FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS (DETAILS 3) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011
Fixed Maturities [Member]
Changes in Level 3 Financial Instruments Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Balance at beginning of period	$ 51,965	$ 56,334	$ 50,878	$ 64,406
Transfers into Level 3	0	0	0	0
Transfers out of Level 3	0	0	0	(7,509)
Included in earnings	0	0	0	0
Included in OCI	164	1,573	1,427	1,627
Purchases	0	0	0	0
Sales	0	0	0	0
Settlements / distributions	(635)	(356)	(811)	(973)
Balance at end of period	51,494	57,551	51,494	57,551
Change in unrealized investment gain/loss relating to assets held at the reporting date	0	0	0	0
Other Investments [Member]
Changes in Level 3 Financial Instruments Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Balance at beginning of period	425,694	554,113	412,804	519,296
Transfers into Level 3	0	0	0	0
Transfers out of Level 3	0	0	0	0
Included in earnings	(627)	11,511	24,295	36,542
Included in OCI	0	0	0	0
Purchases	0	75,000	0	120,000
Sales	0	0	0	(27,063)
Settlements / distributions	(8,979)	(16,974)	(21,011)	(25,125)
Balance at end of period	416,088	623,650	416,088	623,650
Change in unrealized investment gain/loss relating to assets held at the reporting date	(627)	11,511	24,295	36,774
Total Assets [Member]
Changes in Level 3 Financial Instruments Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Balance at beginning of period	477,659	610,447	463,682	583,702
Transfers into Level 3	0	0	0	0
Transfers out of Level 3	0	0	0	(7,509)
Included in earnings	(627)	11,511	24,295	36,542
Included in OCI	164	1,573	1,427	1,627
Purchases	0	75,000	0	120,000
Sales	0	0	0	(27,063)
Settlements / distributions	(9,614)	(17,330)	(21,822)	(26,098)
Balance at end of period	467,582	681,201	467,582	681,201
Change in unrealized investment gain/loss relating to assets held at the reporting date	(627)	11,511	24,295	36,774
Corporate Debt [Member] | Fixed Maturities [Member]
Changes in Level 3 Financial Instruments Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Balance at beginning of period	1,550	1,550	1,550	1,550
Transfers into Level 3	0	0	0	0
Transfers out of Level 3	0	0	0	0
Included in earnings	0	0	0	0
Included in OCI	0	0	0	0
Purchases	0	0	0	0
Sales	0	0	0	0
Settlements / distributions	0	0	0	0
Balance at end of period	1,550	1,550	1,550	1,550
Change in unrealized investment gain/loss relating to assets held at the reporting date	0	0	0	0
Non-Agency RMBS [Member] | Fixed Maturities [Member]
Changes in Level 3 Financial Instruments Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Balance at beginning of period	0	11,606	0	19,678
Transfers into Level 3	0	0	0	0
Transfers out of Level 3	0	0	0	(7,509)
Included in earnings	0	0	0	0
Included in OCI	0	18	0	72
Purchases	0	0	0	0
Sales	0	0	0	0
Settlements / distributions	0	(356)	0	(973)
Balance at end of period	0	11,268	0	11,268
Change in unrealized investment gain/loss relating to assets held at the reporting date	0	0	0	0
ABS [Member] | Fixed Maturities [Member]
Changes in Level 3 Financial Instruments Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Balance at beginning of period	50,415	43,178	49,328	43,178
Transfers into Level 3	0	0	0	0
Transfers out of Level 3	0	0	0	0
Included in earnings	0	0	0	0
Included in OCI	164	1,555	1,427	1,555
Purchases	0	0	0	0
Sales	0	0	0	0
Settlements / distributions	(635)	0	(811)	0
Balance at end of period	49,944	44,733	49,944	44,733
Change in unrealized investment gain/loss relating to assets held at the reporting date	0	0	0	0
Hedge funds [Member] | Other Investments [Member]
Changes in Level 3 Financial Instruments Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Balance at beginning of period	314,603	389,645	296,101	358,277
Transfers into Level 3	0	0	0	0
Transfers out of Level 3	0	0	0	0
Included in earnings	(8,870)	(457)	9,632	7,496
Included in OCI	0	0	0	0
Purchases	0	75,000	0	120,000
Sales	0	0	0	(21,585)
Settlements / distributions	(3)	(2,609)	(3)	(2,609)
Balance at end of period	305,730	461,579	305,730	461,579
Change in unrealized investment gain/loss relating to assets held at the reporting date	(8,870)	(457)	9,632	7,496
Credit funds [Member] | Other Investments [Member]
Changes in Level 3 Financial Instruments Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Balance at beginning of period	50,183	104,207	50,143	104,756
Transfers into Level 3	0	0	0	0
Transfers out of Level 3	0	0	0	0
Included in earnings	(1,391)	255	1,639	5,184
Included in OCI	0	0	0	0
Purchases	0	0	0	0
Sales	0	0	0	(5,478)
Settlements / distributions	0	(5,668)	(2,990)	(5,668)
Balance at end of period	48,792	98,794	48,792	98,794
Change in unrealized investment gain/loss relating to assets held at the reporting date	(1,391)	255	1,639	5,416
CLO-Equities [Member] | Other Investments [Member]
Changes in Level 3 Financial Instruments Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis [Line Items]
Balance at beginning of period	60,908	60,261	66,560	56,263
Transfers into Level 3	0	0	0	0
Transfers out of Level 3	0	0	0	0
Included in earnings	9,634	11,713	13,024	23,862
Included in OCI	0	0	0	0
Purchases	0	0	0	0
Sales	0	0	0	0
Settlements / distributions	(8,976)	(8,697)	(18,018)	(16,848)
Balance at end of period	61,566	63,277	61,566	63,277
Change in unrealized investment gain/loss relating to assets held at the reporting date	$ 9,634	$ 11,713	$ 13,024	$ 23,862