Segment and Other Operating Information - Earnings (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2021
Condensed Consolidated Income Statements:
Premiums and contract revenues	$ 54,339	$ 56,172	$ 109,323	$ 113,645
Net investment income (loss)	55,474	156,544	125,198	322,619
Other revenues	5,578	6,034	11,375	11,448
Total revenues	117,157	222,165	251,456	452,543
Life and other policy benefits	35,177	35,904	77,076	73,793
Amortization of deferred transaction costs	27,756	25,123	56,772	55,112
Universal life and annuity contract interest	(13,801)	69,973	(28,606)	122,818
Other operating expenses	30,321	28,468	62,903	59,803
Federal income taxes	6,939	12,798	16,362	28,989
Net earnings	30,765	49,899	66,949	112,028
Segments
Condensed Consolidated Income Statements:
Premiums and contract revenues	54,339	56,172	109,323	113,645
Net investment income (loss)	55,474	156,544	125,198	322,619
Other revenues	5,578	6,034	11,375	11,448
Total revenues	115,391	218,750	245,896	447,712
Life and other policy benefits	35,177	35,904	77,076	73,793
Amortization of deferred transaction costs	27,756	25,123	56,772	55,112
Universal life and annuity contract interest	(13,801)	69,973	(28,606)	122,818
Other operating expenses	30,321	28,468	62,903	59,803
Federal income taxes	6,568	12,080	15,194	27,974
Total expenses	86,021	171,548	183,339	339,500
Net earnings	29,370	47,202	62,557	108,212
Segments | Domestic Life Insurance
Condensed Consolidated Income Statements:
Premiums and contract revenues	13,218	12,475	28,107	26,373
Net investment income (loss)	(5,888)	28,247	(8,232)	52,090
Other revenues	25	31	51	52
Total revenues	7,355	40,753	19,926	78,515
Life and other policy benefits	4,776	5,007	11,164	11,117
Amortization of deferred transaction costs	3,334	153	6,164	5,613
Universal life and annuity contract interest	(8,979)	25,466	(14,399)	47,087
Other operating expenses	6,457	5,482	13,510	12,929
Federal income taxes	322	958	678	364
Total expenses	5,910	37,066	17,117	77,110
Net earnings	1,445	3,687	2,809	1,405
Segments | International Life Insurance
Condensed Consolidated Income Statements:
Premiums and contract revenues	19,129	20,656	36,240	40,836
Net investment income (loss)	(3,156)	13,847	(7,403)	25,963
Other revenues	22	44	39	72
Total revenues	15,995	34,547	28,876	66,871
Life and other policy benefits	5,486	5,302	10,187	9,677
Amortization of deferred transaction costs	4,844	6,163	9,994	11,555
Universal life and annuity contract interest	(4,622)	12,226	(10,343)	23,025
Other operating expenses	4,353	4,646	9,213	9,420
Federal income taxes	1,106	1,268	1,911	2,711
Total expenses	11,167	29,605	20,962	56,388
Net earnings	4,828	4,942	7,914	10,483
Segments | Annuities
Condensed Consolidated Income Statements:
Premiums and contract revenues	3,098	3,742	6,650	7,672
Net investment income (loss)	57,155	100,199	117,366	219,923
Other revenues	1,365	1,389	2,598	2,763
Total revenues	61,618	105,330	126,614	230,358
Life and other policy benefits	8,995	9,829	23,039	19,830
Amortization of deferred transaction costs	16,821	16,378	35,637	32,825
Universal life and annuity contract interest	(200)	32,281	(3,864)	52,706
Other operating expenses	12,702	11,864	26,872	24,794
Federal income taxes	4,261	7,115	8,741	20,591
Total expenses	42,579	77,467	90,425	150,746
Net earnings	19,039	27,863	36,189	79,612
Segments | ONL & Affiliates
Condensed Consolidated Income Statements:
Premiums and contract revenues	18,894	19,299	38,326	38,764
Net investment income (loss)	7,209	6,780	14,137	13,354
Other revenues	2,873	3,273	6,088	6,199
Total revenues	28,976	29,352	58,551	58,317
Life and other policy benefits	15,920	15,766	32,686	33,169
Amortization of deferred transaction costs	2,757	2,429	4,977	5,119
Universal life and annuity contract interest	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses	5,090	4,933	10,071	9,679
Federal income taxes	1,044	1,258	2,172	2,115
Total expenses	24,811	24,386	49,906	50,082
Net earnings	4,165	4,966	8,645	8,235
Segments | All Others
Condensed Consolidated Income Statements:
Premiums and contract revenues	0	0	0	0
Net investment income (loss)	154	7,471	9,330	11,289
Other revenues	1,293	1,297	2,599	2,362
Total revenues	1,447	8,768	11,929	13,651
Life and other policy benefits	0	0	0	0
Amortization of deferred transaction costs	0	0	0	0
Universal life and annuity contract interest	0	0	0	0
Other operating expenses	1,719	1,543	3,237	2,981
Federal income taxes	(165)	1,481	1,692	2,193
Total expenses	1,554	3,024	4,929	5,174
Net earnings	$ (107)	$ 5,744	$ 7,000	$ 8,477