Consolidated Balance Sheets (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Investments:
Securities held to maturity, at amortized cost (fair value: $7,175,443 and $6,656,144)	$ 6,841,543us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecurities	$ 6,510,320us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecurities
Securities available for sale, at fair value (amortized cost: $2,590,074 and $2,535,264)	2,728,680us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities	2,651,544us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
Mortgage loans, net of allowance for possible losses ($650 and $650)	149,503	132,765
Policy loans	63,645us-gaap_LoansInsurancePolicy	65,969us-gaap_LoansInsurancePolicy
Derivatives, index options	114,287us-gaap_DerivativeAssets	169,314us-gaap_DerivativeAssets
Other long-term investments	28,774us-gaap_OtherLongTermInvestments	30,991us-gaap_OtherLongTermInvestments
Total Investments	9,926,432us-gaap_Investments	9,560,903us-gaap_Investments
Cash and cash equivalents	277,078	120,859
Deferred policy acquisition costs	802,919us-gaap_DeferredPolicyAcquisitionCosts	785,706us-gaap_DeferredPolicyAcquisitionCosts
Deferred sales inducements	159,766us-gaap_DeferredSalesInducementsNet	169,570us-gaap_DeferredSalesInducementsNet
Accrued investment income	96,127	95,367
Other assets	89,570us-gaap_OtherAssets	98,011us-gaap_OtherAssets
Total assets	11,351,892us-gaap_Assets	10,830,416us-gaap_Assets
Future policy benefits:
Universal life and annuity contracts	9,384,297	8,987,062
Traditional life reserves	138,225	138,072
Other policyholder liabilities	139,222us-gaap_PolicyholderFunds	142,587us-gaap_PolicyholderFunds
Deferred Federal income tax liability	31,675us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities	7,199us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities
Federal income tax payable	3,336us-gaap_AccruedIncomeTaxes	10,067us-gaap_AccruedIncomeTaxes
Other liabilities	98,817us-gaap_OtherLiabilities	97,481us-gaap_OtherLiabilities
Total liabilities	9,795,572us-gaap_Liabilities	9,382,468us-gaap_Liabilities
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (Notes 4, 7, and 9)
Common stock:
Additional paid-in capital	38,116us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapital	37,767us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapital
Accumulated other comprehensive income	41,786	38,080
Retained earnings	1,472,782	1,368,466
Total stockholders’ equity	1,556,320us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	1,447,948us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
Total liabilities and stockholders' equity	11,351,892	10,830,416
Common Class A [Member]
Common stock:
Common stock, value outstanding (Class A - $1 par value; 7,500,000 shares authorized; 3,436,166 shares issued and outstanding in 2014 and 3,434,765 in 2013) (Class B - $1 par value; 200,000 shares authorized, issued, and outstanding in 2014 and 2013)	3,436	3,435
Common Class B [Member]
Common stock:
Common stock, value outstanding (Class A - $1 par value; 7,500,000 shares authorized; 3,436,166 shares issued and outstanding in 2014 and 3,434,765 in 2013) (Class B - $1 par value; 200,000 shares authorized, issued, and outstanding in 2014 and 2013)	$ 200	$ 200

The sum of the known and estimated amounts payable as of the balance sheet date to Universal life insurance policyholders and annuity contracts that relates to insured events which can be viewed as either (a) the present value of future benefits to be paid to or on behalf of policyholders and expenses less the present value of future net premiums payable under the insurance contracts or (b) the accumulated amount of net premiums already collected less the accumulated amount of benefits and expenses already paid to or on behalf of policyholders.

No definition available.