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Employee Benefit Plans (Fair Value Measurement Levels For Qualified Plan Assets) (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Cash $ 323,975us-gaap_Cash $ 316,807us-gaap_Cash
Short-term investments 564,364us-gaap_OtherShortTermInvestments 757,162us-gaap_OtherShortTermInvestments
Percent of equities mutual funds in US equities 90.00%cik0000914748_RatioOfEquitiesMutualFundsInUsEquities 90.00%cik0000914748_RatioOfEquitiesMutualFundsInUsEquities
Percent of equities mutual funds in international equities 10.00%cik0000914748_RatioOfEquitiesMutualFundsInInternationalEquities 10.00%cik0000914748_RatioOfEquitiesMutualFundsInInternationalEquities
Pension Benefits [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Short-term investments, which approximate fair value 14,328us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
10,590us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Multi-strategy equity fund, fair value 10,629cik0000914748_MultiStrategyEquityFundFairValue
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
10,765cik0000914748_MultiStrategyEquityFundFairValue
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Private equity limited partnerships 11,423cik0000914748_PrivateEquityLimitedPartnership
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
9,156cik0000914748_PrivateEquityLimitedPartnership
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Total 157,090us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsAndShortTermInvestments
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
152,446us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsAndShortTermInvestments
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Percent of fixed income funds in US securities 50.00%cik0000914748_PercentOfFixedIncomeFundsInUsSecurities
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
50.00%cik0000914748_PercentOfFixedIncomeFundsInUsSecurities
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Percent of fixed income funds in international securities 50.00%cik0000914748_PercentOfFixedIncomeFundsInInternationalSecurities
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
50.00%cik0000914748_PercentOfFixedIncomeFundsInInternationalSecurities
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Pension Benefits [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Short-term investments, which approximate fair value 14,328us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
10,590us-gaap_ShortTermInvestments
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
Total 135,037us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsAndShortTermInvestments
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
132,525us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsAndShortTermInvestments
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
Pension Benefits [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Cash      
Short-term investments, which approximate fair value      
Multi-strategy equity fund, fair value      
Private equity limited partnerships      
Total      
Pension Benefits [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Multi-strategy equity fund, fair value 10,629cik0000914748_MultiStrategyEquityFundFairValue
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
10,765cik0000914748_MultiStrategyEquityFundFairValue
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Private equity limited partnerships 11,423cik0000914748_PrivateEquityLimitedPartnership
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
9,156cik0000914748_PrivateEquityLimitedPartnership
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Total 22,053us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsAndShortTermInvestments
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
19,921us-gaap_CashCashEquivalentsAndShortTermInvestments
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Pension Benefits [Member] | Fixed Maturities [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Mutual funds, fair value 23,948cik0000914748_MutualFundsFairValue
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_FixedIncomeFundsMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
24,630cik0000914748_MutualFundsFairValue
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_FixedIncomeFundsMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Pension Benefits [Member] | Fixed Maturities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Mutual funds, fair value 23,948cik0000914748_MutualFundsFairValue
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_FixedIncomeFundsMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
24,630cik0000914748_MutualFundsFairValue
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_FixedIncomeFundsMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
Pension Benefits [Member] | Fixed Maturities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Mutual funds, fair value      
Pension Benefits [Member] | Equity Securities [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Mutual funds, fair value 96,762cik0000914748_MutualFundsFairValue
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
97,305cik0000914748_MutualFundsFairValue
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Pension Benefits [Member] | Equity Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Mutual funds, fair value 96,762cik0000914748_MutualFundsFairValue
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
97,305cik0000914748_MutualFundsFairValue
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_PensionPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
Pension Benefits [Member] | Equity Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]    
Mutual funds, fair value