BUSINESS SEGMENTS (Details 2) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Segment Reporting Information
Interest income	$ 281,706	$ 254,162	$ 775,482	$ 774,574
Charge for funds used	(67,862)	(37,954)	(152,274)	(122,606)
Interest spread on funds used	213,844	216,208	623,208	651,968
Interest expense	(27,456)	(32,254)	(84,297)	(100,591)
Credit on funds provided	67,862	37,954	152,274	122,606
Interest spread on funds provided	40,406	5,700	67,977	22,015
Net interest income before provision for loan losses	254,250	221,908	691,185	673,983
Provision for loan losses	3,571	18,500	16,898	52,100	65,184
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	22,158	4,669	61,067	49,343
Goodwill	337,438	337,438	337,438	337,438	337,438
Segment pre-tax profit (loss)	108,906	105,203	327,286	317,392
Segment assets	24,498,835	21,813,165	24,498,835	21,813,165	22,536,110
Retail Banking
Segment Reporting Information
Interest income	97,488	87,603	274,255	266,224
Charge for funds used	(23,351)	(20,983)	(61,236)	(65,392)
Interest spread on funds used	74,137	66,620	213,019	200,832
Interest expense	(11,570)	(13,986)	(35,923)	(43,752)
Credit on funds provided	52,257	31,231	120,675	100,002
Interest spread on funds provided	40,687	17,245	84,752	56,250
Net interest income before provision for loan losses	114,824	83,865	297,771	257,082
Provision for loan losses	1,168	12,097	7,734	29,385
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	5,214	2,001	13,500	16,401
Goodwill	320,566	320,566	320,566	320,566
Segment pre-tax profit (loss)	36,498	14,223	87,918	54,465
Segment assets	7,523,832	6,366,341	7,523,832	6,366,341
Commercial Banking
Segment Reporting Information
Interest income	166,442	151,458	453,670	446,572
Charge for funds used	(29,241)	(29,088)	(85,197)	(88,759)
Interest spread on funds used	137,201	122,370	368,473	357,813
Interest expense	(3,456)	(5,959)	(11,773)	(18,221)
Credit on funds provided	9,803	3,115	19,137	9,531
Interest spread on funds provided	6,347	(2,844)	7,364	(8,690)
Net interest income before provision for loan losses	143,548	119,526	375,837	349,123
Provision for loan losses	2,403	6,403	9,164	22,715
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	1,911	(6,979)	2,537	3,679
Goodwill	16,872	16,872	16,872	16,872
Segment pre-tax profit (loss)	76,255	73,168	208,450	196,852
Segment assets	11,145,584	10,121,984	11,145,584	10,121,984
Other
Segment Reporting Information
Interest income	17,776	15,101	47,557	61,778
Charge for funds used	(15,270)	12,117	(5,841)	31,545
Interest spread on funds used	2,506	27,218	41,716	93,323
Interest expense	(12,430)	(12,309)	(36,601)	(38,618)
Credit on funds provided	5,802	3,608	12,462	13,073
Interest spread on funds provided	(6,628)	(8,701)	(24,139)	(25,545)
Net interest income before provision for loan losses	(4,122)	18,517	17,577	67,778
Depreciation, amortization and accretion	15,033	9,647	45,030	29,263
Segment pre-tax profit (loss)	(3,847)	17,812	30,918	66,075
Segment assets	$ 5,829,419	$ 5,324,840	$ 5,829,419	$ 5,324,840