Investments - Assets Measured at Fair Value on Recurring Basis (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	$ 18,797,674	$ 16,297,932
Percentage of total	100.00%	100.00%
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Percentage of total	0.00%	0.00%
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Percentage of total	96.00%	96.00%
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Percentage of total	4.00%	4.00%
Fixed maturities available for sale
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	$ 18,797,674	$ 16,297,932
Fixed maturities available for sale | U.S. Government direct, guaranteed, and government-sponsored enterprises
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	448,625	392,668
Fixed maturities available for sale | States, municipalities, and political subdivisions
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	1,633,814	1,436,660
Fixed maturities available for sale | Foreign governments
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	26,772	20,816
Fixed maturities available for sale | Corporates
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	16,460,052	14,226,012
Fixed maturities available for sale | Corporates | Financial
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	4,725,622	3,935,128
Fixed maturities available for sale | Corporates | Utilities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	2,392,496	2,182,953
Fixed maturities available for sale | Corporates | Energy
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	1,892,364	1,684,209
Fixed maturities available for sale | Corporates | Other corporate sectors
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	7,449,570	6,423,722
Fixed maturities available for sale | Collateralized debt obligations
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	78,161	73,369
Fixed maturities available for sale | Other asset-backed securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	150,250	148,407
Fixed maturities available for sale | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	25	0
Fixed maturities available for sale | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | U.S. Government direct, guaranteed, and government-sponsored enterprises
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	0	0
Fixed maturities available for sale | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | States, municipalities, and political subdivisions
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	0	0
Fixed maturities available for sale | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Foreign governments
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	0	0
Fixed maturities available for sale | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Corporates
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	25	0
Fixed maturities available for sale | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Corporates | Financial
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	0	0
Fixed maturities available for sale | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Corporates | Utilities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	0	0
Fixed maturities available for sale | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Corporates | Energy
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	0	0
Fixed maturities available for sale | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Corporates | Other corporate sectors
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	25	0
Fixed maturities available for sale | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Collateralized debt obligations
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	0	0
Fixed maturities available for sale | Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Other asset-backed securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	0	0
Fixed maturities available for sale | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	18,128,064	15,658,110
Fixed maturities available for sale | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | U.S. Government direct, guaranteed, and government-sponsored enterprises
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	448,625	392,668
Fixed maturities available for sale | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | States, municipalities, and political subdivisions
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	1,633,814	1,436,660
Fixed maturities available for sale | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Foreign governments
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	26,772	20,816
Fixed maturities available for sale | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Corporates
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	15,882,285	13,672,541
Fixed maturities available for sale | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Corporates | Financial
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	4,680,315	3,891,728
Fixed maturities available for sale | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Corporates | Utilities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	2,234,140	2,032,127
Fixed maturities available for sale | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Corporates | Energy
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	1,850,580	1,645,077
Fixed maturities available for sale | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Corporates | Other corporate sectors
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	7,117,250	6,103,609
Fixed maturities available for sale | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Collateralized debt obligations
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	0	0
Fixed maturities available for sale | Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Other asset-backed securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	136,568	135,425
Fixed maturities available for sale | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	669,585	639,822
Fixed maturities available for sale | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | U.S. Government direct, guaranteed, and government-sponsored enterprises
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	0	0
Fixed maturities available for sale | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | States, municipalities, and political subdivisions
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	0	0
Fixed maturities available for sale | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Foreign governments
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	0	0
Fixed maturities available for sale | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Corporates
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	577,742	553,471
Fixed maturities available for sale | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Corporates | Financial
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	45,307	43,400
Fixed maturities available for sale | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Corporates | Utilities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	158,356	150,826
Fixed maturities available for sale | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Corporates | Energy
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	41,784	39,132
Fixed maturities available for sale | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Corporates | Other corporate sectors
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	332,295	320,113
Fixed maturities available for sale | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Collateralized debt obligations
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	78,161	73,369
Fixed maturities available for sale | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) | Other asset-backed securities
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value	$ 13,682	$ 12,982