Preneed Activities Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Document Period End Date	Sep. 30, 2019
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 3,583,509	$ 3,434,980
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	294,897	175,867
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(205,281)	(395,711)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	3,673,125	3,215,136
Reported at net asset value
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	1,234,729	1,307,042
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	113,096	94,883
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(1,319)	(31,341)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	1,346,506	1,370,584
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member]
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	4,818,238	4,742,022
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	407,993	270,750
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(206,600)	(427,052)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	5,019,631	4,585,720
Fixed Income Commingled funds [Member] | Reported at net asset value
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	445,011	419,206
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	8,675	2,419
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(928)	(18,981)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	452,758	402,644
Commingled funds - Equity [Member] | Reported at net asset value
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	249,885	205,789
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	25,206	19,567
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(38)	(11,723)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	275,053	213,633
Private Equity Funds | Reported at net asset value
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	187,815	215,618
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	79,215	72,897
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(353)	(637)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	266,677	287,878
Money Market Funds [Member] | Reported at net asset value
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	352,018	466,429
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	0	0
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	352,018	466,429
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | US Treasury Securities
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	49,468	49,187
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	850	153
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(124)	(448)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	50,194	48,892
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Foreign Government Debt Securities
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	41,047	56,343
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	116	23
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(745)	(1,797)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	40,418	54,569
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Corporate Debt Securities
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	10,352	19,869
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	59	13
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(155)	(516)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	10,256	19,366
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Residential Mortgage Backed Securities
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	3,284	3,611
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	72	10
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(1)	(50)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	3,355	3,571
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Asset-backed Securities
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	134	142
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	4	2
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(3)	(11)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	135	133
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Preferred Stock Securities
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	6,191	9,058
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	472	180
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(125)	(412)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	6,538	8,826
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | US Common Stock Securities
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	1,349,577	1,236,513
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	240,605	149,233
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(69,044)	(138,141)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	1,521,138	1,247,605
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | Canada Common Stock Securities
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	39,739	34,821
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	11,379	9,082
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(2,866)	(3,026)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	48,252	40,877
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | Other International Common Stock Securities
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	76,759	77,676
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	8,281	6,057
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(3,921)	(10,275)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	81,119	73,458
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | Equity Funds
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	769,779	760,887
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	13,971	7,104
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(88,424)	(151,853)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	695,326	616,138
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | Fixed Income Funds
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	1,230,610	1,180,325
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	18,331	800
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(39,873)	(89,179)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	1,209,068	1,091,946
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 | Other Investments
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	6,569	6,548
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	757	3,210
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	0	(3)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	$ 7,326	$ 9,755