Commitments and Contingencies	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (A) Legal Proceedings In the normal course of business, the Company is involved or may become involved in various legal actions in which claims for alleged economic and punitive damages have been or may be asserted, some for substantial amounts. In recent years, carriers offering life insurance and annuity products have faced litigation, including class action lawsuits, alleging improper product design, improper sales practices, and similar claims. Given the uncertainty involved in these types of actions, the ability to make a reliable evaluation of the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome or an estimate of the amount of or range of potential loss is endemic to the particular circumstances and evolving developments of each individual matter on its own merits. On October 26, 2011 the Brazilian Superintendence of Private Insurance (“SUSEP”) attempted to serve National Western with a subpoena regarding an administrative proceeding initiated by SUSEP in which it alleged that National Western was operating as an insurance company in Brazil without due authorization. National Western had been informed that SUSEP was attempting to impose a penal fine, based on currency exchange rates at that time, of approximately $6.0 billion on the company. SUSEP unsuccessfully attempted to serve National Western with notice regarding this matter. National Western does not transact business in Brazil and has no officers, employees, property, or assets in Brazil. National Western believes that SUSEP has no jurisdiction over the company, that SUSEP's attempts at service of process were invalid, and that any penal fine would be unenforceable. In addition, due to a new law recently enacted in Brazil the penal fine has been limited to 3 million reais (approximately $960,000 based on current exchange rates). For the reasons described above, the Company does not believe that this matter meets the definition of a material pending legal proceeding as such term is defined in Item 103 of Regulation S-K. However, the Company had included the foregoing description solely due to the amount of the fine initially sought by SUSEP. National Western will continue its discussions with SUSEP in an effort to resolve this matter. No conclusion can be drawn at this time as to the outcome of these discussions, or whether they will continue, or how any such outcome may impact the Company’s business, results of operations, or financial condition. However, in light of the pendency of discussions with Brazilian authorities, National Western has ceased accepting new applications from residents in Brazil. National Western was the named defendant in the case of Damaris Maldonado Vinas, et al. vs. National Western Life Insurance, in which the plaintiffs, after National Western had paid the death benefits to the beneficiary (Francisco Iglesias-Alvarez) upon the annuitant’s (Carlos Iglesias-Alvarez) death, sought to annul two annuity policies issued by National Western at the behest of Carlos Iglesias-Alvarez and which named Francisco Iglesias-Alvarez as their beneficiary. On March 31, 2016, the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico (the “Court”) issued its Opinion and Order on the pending Motions for Summary Judgment submitted by the parties, and therein denied National Western’s motion and granted plaintiffs’ motion voiding the two annuities and requesting a refund of the premiums paid ($2.9 million). National Western vigorously defended the case and believes that the Court’s Opinion and Order is contrary to applicable law. As such, National Western filed a Motion for Reconsideration of Opinion and Order and Corresponding Judgment with the Court on April 27, 2016, which the Court denied on May 5, 2016. National Western filed its Appeal Brief on September 12, 2016. Although there can be no assurances, at the present time, the Company does not anticipate that the ultimate liability arising from any other potential, pending, or threatened legal actions will have a material adverse effect on the financial condition or operating results of the Company. Separately, the Brazilian authorities have commenced an investigation into possible violations of Brazilian criminal law in connection with the issuance of National Western insurance policies to Brazilian residents, and in assistance of such investigation a Commissioner appointed by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas has issued a subpoena upon the company to provide information relating to such possible violations. No conclusion can be drawn at this time as to its outcome or how such outcome may impact the Company’s business, results of operations, or financial condition. National Western is cooperating with the relevant governmental authorities in regard to this matter. (B) Financial Instruments In order to meet the financing needs of its customers in the normal course of business, the Company is a party to financial instruments with off-balance sheet risk. These financial instruments are commitments to extend credit which involve elements of credit and interest rate risk in excess of the amounts recognized in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company's exposure to credit loss in the event of nonperformance by the other party to the financial instrument for commitments to extend credit is represented by the contractual amounts, assuming that the amounts are fully advanced and that collateral or other security is of no value. Commitments to extend credit are legally binding agreements to lend to a customer that generally have fixed expiration dates or other termination clauses and may require payment of a fee. Commitments do not necessarily represent future liquidity requirements, as some could expire without being drawn upon. The Company uses the same credit policies in making commitments and conditional obligations as it does for on-balance sheet instruments. The Company controls the credit risk of these transactions through credit approvals, limits, and monitoring procedures. The Company had $32.0 million commitments to fund new loans and $0.6 million commitments on existing loans to extend credit relating to loans at September 30, 2016. The Company evaluates each customer's creditworthiness on a case-by-case basis.

