Goodwill (Goodwill By Segment For Impairment Test) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, gross, beginning balance		$ 2,491,559	$ 2,434,881
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance		(1,650,320)	(1,650,320)
Goodwill, beginning balance		841,239	784,561
Acquisitions		7,885	80,251
Dispositions		(2,532)	(15,451)
Foreign currency translation and other		(13,080)	(8,122)
Goodwill, gross, ending balance		2,483,832	2,491,559
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance		(1,650,320)	(1,650,320)
Goodwill, ending balance		833,512	841,239
Solutions
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, gross, beginning balance	[1]	1,800,592	1,757,140
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance	[1]	(1,260,939)	(1,260,939)
Goodwill, beginning balance	[1]	539,653	496,201
Acquisitions	[1]	2,520	51,574
Dispositions	[1]	0	0
Foreign currency translation and other	[1]	(13,080)	(8,122)
Goodwill, gross, ending balance	[1]	1,790,032	1,800,592
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	[1]	(1,260,939)	(1,260,939)
Goodwill, ending balance	[1]	529,093	539,653
Specialty Property
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, gross, beginning balance		301,586	288,360
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance		0	0
Goodwill, beginning balance		301,586	288,360
Acquisitions		5,365	28,677
Dispositions		(2,532)	(15,451)
Foreign currency translation and other		0	0
Goodwill, gross, ending balance		304,419	301,586
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance		0	0
Goodwill, ending balance		304,419	301,586
Health
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, gross, beginning balance		204,303	204,303
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance		(204,303)	(204,303)
Goodwill, beginning balance		0	0
Acquisitions		0	0
Dispositions		0	0
Foreign currency translation and other		0	0
Goodwill, gross, ending balance		204,303	204,303
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance		(204,303)	(204,303)
Goodwill, ending balance		0	0
Employee Benefits
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, gross, beginning balance		185,078	185,078
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance		(185,078)	(185,078)
Goodwill, beginning balance		0	0
Acquisitions		0	0
Dispositions		0	0
Foreign currency translation and other		0	0
Goodwill, gross, ending balance		185,078	185,078
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance		(185,078)	(185,078)
Goodwill, ending balance		$ 0	$ 0

[1] The accumulated impairment loss relates to an acquisition made in 1999. The entity acquired had businesses that currently are primarily represented by the Assurant Solutions and Assurant Specialty Property segments. Prior to 2006, the Assurant Solutions and Assurant Specialty Property segments were combined and together called Assurant Solutions. Thus, the entire goodwill impairment recognized in 2002 due to the adoption of FAS 142 is included in the tables under the Assurant Solutions segment.