Related Party Transactions (Details 2) (USD $)	12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended				0 Months Ended											0 Months Ended		0 Months Ended		12 Months Ended									12 Months Ended									3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended				3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011 AHL 7.00% Note, due 2017	Dec. 31, 2011 AHL 5.80% Note, due 2018	Dec. 31, 2012 Kennett	Dec. 31, 2011 Kennett	Dec. 31, 2010 Kennett	Aug. 01, 2005 Kennett 4.86% Recourse Note due July 1, 2035	Jun. 30, 2006 Kennett 5.98% Recourse Note due June 1, 2036	Jun. 30, 2008 Kennett 5.73% Recourse Note due June 1, 2038	Dec. 18, 2009 Kennett 5.19% Recourse Note due Dec 1, 2029	Dec. 31, 2012 Kennett 6.74% Surplus Note, due 2029	Dec. 31, 2011 Kennett 6.74% Surplus Note, due 2029	Dec. 31, 2012 Kennett 5.06% Surplus Note, due 2035	Dec. 31, 2011 Kennett 5.06% Surplus Note, due 2035	Dec. 31, 2012 Kennett 6.18% Surplus Note, due 2036	Dec. 31, 2011 Kennett 6.18% Surplus Note, due 2036	Dec. 31, 2012 Kennett 5.93% Surplus Note, due 2038	Dec. 31, 2011 Kennett 5.93% Surplus Note, due 2038	Dec. 18, 2009 ALIC Re Kennett 6.74% Surplus Note, due 2029	Aug. 01, 2005 ALIC Re Kennett 5.06% Surplus Note, due 2035	Jun. 30, 2006 ALIC Re Kennett 6.18% Surplus Note, due 2036	Jun. 30, 2008 ALIC Re Kennett 5.93% Surplus Note, due 2038	Dec. 31, 2012 AIC 5.75% Note One, due 2018	Dec. 31, 2011 AIC 5.75% Note One, due 2018	Mar. 31, 2011 AIC 5.75% Note One, due 2018	Dec. 31, 2012 AIC 5.75% Note Two, due 2018	Dec. 31, 2011 AIC 5.75% Note Two, due 2018	Apr. 30, 2011 AIC 5.75% Note Two, due 2018	Dec. 31, 2012 AIC 6.35% Note, due 2018	Dec. 31, 2011 AIC 6.35% Note, due 2018	Aug. 31, 2011 AIC 6.35% Note, due 2018	Dec. 31, 2012 AIC 7.00% Surplus Note, due 2028	Dec. 31, 2011 AIC 7.00% Surplus Note, due 2028	Dec. 31, 2010 AIC 7.00% Surplus Note, due 2028	Nov. 17, 2008 AIC 7.00% Surplus Note, due 2028	Apr. 30, 2011 RBI Mortgage loans	Mar. 31, 2011 RBI Real estate	Aug. 30, 2011 RBI Fixed income securities	Jun. 30, 2011 RBI AHL Mortgage loans	Mar. 31, 2010 RBI AHL Mortgage loans	Mar. 31, 2012 RBI AHL 7.00% Note, due 2017	Dec. 31, 2012 RBI AHL 7.00% Note, due 2017	Dec. 31, 2011 RBI AHL 7.00% Note, due 2017	Dec. 31, 2010 RBI AHL 7.00% Note, due 2017	Mar. 31, 2010 RBI AHL 7.00% Note, due 2017	Mar. 31, 2012 RBI AHL 5.80% Note, due 2018	Dec. 31, 2012 RBI AHL 5.80% Note, due 2018	Dec. 31, 2011 RBI AHL 5.80% Note, due 2018	Dec. 31, 2010 RBI AHL 5.80% Note, due 2018	Jun. 30, 2011 RBI AHL 5.80% Note, due 2018
Related Party Transactions
Notes due to related parties	$ 496,000,000	$ 700,000,000		$ 1,000,000	$ 3,000,000								$ 25,000,000	$ 25,000,000	$ 100,000,000	$ 100,000,000	$ 100,000,000	$ 100,000,000	$ 50,000,000	$ 50,000,000	$ 25,000,000	$ 100,000,000	$ 100,000,000	$ 50,000,000	$ 10,000,000	$ 10,000,000		$ 4,000,000	$ 4,000,000		$ 7,000,000	$ 7,000,000		$ 200,000,000	$ 400,000,000		$ 400,000,000
Notes payable interest rate (as a percent)				7.00%	5.80%				4.86%	5.98%	5.73%	5.19%	6.74%	6.74%	5.06%	5.06%	6.18%	6.18%	5.93%	5.93%	6.74%	5.06%	6.18%	5.93%	5.75%	5.75%	5.75%	5.75%	5.75%	5.75%	6.35%	6.35%	6.35%	7.00%	7.00%		7.00%										7.00%					5.80%
Notes payable interest rate reset period																					10 years		10 years	10 years
Reference rate for reset of notes payable interest rate																					current ten year Constant Maturity Treasury yield		current ten year Constant Maturity Treasury yield	current ten year Constant Maturity Treasury yield
Basis spread over reference rate for reset of notes payable interest rate (as a percent)																					3.25%		1.14%	2.09%
Recourse notes receivable interest rate reset period										10 years	10 years	10 years
Reference rate for reset of notes receivable interest rate										current ten year Constant Maturity Treasury yield	current ten year Constant Maturity Treasury yield	current ten year Constant Maturity Treasury yield
Basis spread over reference rate for reset of notes receivable interest rate (as a percent)										0.94%	1.89%	1.70%
Net investment income on recourse notes	2,711,000,000	2,739,000,000	2,866,000,000			15,000,000	15,000,000	15,000,000
Interest expense						16,000,000	16,000,000	16,000,000																	1,000,000	745,000								27,000,000	28,000,000	28,000,000													31,000	184,000	218,000
Fair value																																						4,000,000	10,000,000	7,000,000	3,000,000	6,000,000
Repayment of principal amount																																		$ 200,000,000									$ 1,000,000	$ 1,000,000	$ 1,000,000	$ 4,000,000		$ 3,000,000	$ 3,000,000