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

(A) Legal Proceedings

In the normal course of business, the Company is involved or may become involved in various legal actions in which claims for alleged economic and punitive damages have been or may be asserted, some for substantial amounts. In recent years, carriers offering life insurance and annuity products have faced litigation, including class action lawsuits, alleging improper product design, improper sales practices, and similar claims. Given the uncertainty involved in these types of actions, the ability to make a reliable evaluation of the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome or an estimate of the amount of or range of potential loss is endemic to the particular circumstances and evolving developments of each individual matter on its own merits.

On October 26, 2011 the Brazilian Superintendence of Private Insurance (“SUSEP”) attempted to serve National Western with a subpoena regarding an administrative proceeding initiated by SUSEP in which it alleged that National Western was operating as an insurance company in Brazil without due authorization. National Western had been informed that SUSEP was attempting to impose a penal fine, based on currency exchange rates at that time, of approximately $6.0 billion on the company. SUSEP unsuccessfully attempted to serve National Western with notice regarding this matter. National Western does not transact business in Brazil and has no officers, employees, property, or assets in Brazil. National Western believes that SUSEP has no jurisdiction over the company, that SUSEP's attempts at service of process were invalid, and that any penal fine would be unenforceable. In addition, due to a new law recently enacted in Brazil the penal fine has been limited to 3 million reais (approximately $960,000 based on current exchange rates). For the reasons described above, the Company does not believe that this matter meets the definition of a material pending legal proceeding as such term is defined in Item 103 of Regulation S-K. However, the Company had included the foregoing description solely due to the amount of the fine initially sought by SUSEP. National Western will continue its discussions with SUSEP in an effort to resolve this matter. No conclusion can be drawn at this time as to the outcome of these discussions, or whether they will continue, or how any such outcome may impact the Company’s business, results of operations, or financial condition. However, in light of the pendency of discussions with Brazilian authorities, National Western has ceased accepting new applications from residents in Brazil.

National Western was the named defendant in the case of Damaris Maldonado Vinas, et al. vs. National Western Life Insurance, in which the plaintiffs, after National Western had paid the death benefits to the beneficiary (Francisco Iglesias-Alvarez) upon the annuitant’s (Carlos Iglesias-Alvarez) death, sought to annul two annuity policies issued by National Western at the behest of Carlos Iglesias-Alvarez and which named Francisco Iglesias-Alvarez as their beneficiary. On March 31, 2016, the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico (the “Court”) issued its Opinion and Order on the pending Motions for Summary Judgment submitted by the parties, and therein denied National Western’s motion and granted plaintiffs’ motion voiding the two annuities and requesting a refund of the premiums paid ($2.9 million). National Western vigorously defended the case and believes that the Court’s Opinion and Order is contrary to applicable law. As such, National Western filed a Motion for Reconsideration of Opinion and Order and Corresponding Judgment with the Court on April 27, 2016, which the Court denied on May 5, 2016. National Western filed its Appeal Brief on September 12, 2016.

Although there can be no assurances, at the present time, the Company does not anticipate that the ultimate liability arising from any other potential, pending, or threatened legal actions will have a material adverse effect on the financial condition or operating results of the Company.

Separately, the Brazilian authorities have commenced an investigation into possible violations of Brazilian criminal law in connection with the issuance of National Western insurance policies to Brazilian residents, and in assistance of such investigation a Commissioner appointed by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas has issued a subpoena upon the company to provide information relating to such possible violations. No conclusion can be drawn at this time as to its outcome or how such outcome may impact the Company’s business, results of operations, or financial condition. National Western is cooperating with the relevant governmental authorities in regard to this matter.

(B) Financial Instruments

In order to meet the financing needs of its customers in the normal course of business, the Company is a party to financial instruments with off-balance sheet risk. These financial instruments are commitments to extend credit which involve elements of credit and interest rate risk in excess of the amounts recognized in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

The Company's exposure to credit loss in the event of nonperformance by the other party to the financial instrument for commitments to extend credit is represented by the contractual amounts, assuming that the amounts are fully advanced and that collateral or other security is of no value. Commitments to extend credit are legally binding agreements to lend to a customer that generally have fixed expiration dates or other termination clauses and may require payment of a fee. Commitments do not necessarily represent future liquidity requirements, as some could expire without being drawn upon. The Company uses the same credit policies in making commitments and conditional obligations as it does for on-balance sheet instruments. The Company controls the credit risk of these transactions through credit approvals, limits, and monitoring procedures.

The Company had $32.0 million commitments to fund new loans and $0.6 million commitments on existing loans to extend credit relating to loans at September 30, 2016. The Company evaluates each customer's creditworthiness on a case-by-case basis.