Fixed Maturities and Equity Securities by Asset Class that are Measured at Fair Value (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	$ 2,473,668	$ 2,191,827
Fixed maturities
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	2,310,195	2,047,873
Fixed maturities | U.S. Treasury bonds, agency bonds, and foreign
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	414,348	441,685
Fixed maturities | States, municipalities and political subdivisions
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	550,327	460,422
Fixed maturities | Agency mortgage-backed securities
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	296,198	301,274
Fixed maturities | Residential Mortgage Backed Securities
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	34,738	41,755
Fixed maturities | Asset-backed securities
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	195,180	125,133
Fixed maturities | Commercial mortgage-backed securities
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	210,712	172,750
Fixed maturities | Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	736,828	640,912
Fixed maturities | Corporate bonds
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	608,692	504,854
Equity Securities | Common Stock
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	113,250	143,954
Equity Securities | Preferred Stock
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	50,223
Level 1
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	291,183	386,333
Level 1 | Fixed maturities
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	177,933	242,379
Level 1 | Fixed maturities | U.S. Treasury bonds, agency bonds, and foreign
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	177,933	242,379
Level 1 | Equity Securities | Common Stock
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	113,250	143,954
Level 2
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	2,182,485	1,801,087
Level 2 | Fixed maturities
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	2,132,262	1,801,087
Level 2 | Fixed maturities | U.S. Treasury bonds, agency bonds, and foreign
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	236,415	199,306
Level 2 | Fixed maturities | States, municipalities and political subdivisions
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	550,327	460,422
Level 2 | Fixed maturities | Agency mortgage-backed securities
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	296,198	301,274
Level 2 | Fixed maturities | Residential Mortgage Backed Securities
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	34,738	41,755
Level 2 | Fixed maturities | Asset-backed securities
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	195,180	125,133
Level 2 | Fixed maturities | Commercial mortgage-backed securities
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	210,712	172,750
Level 2 | Fixed maturities | Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	736,828	640,912
Level 2 | Fixed maturities | Corporate bonds
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	608,692	500,447
Level 2 | Equity Securities | Preferred Stock
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value	50,223
Level 3
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value		4,407
Level 3 | Fixed maturities
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value		4,407
Level 3 | Fixed maturities | Corporate bonds
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Fixed maturities and equity securities, at fair Value		$ 4,407