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Employee Benefit Plans (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Estimated transition obligation amortized from accumulated other comprehensive income into net public benefit cost over the next year $ 0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAmortizationOfNetTransitionAssetObligation    
Estimated actuarial loss amortized from accumulated other comprehensive income into net periodic benefit cost over the next year 9,005us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFutureAmortizationOfGainLoss    
Amortization of unrecognized prior service cost 21us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAmortizationOfPriorServiceCostCredit    
Weighted average discount rate used to determine net periodic benefit cost 5.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostDiscountRate 4.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostDiscountRate 4.60%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostDiscountRate
Rate of compensation increase to determine the net periodic benefit cost 4.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationRateOfCompensationIncrease 4.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationRateOfCompensationIncrease 4.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationRateOfCompensationIncrease
Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets 7.50%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets 7.50%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets 7.75%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets
Weighted average discount rates used to determine actuarial present value of the projected benefit obligation 4.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate 5.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate 4.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate
Defined contribution plans, employer contribution plans, employer contribution percentage, maximum 3.00%cik0000914748_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerContributionPercentageMaximum    
Defined contribution plans, employer contribution percentage, for new hires, minimum 3.00%cik0000914748_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerContributionPercentageForNewHiresMinimum    
Defined contribution plans, employer contribution percentage, for new hires, maximum 8.00%cik0000914748_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerContributionPercentageForNewHiresMaximum    
Vested contribution after three years, percentage 100.00%cik0000914748_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerContributionPercentageVestedAfterThreeYears    
Defined contribution plans vesting period, years 3 years    
Defined contribution plan employer contribution percentage for branch offices, minimum 5.70%cik0000914748_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerContributionPercentageForBranchOfficesMinimum    
Defined contribution plan employer contribution percentage for branch offices, maximum 8.40%cik0000914748_DefinedContributionPlanEmployerContributionPercentageForBranchOfficesMaximum    
Post-Retirement Plan [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Estimated transition obligation amortized from accumulated other comprehensive income into net public benefit cost over the next year 0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAmortizationOfNetTransitionAssetObligation
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
   
Estimated actuarial loss amortized from accumulated other comprehensive income into net periodic benefit cost over the next year 843us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanFutureAmortizationOfGainLoss
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
   
Amortization of unrecognized prior service cost $ 0us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAmortizationOfPriorServiceCostCredit
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
   
Weighted average discount rate used to determine net periodic benefit cost 5.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostDiscountRate
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
4.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostDiscountRate
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
4.60%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostDiscountRate
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Weighted average discount rates used to determine actuarial present value of the projected benefit obligation 4.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
5.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
4.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingBenefitObligationDiscountRate
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
Pre-Medicare Claims [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Health inflation rate 7.20%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanUltimateHealthCareCostTrendRate
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= cik0000914748_PreMedicareClaimsMember
   
Health inflation rate decreased 4.50%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanHealthCareCostTrendRateAssumedForNextFiscalYear
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= cik0000914748_PreMedicareClaimsMember
   
Post-Medicare Claims [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Health inflation rate 6.30%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanUltimateHealthCareCostTrendRate
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= cik0000914748_PostMedicareClaimsMember
   
Health inflation rate decreased 4.50%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanHealthCareCostTrendRateAssumedForNextFiscalYear
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= cik0000914748_PostMedicareClaimsMember
   
Equity Securities [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Plan assets consist of shares in investment trusts, percentage 76.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
   
Target asset allocation percentage 70.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
   
Fixed Maturities [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Plan assets consist of shares in investment trusts, percentage 15.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_FixedIncomeFundsMember
   
Cash [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Plan assets consist of shares in investment trusts, percentage 9.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanWeightedAverageAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_CashMember
   
Bonds [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Target asset allocation percentage 30.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanTargetPlanAssetAllocations
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis
= us-gaap_BondsMember