheet assertion valued at fair value by the entity whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission. This item represents Available-for-sale Securities which consist of all investments in certain debt and equity securities neither classified as trading or held-to-maturity securities. A debt security represents a creditor relationship with an enterprise. Debt securities include, among other items, US Treasury securities, US government securities, municipal securities, corporate bonds, convertible debt, commercial paper, and all securitized debt instruments. An equity security represents an ownership interest in an enterprise or the right to acquire or dispose of an ownership interest in an enterprise at fixed or determinable prices. Equity securities include, among other things, common stock, certain preferred stock, warrant rights, call options, and put options, but do not include convertible debt. An entity may opt to provide the reader with additional narrative text to better understand the nature of investments in debt and equity securities which are categorized as Available-for-sale.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Available-for-Sale Securities

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- Definition

This item represents the tax effects occurring during the period which are related to the net unrealized gain (loss) resulting from changes in the fair [carrying] value during the period of available-for-sale securities. Such tax affects would have been charged or credited directly to other comprehensive income or to related components of shareholders' equity.

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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- Definition

Disclosure regarding factors used to determine that the impairment of securities not categorized as either held-to-maturity securities or trading securities (hence equal to available for sale securities) where cost exceeds fair value is not an other than temporary impairment (OTTI). This item contains disclosure of the number of investment positions in the available-for-sale investments determined to be temporarily impaired.

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