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Stockholders' Equity (Share-Based Payments - Exercise Range) (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]  
Number Outstanding 121,954us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfOutstandingOptions
Options Exercisable 53,480us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfExercisableOptions
Number Outstanding, Aggregate intrinsic value $ 11,079us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue
Options Exercisable, Aggregate intrinsic value $ 4,812us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableIntrinsicValue1
Share Price $ 269.25us-gaap_SharePrice
Employee Stock Option [Member] | Exercise Price Range 1 [Member]  
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]  
Number Outstanding 21,768us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfOutstandingOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange1Member
Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Life 3 years 3 months 18 days
Options Exercisable 17,415us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfExercisableOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange1Member
Exercise Price $ 255.13us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange1Member
Employee Stock Option [Member] | Exercise Price Range 2 [Member]  
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]  
Number Outstanding 8,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfOutstandingOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange2Member
Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Life 3 years 6 months
Options Exercisable 8,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfExercisableOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange2Member
Exercise Price $ 208.05us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange2Member
Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs) [Member] | Exercise Price Range 3 [Member]  
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]  
Number Outstanding 250us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfOutstandingOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StockAppreciationRightsSARSMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange3Member
Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Life 3 years 7 months 6 days
Options Exercisable 200us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfExercisableOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StockAppreciationRightsSARSMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange3Member
Exercise Price $ 236.00us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StockAppreciationRightsSARSMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange3Member
Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs) [Member] | Exercise Price Range 4 [Member]  
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]  
Number Outstanding 25,918us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfOutstandingOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StockAppreciationRightsSARSMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange4Member
Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Life 4 years 1 month 6 days
Options Exercisable 17,161us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfExercisableOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StockAppreciationRightsSARSMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange4Member
Exercise Price $ 114.64us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StockAppreciationRightsSARSMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange4Member
Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs) [Member] | Exercise Price Range 5 [Member]  
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]  
Number Outstanding 30,518us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfOutstandingOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StockAppreciationRightsSARSMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange5Member
Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Life 7 years
Options Exercisable 8,904us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfExercisableOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StockAppreciationRightsSARSMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange5Member
Exercise Price $ 132.56us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StockAppreciationRightsSARSMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange5Member
Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs) [Member] | Exercise Price Range 6 [Member]  
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]  
Number Outstanding 35,500us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfOutstandingOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StockAppreciationRightsSARSMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange6Member
Weighted-Average Remaining Contractual Life 9 years
Options Exercisable 1,800us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfExercisableOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StockAppreciationRightsSARSMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange6Member
Exercise Price $ 210.22us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StockAppreciationRightsSARSMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange6Member