UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY (USD $) In Thousands	Total	Ordinary Shares	Additional Paid in Capital	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Unrealized gains (losses) on investments	Retained Earnings (Deficit)	Non-controlling Interest in Equity of Consolidated Subsidiaries	Excluding Life Funds Withheld Assets	Excluding Life Funds Withheld Assets Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Life Funds Withheld Assets	Life Funds Withheld Assets Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Balance, beginning of year at Dec. 31, 2012		$ 2,987	$ 8,584,752	$ 1,520,020		$ 402,318	$ 1,346,325
Issuance of ordinary shares		11	13
Buybacks of ordinary shares		(129)	(360,201)			(15,092)
Exercise of stock options		5
Exercise of stock options			8,380
Share-based compensation expense			17,620
Change in net unrealized gains (losses) on investments, net of tax								(794,501)	(794,501)	0	0
Unrealized gains on held to maturity investment portfolio at time of transfer to available for sale, net of tax	0			0
Change in adjustments related to future policy benefit reserves, net of tax				(32,900)	(32,900)
Change in net unrealized gains (losses) on affiliate and other investments, net of tax	25,642			25,642
Change in OTTI losses recognized in other comprehensive income, net of tax	19,620			19,620
Change in underfunded pension liability, net of tax	295			295
Change in value of cash flow hedge	220			220
Foreign currency translation adjustments, net of tax	(27,637)			(27,637)
Net income (loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders	623,488					623,488
Dividends on ordinary shares						(82,336)
Non-controlling interests - contribution							0
Non-controlling interests - distribution							(37)
Non-controlling interests							82
Non-controlling interest share in change in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)							(29)
Non-controlling interests - deconsolidation							(1,841)
Balance, end of year at Jun. 30, 2013	11,237,075	2,874	8,250,564	710,759		928,378	1,344,500
Balance, beginning of year at Dec. 31, 2013	11,349,298	2,783	7,994,100	736,657		1,264,093	1,351,665
Issuance of ordinary shares		11	14
Buybacks of ordinary shares		(113)	(323,455)			(28,085)
Exercise of stock options		2
Exercise of stock options			3,055
Share-based compensation expense			26,663
Change in net unrealized gains (losses) on investments, net of tax								502,076	502,076	12,297	12,297
Unrealized gains on held to maturity investment portfolio at time of transfer to available for sale, net of tax	424,861			424,861
Change in adjustments related to future policy benefit reserves, net of tax				(474,461)	(474,461)
Change in net unrealized gains (losses) on affiliate and other investments, net of tax	13,973			13,973
Change in OTTI losses recognized in other comprehensive income, net of tax	4,932			4,932
Change in underfunded pension liability, net of tax	(39)			(39)
Change in value of cash flow hedge	220			220
Foreign currency translation adjustments, net of tax	(13,482)			(13,482)
Net income (loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders	(23,544)					(23,544)
Dividends on ordinary shares						(88,269)
Non-controlling interests - contribution							21,494
Non-controlling interests - distribution							0
Non-controlling interests							1,129
Non-controlling interest share in change in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)							0
Non-controlling interests - deconsolidation							0
Balance, end of year at Jun. 30, 2014	$ 11,408,577	$ 2,683	$ 7,700,377	$ 1,207,034		$ 1,124,195	$ 1,374,288