Fair value measurements (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities	$ 624,422	$ 671,441
Equity securities	37,667
Investments in debt and equity securities	662,089	709,355
Investments in securities		709,355
Municipal
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities	61,703	72,669
Corporate
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities	340,919	357,933
Foreign
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities	209,329	228,237
U.S. Treasury Bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities	12,471	12,602
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Equity securities	37,667
Investments in debt and equity securities	662,089
Investments in securities		709,355
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Level 1
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Equity securities	37,667
Investments in debt and equity securities	37,667
Investments in securities		37,914
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Level 2
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Equity securities	0
Investments in debt and equity securities	624,422
Investments in securities		671,441
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Municipal
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities	61,703
Investments in securities		72,669
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Municipal | Level 1
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities	0
Investments in securities		0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Municipal | Level 2
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities	61,703
Investments in securities		72,669
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Corporate
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities	340,919
Investments in securities		357,933
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Corporate | Level 1
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities	0
Investments in securities		0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Corporate | Level 2
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities	340,919
Investments in securities		357,933
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Foreign
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities	209,329
Investments in securities		228,237
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Foreign | Level 1
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities	0
Investments in securities		0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Foreign | Level 2
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities	209,329
Investments in securities		228,237
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | U.S. Treasury Bonds
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities	12,471
Investments in securities		12,602
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | U.S. Treasury Bonds | Level 1
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities	0
Investments in securities		0
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | U.S. Treasury Bonds | Level 2
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Debt securities	$ 12,471
Investments in securities		12,602
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Equity securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments in securities		37,914
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Equity securities | Level 1
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments in securities		37,914
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Equity securities | Level 2
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Investments in securities		$ 0