Federal Income Taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Components of Income Tax Expense (Benefit)

Total Federal income taxes were allocated as follows:

	Years Ended December 31,
	2015			2014		2013
	(In thousands)
Taxes (benefits) on earnings from continuing operations:
Current	$	8,279		29,395		71,709
Deferred	39,993			22,538		(26,259	)
Taxes on earnings	48,272			51,933		45,450
Taxes (benefits) on components of stockholders' equity:
Net unrealized gains and losses on securities available for sale	(22,014		)	4,072		(24,201	)
Foreign currency translation adjustments	75			(358	)	(398	)
Change in benefit plan liability	(397		)	(1,777	)	3,005
Total Federal income taxes (benefit)	$	25,936		53,870		23,856

Schedule of Income Tax Reconciliation

The reasons for the differences and the corresponding tax effects are as follows:

	Years Ended December 31,
	2015			2014		2013
	(In thousands)
Income tax expense at statutory rate of 35%	$	51,334		55,133		49,594
Dividend received deduction	(1,194		)	(1,076	)	(1,140	)
Tax exempt interest	(2,195		)	(2,155	)	(2,065	)
Tax adjustment on foreign currency	618			(358	)	(214	)
Adjustments pertaining to prior tax years	(296		)	1		(273	)
Nondeductible insurance	160			160		160
Nondeductible expenses	261			277		121
Other, net	(416		)	(49	)	(733	)
Taxes on earnings from continuing operations	$	48,272		51,933		45,450

Schedule of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities

The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to significant portions of the deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities at December 31, 2015 and 2014 are presented below.

	December 31,
	2015			2014
	(In thousands)
Deferred tax assets:
Future policy benefits, excess of financial accounting liabilities over tax liabilities	$	251,701		292,262
Investment securities write-downs for financial accounting purposes	3,493			6,246
Benefit plan liabilities	12,397			11,333
Accrued operating expenses recorded for financial accounting purposes not currently tax deductible	4,859			5,588
Foreign currency translation adjustments	5,098			4,318
Accrued and unearned investment income recognized for tax purposes and deferred for financial accounting purposes	334			390
Other	5			6
Total gross deferred tax assets	277,887			320,143
Deferred tax liabilities:
Deferred policy acquisition and sales inducement costs, principally expensed for tax purposes	(309,476		)	(311,680	)
Debt securities, principally due to deferred market discount for tax	(9,182		)	(8,477	)
Real estate, principally due to adjustments for financial accounting purposes	(1,025		)	(1,023	)
Net unrealized gains on securities available for sale	(6,519		)	(25,185	)
Fixed assets, due to different depreciation bases	(492		)	(757	)
Other	(526		)	(4,696	)
Total gross deferred tax liabilities	(327,220		)	(351,818	)
Net deferred tax liabilities	$	(49,333	)	(31,675	)