CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (UNAUDITED) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Cash flows - operating activities
Premiums collected	$ 598,882	$ 557,816
Policyholder benefits paid	(410,241)	(422,184)
Policy acquisition and other operating expenses paid	(208,248)	(207,825)
Federal income taxes paid	(10,061)	(18,156)
Investment income collected	271,717	259,373
Interest expense paid	(5,821)	(6,072)
Other	976	1,884
Net cash provided by operating activities	237,204	164,836
Fixed maturity securities
Purchases	(1,041,744)	(1,097,880)
Sales	315,531	351,739
Maturities, paydowns, calls and redemptions	691,169	634,686
Purchase of other invested assets	(98,109)	(42,578)
Net cash used in equity securities, short-term and other investments	(54,281)	(75,665)
Net cash used in investing activities	(187,434)	(229,698)
Cash flows - financing activities
Dividends paid to shareholders	(34,580)	(33,241)
Acquisition of treasury stock	(1,661)	(21,513)
Proceeds from exercise of stock options	3,815	2,361
Withholding tax payments on RSUs tendered	(2,745)	(3,321)
Annuity contracts: variable, fixed and FHLB funding agreements
Deposits	348,900	391,944
Benefits, withdrawals and net transfers to Separate Account (variable annuity) assets	(295,064)	(240,489)
Transfer of Company 401(k) assets to a third-party provider	(77,898)	0
Life policy accounts
Deposits	3,357	2,957
Withdrawals and surrenders	(3,340)	(3,151)
Change in bank overdrafts	(532)	7,422
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities	(59,748)	102,969
Net (decrease) increase in cash	(9,978)	38,107
Cash at beginning of period	16,670	15,509
Cash at end of period	$ 6,692	$ 53,616