Fair Value Disclosures (Carrying Value And Fair Value Of The Financial Instruments That Are Not Recognized Or Are Not Carried At Fair Value) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Funds withheld under reinsurance		$ 111,721	$ 94,417
Nonrecurring
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans on real estate		634,872	1,201,806
Policy loans		38,533	43,858
Other investments		36,272	27,534
Total financial assets		709,677	1,273,198
Individual and group annuities, subject to discretionary withdrawal	[1]	680,409	676,586
Funds withheld under reinsurance		111,721	94,417
Debt		1,159,744	1,250,602
Total financial liabilities		1,951,874	2,021,605
Level 1 | Nonrecurring
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans on real estate		0	0
Policy loans		38,533	43,858
Other investments		0	0
Total financial assets		38,533	43,858
Individual and group annuities, subject to discretionary withdrawal	[1]	0	0
Funds withheld under reinsurance		111,721	94,417
Debt		0	0
Total financial liabilities		111,721	94,417
Level 2 | Nonrecurring
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans on real estate		0	0
Policy loans		0	0
Other investments		0	0
Total financial assets		0	0
Individual and group annuities, subject to discretionary withdrawal	[1]	0	0
Funds withheld under reinsurance		0	0
Debt		1,159,744	1,250,602
Total financial liabilities		1,159,744	1,250,602
Level 3 | Nonrecurring
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans on real estate		634,872	1,201,806
Policy loans		0	0
Other investments		36,272	27,534
Total financial assets		671,144	1,229,340
Individual and group annuities, subject to discretionary withdrawal	[1]	680,409	676,586
Funds withheld under reinsurance		0	0
Debt		0	0
Total financial liabilities		680,409	676,586
Carrying Value | Nonrecurring
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Commercial mortgage loans on real estate		624,033	1,151,256
Policy loans		38,533	43,858
Other investments		36,272	27,534
Total financial assets		698,838	1,222,648
Individual and group annuities, subject to discretionary withdrawal	[1]	650,989	666,068
Funds withheld under reinsurance		111,721	94,417
Debt		1,067,020	1,164,656
Total financial liabilities		$ 1,829,730	$ 1,925,141

[1] Only the fair value of the Company’s policy reserves for investment-type contracts (those without significant mortality or morbidity risk) are reflected in the table above.