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	Exclude 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, 2013		$ 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		0
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 common shareholders	188,340				188,340
Dividends on ordinary shares					(172,081)
Non-controlling interests – contributions						48,261
Non-controlling interests - distributions						(1,666)
Non-controlling interests - acquired						0
Non-controlling interests						3,755
Non-controlling interest share in change in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)						0
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2014	11,435,766	2,552	7,359,102	1,484,458	1,187,639	1,402,015
Issuance of ordinary shares		515	1,851,046
Buybacks of ordinary shares		(125)	(370,395)		(98,451)
Exercise of stock options		5
Exercise of stock options, net of tax			9,972
Share based compensation expense			60,442		(7,177)
Change in net unrealized gains (losses) on investments, net of tax							(530,030)	(530,030)	(421,604)	(421,604)
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	170,688			170,688
Change in net unrealized gains (losses) on affiliate and other investments, net of tax	(6,074)			(6,074)
Change in OTTI losses recognized in other comprehensive income, net of tax	18,545			18,545
Change in underfunded pension liability	(3,852)			(3,852)
Change in value of cash flow hedge	(200)			(200)
Foreign currency translation adjustments	(25,315)			(25,315)
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders	1,207,152				1,207,152
Dividends on ordinary shares					(211,814)
Non-controlling interests – contributions						23,610
Non-controlling interests - distributions						(19,001)
Non-controlling interests - acquired						562,285
Non-controlling interests						7,466
Non-controlling interest share in change in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)						1,009
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2015	13,654,463	2,947	8,910,167	686,616	2,077,349	1,977,384
Issuance of ordinary shares		16	31
Buybacks of ordinary shares	(1,051,000)	(302)	(912,282)		(138,466)
Exercise of stock options		8
Exercise of stock options, net of tax			9,845
Share based compensation expense			60,742		(3,646)
Change in net unrealized gains (losses) on investments, net of tax							$ (72,638)	$ (72,638)	$ (4,502)	$ (4,502)
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	62,295			62,295
Change in net unrealized gains (losses) on affiliate and other investments, net of tax	(57,820)			(57,820)
Change in OTTI losses recognized in other comprehensive income, net of tax	6,550			6,550
Change in underfunded pension liability	(246)			(246)
Change in value of cash flow hedge	(182)			(182)
Foreign currency translation adjustments	95,473			95,473
Net income (loss) attributable to common shareholders	440,968				440,968
Dividends on ordinary shares					(224,411)
Non-controlling interests – contributions						47,524
Non-controlling interests - distributions						(9,028)
Non-controlling interests - acquired						0
Non-controlling interests						7,309
Non-controlling interest share in change in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss)						(1,022)
Balance, end of year at Dec. 31, 2016	$ 12,960,679	$ 2,669	$ 8,068,503	$ 715,546	$ 2,151,794	$ 2,022,167