Schedule IV - Reinsurance (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Reinsurance Premiums for Insurance Companies, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Gross amount, life insurance in force	$ 2,171,426us-gaap_LifeInsuranceInForceGross	$ 2,250,112us-gaap_LifeInsuranceInForceGross	$ 2,350,473us-gaap_LifeInsuranceInForceGross
Ceded to other companies, life insurance in force	11,548us-gaap_LifeInsuranceInForceCeded	13,521us-gaap_LifeInsuranceInForceCeded	4,742us-gaap_LifeInsuranceInForceCeded
Assumed from other companies, life insurance in force	56,509us-gaap_LifeInsuranceInForceAssumed	57,976us-gaap_LifeInsuranceInForceAssumed	61,488us-gaap_LifeInsuranceInForceAssumed
Net amount, life insurance in force	2,216,387us-gaap_LifeInsuranceInForceNet	2,294,567us-gaap_LifeInsuranceInForceNet	2,407,219us-gaap_LifeInsuranceInForceNet
Net amount, insurance premiums and other considerations	32,623us-gaap_PremiumsEarnedNet	45,347us-gaap_PremiumsEarnedNet	76,675us-gaap_PremiumsEarnedNet
Percent of amount assumed to net, life insurance in force	2.55%	2.53%	2.55%
Insurance Premiums and Other Considerations [Member]
Reinsurance Premiums for Insurance Companies, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Gross amount, insurance premiums and other considerations	157,254	155,199	172,125
Ceded to other companies, insurance premiums and other considerations	6,292	6,879	7,160
Assumed from other companies, insurance premiums and other considerations	651	618	716
Net amount, insurance premiums and other considerations	151,613	148,938	165,681
Percent of amount assumed to net, insurance premiums and other considerations	0.43%	0.41%	0.43%
Annuity Product Charges [Member]
Reinsurance Premiums for Insurance Companies, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Gross amount, insurance premiums and other considerations	124,946	110,142	95,802
Ceded to other companies, insurance premiums and other considerations	5,956	6,551	6,796
Assumed from other companies, insurance premiums and other considerations	0	0	0
Net amount, insurance premiums and other considerations	118,990	103,591	89,006
Percent of amount assumed to net, insurance premiums and other considerations	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
Traditional Life, Accident and Health Insurance, and Life Contingent Immediate Annuity Premiums [Member]
Reinsurance Premiums for Insurance Companies, by Product Segment [Line Items]
Gross amount, insurance premiums and other considerations	32,308	45,057	76,323
Ceded to other companies, insurance premiums and other considerations	336	328	364
Assumed from other companies, insurance premiums and other considerations	651	618	716
Net amount, insurance premiums and other considerations	$ 32,623	$ 45,347	$ 76,675
Percent of amount assumed to net, insurance premiums and other considerations	2.00%	1.36%	0.93%

Amount of earned premiums assumed from other entities.

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 17

-Article 12

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 235

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-17)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34713774&loc=d3e574992-122915

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879464&loc=d3e573970-122913

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 605

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (b),(c)(2)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6486672&loc=d3e27261-158547

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 1

-Article 7

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Amount of earned premiums ceded to other entities.

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- Definition

Amount, before premiums ceded to other entities and premiums assumed by the entity, of premiums earned.

+ References

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 17

-Article 12

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 235

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-17)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34713774&loc=d3e574992-122915

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879464&loc=d3e573970-122913

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 1

-Article 7

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 605

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (b),(c)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6486672&loc=d3e27261-158547

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Amount of life insurance issued and outstanding assumed from other entities. Includes, but not limited to, dividends and adjustments to face value.

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- Definition

Amount of life insurance issued and outstanding ceded to other entities. Includes, but not limited to, dividends and adjustments to face value.

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Amount before contracts ceded to other entities and contracts assumed by the entity of life insurance issued and outstanding. Includes, but not limited to, dividends and adjustments to face value.

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Amount after contracts ceded to other entities and contracts assumed by the entity of life insurance issued and outstanding. Includes, but not limited to, dividends and adjustments to face value.

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Percentage of assumed life insurance issued and outstanding contracts to life insurance issued and outstanding after contracts ceded to other entities and contracts assumed by the entity. Includes, but not limited to, dividends and adjustments to face value.

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Amount, after premiums ceded to other entities and premiums assumed by the entity, of premiums earned.

+ References

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 17

-Article 12

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 235

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-17)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34713774&loc=d3e574992-122915

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879464&loc=d3e573970-122913

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph 1

-Article 7

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 605

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6486672&loc=d3e27261-158547

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.13(c))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882

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Percentage of assumed premiums earned by the entity to net premiums earned.

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