INVESTMENT OPERATIONS (Details 3) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
INVESTMENT OPERATIONS
Other-than-temporary impairments of investments recorded	$ 1,142,000	$ 6,635,000	$ 2,026,000	$ 9,764,000
Other-than-temporary impairments of investments recorded in earnings	2,354,000	8,681,000	5,405,000	17,265,000
Other-than-temporary impairments of investments recorded in other comprehensive income (loss)	(1,212,000)	(2,046,000)	(3,379,000)	(7,501,000)
Fixed maturities
INVESTMENT OPERATIONS
Other-than-temporary impairments of investments recorded	1,100,000	5,400,000	2,000,000	6,400,000
Other-than-temporary impairments related to fixed maturities or equity securities that the entity intended to sell or expected to be required to sell	0	0	0	0
Credit losses on fixed maturities
Beginning balance	17,938,000	51,814,000	41,674,000	121,237,000
Additions for newly impaired securities		1,663,000		3,278,000
Additions for previously impaired securities	626,000	4,840,000	1,653,000	7,894,000
Reductions for previously impaired securities due to a change in expected cash flows	(3,640,000)	(6,537,000)	(28,403,000)	(73,392,000)
Reductions for previously impaired securities that were sold in the current period				(7,237,000)
Ending balance	14,924,000	51,780,000	14,924,000	51,780,000
Equity securities
INVESTMENT OPERATIONS
Other-than-temporary impairments of investments recorded		1,300,000		3,400,000
Other-than-temporary impairments related to fixed maturities or equity securities that the entity intended to sell or expected to be required to sell	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0