Preneed Activities Schedule of Unrealized Loss on Investments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value		$ 1,396,640
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses		(56,889)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value		883,668
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses		(121,759)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value		2,280,308
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses		(178,648)
US Treasury Securities [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	$ 29,014	41,409
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(115)	(838)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	106	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(2)	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	29,120	41,409
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(117)	(838)
Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	20,947	2,913
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(639)	(31)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	6,370	3,344
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(450)	(191)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	27,317	6,257
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(1,089)	(222)
Corporate Debt Securities [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	2,423	2,107
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(31)	(22)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	4,453	6,162
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(139)	(205)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	6,876	8,269
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(170)	(227)
Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	2,880	303
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(12)	(1)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	151	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(2)	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	3,031	303
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(14)	(1)
Asset-backed Securities [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	0	28
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	0	(22)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	74	156
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(10)	(9)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	74	184
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(10)	(31)
Preferred Stock securities [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	1,106	971
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(92)	(53)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	248	515
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(47)	(103)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	1,354	1,486
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(139)	(156)
US Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	184,973	271,433
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(20,561)	(23,168)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	18,542	50,923
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(4,178)	(12,374)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	203,515	322,356
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(24,739)	(35,542)
Canada Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	1,307	3,318
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(224)	(383)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	1,314	1,078
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(298)	(72)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	2,621	4,396
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(522)	(455)
Other International Common Stock Securities [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	19,070	19,274
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(2,499)	(4,139)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	2,327	24,525
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(335)	(6,493)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	21,397	43,799
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(2,834)	(10,632)
Equity Funds [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	32,348	234,714
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(1,193)	(9,825)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	21,140	276,504
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(3,119)	(47,032)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	53,488	511,218
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(4,312)	(56,857)
Fixed Income Funds [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	225,766	323,917
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(1,402)	(5,941)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	294,980	425,614
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(22,541)	(40,278)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	520,746	749,531
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(23,943)	(46,219)
Commingled funds - Fixed inc [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value		473,550
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses		(11,714)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value		20,587
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses		(520)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value		494,137
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses		(12,234)
Private Equity Funds [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value		22,677
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses		(750)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value		73,100
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses		(14,467)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value		95,777
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses		(15,217)
Other Investments [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value		26
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses		(2)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value		1,160
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses		(15)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value		1,186
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses		(17)
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	519,834	900,413
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Loss	(26,768)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses		(44,425)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	349,705	789,981
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Loss	(31,121)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses		(106,772)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	869,539	1,690,394
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(57,889)	(151,197)
Reported At Net Asset Value [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value		496,227
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses		(12,464)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value		93,687
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses		(14,987)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value		589,914
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses		$ (27,451)
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Commingled funds - Fixed inc [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	215,295
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(988)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	181,358
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(4,872)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	396,653
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(5,860)
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Private Equity Funds [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	11,752
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(2,149)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	11,752
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(2,149)
Reported Value Measurement [Member] | Reported At Net Asset Value [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	215,295
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(988)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	193,110
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(7,021)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	408,405
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	(8,009)
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member]
Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Fair Value	735,129
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses	(27,756)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Fair Value	542,815
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses	(38,142)
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value	1,277,944
Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses	$ (65,898)