XML 40 R36.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9
Share-Based Payments (Exercise Range) (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]  
Number Outstanding 121,179us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfOutstandingOptions
Number Outstanding, Aggregate intrinsic value $ 9,168us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingIntrinsicValue
Number Exercisable 59,283us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfExercisableOptions
Options Exercisable, Aggregate intrinsic value $ 4,608us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardOptionsExercisableIntrinsicValue1
Closing stock price $ 254.30us-gaap_SharePrice
Exercise Price $255.13 [Member]  
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]  
Exercise price $ 255us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange1Member
Exercise Price $208.05 [Member]  
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]  
Exercise price $ 208us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange2Member
Employee Stock Option [Member] | Exercise Price $255.13 [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
Number Exercisable 17,615us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfExercisableOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange1Member
Employee Stock Option [Member] | Exercise Price $208.05 [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 2 months 12 days
Number Exercisable 8,000us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfExercisableOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_EmployeeStockOptionMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange2Member
Stock Appreciation Rights [Member] | Exercise Price $236.00 [Member]  
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]  
Exercise price $ 236us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StockAppreciationRightsSARSMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange3Member
Number Outstanding 250us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfOutstandingOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StockAppreciationRightsSARSMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange3Member
Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Life 3 years 4 months 24 days
Number Exercisable 200us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfExercisableOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StockAppreciationRightsSARSMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange3Member
Stock Appreciation Rights [Member] | Exercise Price $114.64 [Member]  
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]  
Exercise price $ 115us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StockAppreciationRightsSARSMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange4Member
Number Outstanding 25,243us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfOutstandingOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StockAppreciationRightsSARSMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange4Member
Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Life 3 years 10 months 24 days
Number Exercisable 21,064us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfExercisableOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StockAppreciationRightsSARSMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange4Member
Stock Appreciation Rights [Member] | Exercise Price $132.56 [Member]  
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]  
Exercise price $ 133us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StockAppreciationRightsSARSMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange5Member
Number Outstanding 30,418us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfOutstandingOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StockAppreciationRightsSARSMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange5Member
Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Life 6 years 8 months 12 days
Number Exercisable 9,604us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfExercisableOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StockAppreciationRightsSARSMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange5Member
Stock Appreciation Rights [Member] | Exercise Price $210.22 [Member]  
Share-based Compensation, Shares Authorized under Stock Option Plans, Exercise Price Range [Line Items]  
Exercise price $ 210us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeLowerRangeLimit
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StockAppreciationRightsSARSMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange6Member
Number Outstanding 35,500us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfOutstandingOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StockAppreciationRightsSARSMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange6Member
Weighted- Average Remaining Contractual Life 8 years 8 months 12 days
Number Exercisable 2,800us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansExercisePriceRangeNumberOfExercisableOptions
/ us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis
= us-gaap_StockAppreciationRightsSARSMember
/ us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationSharesAuthorizedUnderStockOptionPlansByExercisePriceRangeAxis
= nwli_ExercisePriceRange6Member