UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Parentheticals) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Amortized cost of fixed maturities	$ 30,389,600	$ 31,517,654
Cost of equity securities	955,231	834,079
Amortized cost of short-term investments, available for sale	446,469	618,851
Amortized cost of fixed maturities, trading	1,385,588	1,263,609
Amortized cost of short-term investments, trading	18,495	60,176
Future policy benefit reserves recoverable	$ 3,366,929	$ 3,719,131
Ordinary shares, shares authorized (in shares)	999,990,000	999,990,000
Ordinary shares, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Ordinary shares, shares issued (in shares)	276,732,659	294,745,045
Ordinary shares, shares outstanding (in shares)	276,732,659	294,745,045