Income Taxes - Significant Portions of Deferred Tax Assets and Deferred Tax Liabilities (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Deferred tax assets:
Fixed maturity investments	$ 16,098	$ 12,925
Carryover of tax losses	2,266	3,036
Total gross deferred tax assets	18,364	15,961
Deferred tax liabilities:
Unrealized gains	128,683	522,219
Employee and agent compensation	83,229	74,088
Deferred acquisition costs	921,799	874,817
Future policy benefits, unearned and advance premiums, and policy claims	340,854	331,408
Other liabilities	17,176	4,732
Total gross deferred tax liabilities	1,491,741	1,807,264
Net deferred tax liability	$ 1,473,377	$ 1,791,303