Preneed Activities Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 2,939,550	$ 3,032,413
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	273,594	196,492
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(74,696)	(151,197)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	3,138,448	3,077,708
Reported at net asset value
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	714,569	868,315
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	25,850	18,336
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(21,009)	(27,451)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	719,410	859,200
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	3,654,119	3,900,728
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	299,444	214,828
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(95,705)	(178,648)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	3,857,858	3,936,908
Fixed Income Commingled funds [Member] | Reported at net asset value
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	529,020	692,434
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	12,607	8,524
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(5,507)	(12,234)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	536,120	688,724
Private Equity Funds | Reported at net asset value
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	185,549	175,881
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	13,243	9,812
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(15,502)	(15,217)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	183,290	170,476
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | US Treasury Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	39,324	145,315
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	26	884
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(10)	(838)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	39,340	145,361
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Foreign Government Debt Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	81,661	79,141
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	327	409
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(364)	(222)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	81,624	79,328
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Corporate Debt Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	17,859	18,934
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	326	295
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(3)	(227)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	18,182	19,002
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Residential Mortgage Backed Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	426	333
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	17	1
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(1)	(1)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	442	333
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Asset-backed Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	318	448
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	19	16
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(7)	(31)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	330	433
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Preferred Stock Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	6,716	2,907
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	186	83
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(155)	(156)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	6,747	2,834
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | US Common Stock Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	1,059,056	1,107,942
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	178,940	151,146
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(24,327)	(35,542)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	1,213,669	1,223,546
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | Canada Common Stock Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	29,392	25,708
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	11,524	10,030
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(451)	(455)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	40,465	35,283
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | Other International Common Stock Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	58,284	83,238
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	8,454	4,995
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(4,338)	(10,632)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	62,400	77,601
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | Equity Funds
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	683,976	688,120
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	59,066	19,962
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(15,324)	(56,857)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	727,718	651,225
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | Fixed Income Funds
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	957,617	875,615
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	11,705	6,203
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(29,715)	(46,219)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	939,607	835,599
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 | Other Investments
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	4,921	4,712
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	3,004	2,468
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(1)	(17)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	$ 7,924	$ 7,163