AVAILABLE-FOR-SALE SECURITIES (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

AVAILABLE-FOR-SALE SECURITIES [Abstract]

Amortized cost and estimated fair values of available-for-sale securities

	2014
		Gross	Gross	Estimated
	Amortized	Unrealized	Unrealized	Fair
	Cost	Gains	Losses	Value
	(In thousands)
U.S. Government agencies	$   1,213,310	$        4,093	$        2,349	$   1,215,054
Government agency issued residential
mortgage-backed securities	204,918	4,751	439	209,230
Government agency issued commercial
mortgage-backed securities	241,449	2,319	3,200	240,568
Obligations of states and political subdivisions	458,026	25,986	148	483,864
Other	6,864	1,347	-	8,211
Total	$   2,124,567	$      38,496	$        6,136	$   2,156,927
	2013
		Gross	Gross	Estimated
	Amortized	Unrealized	Unrealized	Fair
	Cost	Gains	Losses	Value
	(In thousands)
U.S. Government agencies	$   1,455,417	$        9,065	$        6,133	$   1,458,349
Government agency issued residential
mortgage-backed securities	249,682	3,118	2,566	250,234
Government agency issued commercial
mortgage-backed securities	239,313	1,773	10,174	230,912
Obligations of states and political subdivisions	509,255	12,883	2,733	519,405
Other	6,941	1,148	-	8,089
Total	$   2,460,608	$      27,987	$      21,606	$   2,466,989

Amortized cost and estimated fair value of available-for-sale securities by contractual maturity

		Estimated	Weighted
	Amortized	Fair	Average
	Cost	Value	Yield
	(Dollars in thousands)
Maturing in one year or less	$      305,125	$      306,995	1.44	%
Maturing after one year through five years	1,036,760	1,038,685	1.30
Maturing after five years through ten years	53,547	55,447	4.90
Maturing after ten years	282,768	306,002	6.00
Mortgage-backed securities	446,367	449,798	2.07
Total	$   2,124,567	$   2,156,927

Temporarily impaired available-for-sale securities with continuous unrealized loss positions

	2014
	Less Than 12 Months		12 Months or Longer		Total
	Fair	Unrealized	Fair	Unrealized	Fair	Unrealized
	Value	Losses	Value	Losses	Value	Losses
	(In thousands)
U.S. Government agencies	$        237,891	$               471	$           283,643	$            1,878	$         521,534	$            2,349
Government agency issued residential
mortgage-backed securities	-	-	24,565	439	24,565	439
Government agency issued commercial
mortgage-backed securities	3,822	24	203,520	3,176	207,342	3,200
Obligations of states and political subdivisions	17,317	62	10,616	86	27,933	148
Total	$        259,030	$               557	$           522,344	$            5,579	$         781,374	$            6,136
	2013
	Less Than 12 Months		12 Months or Longer		Total
	Fair	Unrealized	Fair	Unrealized	Fair	Unrealized
	Value	Losses	Value	Losses	Value	Losses
	(In thousands)
U.S. Government agencies	$        533,326	$            6,133	$                      -	$                   -	$         533,326	$            6,133
Government agency issued residential
mortgage-backed securities	106,179	2,418	4,407	148	110,586	2,566
Government agency issued commercial
mortgage-backed securities	176,253	8,578	27,225	1,596	203,478	10,174
Obligations of states and political subdivisions	97,543	2,555	3,663	178	101,206	2,733
Total	$        913,301	$          19,684	$             35,295	$            1,922	$         948,596	$          21,606