Reinsurance (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Reinsurance Disclosures [Abstract]

Ceded Credit Risk [Table Text Block]

The following table presents information for the Company's ceded reinsurance receivable assets, including the respective amount and A.M. Best rating for each reinsurer representing in excess of five percent of the total as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 (dollars in thousands):

		2014				2013
Reinsurer	A.M. Best Rating	Amount		% of Total		Amount		% of Total
Reinsurer A	A+	$	210,996	36.5	%	$	220,797	37.1	%
Reinsurer B	A+	74,412		12.9		70,579		11.9
Reinsurer C	A+	45,541		7.9		43,835		7.4
Reinsurer D	A	43,818		7.6		46,420		7.8
Reinsurer E	A++	43,154		7.5		39,884		6.7
Other reinsurers		160,285		27.6		173,000		29.1
Total		$	578,206	100.0	%	$	594,515	100.0	%

Reinsurance Premium And Effect On Claims And Other Policy Benefits [Table Text Block]

The effect of reinsurance on net premiums is as follows (dollars in thousands):

Years ended December 31,	2014			2013			2012
Direct	$	19,365		$	5,224		$	3,784
Reinsurance assumed	9,098,378			8,568,222			8,228,811
Reinsurance ceded	(447,889		)	(319,419		)	(325,999		)
Net premiums	$	8,669,854		$	8,254,027		$	7,906,596

The effect of reinsurance on claims and other policy benefits as follows (dollars in thousands):

Years ended December 31,	2014			2013			2012
Direct	$	32,564		$	8,078		$	3,694
Reinsurance assumed	7,805,984			7,515,524			6,912,942
Reinsurance ceded	(431,907		)	(219,270		)	(250,637		)
Net claims and other policy benefits	$	7,406,641		$	7,304,332		$	6,665,999

Reinsurance Information [Table Text Block]

The effect of reinsurance on life insurance in force is shown in the following schedule (dollars in millions):

	Direct		Assumed		Ceded		Net		Assumed/Net %
December 31, 2014	$	78	$	2,943,517	$	230,544	$	2,713,051	108.5	%
December 31, 2013	77		2,889,804		36,830		2,853,051		101.3
December 31, 2012	76		2,927,573		38,048		2,889,601		101.3