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Investments (Unrealized Losses) (Details)
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
security
Asset-Backed Security [Member]  
Available-for-Sale Securities and Held-to-Maturity Securities [Line Items]  
Securities, other-than-temporarily impaired 0nwli_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLossesInvestmentsAvailableForSaleSecuritiesNumberOfSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AssetBackedSecuritiesMember
Debt Securities [Member]  
Available-for-Sale Securities and Held-to-Maturity Securities [Line Items]  
Gross unrealized losses, number of issues 109nwli_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedLossesNumberOfSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
Gross unrealized losses, percentage of total debt 8.20%nwli_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedLossesNumberOfSecuritiesAsPercentageOfTotalDebt
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
Gross unrealized losses, market value as a percent of amortized cost 98.50%nwli_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedLossesMarketValueOfBondsPercentOfAmortizedCost
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
Gross unrealized losses, number of securities with maturities of 12 months or greater 77nwli_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedLossesNumberOfSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesTwelveMonthsOrGreater
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
Gross unrealized losses, number of securities with maturities of 12 months or greater (as a percentage) 70.60%nwli_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedLossesNumberOfSecuritiesDebtMaturitiesTwelveMonthsOrGreaterPercentOfTotal
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
Equity Securities [Member]  
Available-for-Sale Securities and Held-to-Maturity Securities [Line Items]  
Gross unrealized losses, number of securities rated investment grade 23us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPositionsQualitativeDisclosureNumberOfPositions
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
External Credit Rating, Investment Grade [Member] | Debt Securities [Member]  
Available-for-Sale Securities and Held-to-Maturity Securities [Line Items]  
Gross unrealized losses, number of securities rated investment grade 106us-gaap_HeldToMaturitySecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPositionsQualitativeDisclosureNumberOfPositions
/ us-gaap_ExternalCreditRatingByGroupingAxis
= us-gaap_ExternalCreditRatingInvestmentGradeMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember