CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY (USD $) In Thousands	Total	Ordinary Shares	Additional Paid in Capital	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Retained Earnings (Deficit)	Non-controlling Interest in Equity of Consolidated Subsidiaries	Exclude Life Funds Withheld Assets [Member]	Exclude Life Funds Withheld Assets [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Life Funds Withheld Assets [Member]	Life Funds Withheld Assets [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)
Balance, beginning of year at Dec. 31, 2011		$ 3,156	$ 8,938,679	$ 583,065	$ (113,244)	$ 1,344,472
Issuance of ordinary shares		10	1,387
Buybacks of ordinary shares		(183)	(402,748)		0
Exercise of stock options		4
Exercise of stock options, net of tax			5,545
Share based compensation expense			41,889
Change in net unrealized gains (losses) on investments, net of tax							834,601	834,601	0	0
Unrealized gains on held to maturity investment portfolio at time of transfer to available for sale, net of tax	0			0
Cumulative adjustments recorded to value of future policy benefit reserves, amount	0			0
Change in net unrealized gains (losses) on affiliate and other investments, net of tax	46,162			46,162
Change in OTTI losses recognized in other comprehensive income, net of tax	67,280			67,280
Change in underfunded pension liability	(3,371)			(3,371)
Change in value of cash flow hedge	439			439
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(8,156)			(8,156)
Net income (loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders	651,128				651,128
Dividends on ordinary shares					(135,565)
Non-controlling interests - contributions						1,500
Non-controlling interests - distributions						0
Non-controlling interests						113
Non-controlling interest share in change in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)						240
Non-controlling interests - deconsolidation						0
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2012	11,856,403	2,987	8,584,752	1,520,020	402,319	1,346,325
Issuance of ordinary shares		13	29
Buybacks of ordinary shares		(226)	(639,292)		(36,098)
Exercise of stock options		9
Exercise of stock options, net of tax			12,614
Share based compensation expense			35,997
Change in net unrealized gains (losses) on investments, net of tax							(750,755)	(750,755)	0	0
Unrealized gains on held to maturity investment portfolio at time of transfer to available for sale, net of tax	0			0
Cumulative adjustments recorded to value of future policy benefit reserves, amount	(44,660)			(44,660)
Change in net unrealized gains (losses) on affiliate and other investments, net of tax	26,637			26,637
Change in OTTI losses recognized in other comprehensive income, net of tax	32,181			32,181
Change in underfunded pension liability	7,653			7,653
Change in value of cash flow hedge	439			439
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(54,858)			(54,858)
Net income (loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders	1,059,916				1,059,916
Dividends on ordinary shares					(162,044)
Non-controlling interests - contributions						7,747
Non-controlling interests - distributions						(37)
Non-controlling interests						(500)
Non-controlling interest share in change in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)						(29)
Non-controlling interests - deconsolidation						(1,841)
Balance, end 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		12	27
Buybacks of ordinary shares		(247)	(708,993)		(92,713)
Exercise of stock options		4
Exercise of stock options, net of tax			6,363
Share based compensation expense			67,605
Change in net unrealized gains (losses) on investments, net of tax							434,051	434,051	274,083	274,083
Unrealized gains on held to maturity investment portfolio at time of transfer to available for sale, net of tax	424,861			424,861
Cumulative adjustments recorded to value of future policy benefit reserves, amount	(400,456)			(400,456)
Change in net unrealized gains (losses) on affiliate and other investments, net of tax	35,143			35,143
Change in OTTI losses recognized in other comprehensive income, net of tax	13,143			13,143
Change in underfunded pension liability	(7,550)			(7,550)
Change in value of cash flow hedge	255			255
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(25,729)			(25,729)
Net income (loss) attributable to ordinary shareholders	188,340				188,340
Dividends on ordinary shares					(172,080)
Non-controlling interests - contributions						48,261
Non-controlling interests - distributions						(1,666)
Non-controlling interests						3,755
Non-controlling interest share in change in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)						0
Non-controlling interests - deconsolidation						0
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 11,435,767	$ 2,552	$ 7,359,102	$ 1,484,458	$ 1,187,640	$ 1,402,015