Supplementary Insurance Information, for Insurance Companies Disclosure: Supplementary Insurance Information For Insurance Companies Disclosure Table Text Block (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Supplementary Insurance Information, Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Supplementary Insurance Information, Liability for Future Policy Benefits, Losses, Claims and Loss Expense Reserves	526,986	584,312	689,417
Supplementary Insurance Information, Unearned Premiums	6,666	9,786	10,236
Supplementary Insurance Information, Premium Revenue	282,266	262,704	479,534
Supplementary Insurance Information, Net Investment Income	16,276	16,570	17,237
Supplementary Insurance Information, Benefits, Claims, Losses and Settlement Expense	135,054	145,231	307,178
Supplementary Insurance Information, Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs	0	0	0
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Operating Expense	157,104	132,174	177,641
Supplementary Insurance Information, Premiums Written	279,121	262,903	479,701
Specialty Health Segment Member
Supplementary Insurance Information, Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs	0	0	0
Supplementary Insurance Information, Liability for Future Policy Benefits, Losses, Claims and Loss Expense Reserves	53,859	50,943	42,165
Supplementary Insurance Information, Unearned Premiums	3,292	6,320	7,005
Supplementary Insurance Information, Premium Revenue	181,851	154,397	171,912
Supplementary Insurance Information, Net Investment Income	5,299	3,272	1,813
Supplementary Insurance Information, Benefits, Claims, Losses and Settlement Expense	84,380	81,215	93,916
Supplementary Insurance Information, Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs	0	0	0
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Operating Expense	106,223	84,730	85,506
Supplementary Insurance Information, Premiums Written	179,164	154,333	171,731
Group disability, life and DBL Segment Member
Supplementary Insurance Information, Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs	0	0	0
Supplementary Insurance Information, Liability for Future Policy Benefits, Losses, Claims and Loss Expense Reserves	137,765	137,428	141,837
Supplementary Insurance Information, Unearned Premiums	3,193	3,305	3,060
Supplementary Insurance Information, Premium Revenue	99,953	96,190	85,953
Supplementary Insurance Information, Net Investment Income	6,469	6,469	3,699
Supplementary Insurance Information, Benefits, Claims, Losses and Settlement Expense	52,792	52,245	47,646
Supplementary Insurance Information, Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs	0	0	0
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Operating Expense	35,857	33,386	26,857
Supplementary Insurance Information, Premiums Written	99,495	96,454	86,304
Individual life annuities and other Segment Member
Supplementary Insurance Information, Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs	0	0	0
Supplementary Insurance Information, Liability for Future Policy Benefits, Losses, Claims and Loss Expense Reserves	333,105	341,181	405,327
Supplementary Insurance Information, Unearned Premiums	181	161	171
Supplementary Insurance Information, Premium Revenue	210	47	11,904
Supplementary Insurance Information, Net Investment Income	1,536	2,255	7,146
Supplementary Insurance Information, Benefits, Claims, Losses and Settlement Expense	241	1,344	11,697
Supplementary Insurance Information, Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs	0	0	0
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Operating Expense	2,411	3,952	15,544
Supplementary Insurance Information, Premiums Written	209	46	11,901
Medical Stop-Loss Segment Member
Supplementary Insurance Information, Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs	0	0	0
Supplementary Insurance Information, Liability for Future Policy Benefits, Losses, Claims and Loss Expense Reserves	2,257	54,760	100,088
Supplementary Insurance Information, Unearned Premiums	0	0	0
Supplementary Insurance Information, Premium Revenue	252	12,070	209,765
Supplementary Insurance Information, Net Investment Income	1,111	1,700	4,374
Supplementary Insurance Information, Benefits, Claims, Losses and Settlement Expense	(2,359)	10,427	153,919
Supplementary Insurance Information, Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs	0	0	0
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Operating Expense	2,127	(1,546)	41,392
Supplementary Insurance Information, Premiums Written	253	12,070	209,765
Corporate
Supplementary Insurance Information, Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs	0	0	0
Supplementary Insurance Information, Liability for Future Policy Benefits, Losses, Claims and Loss Expense Reserves	0	0	0
Supplementary Insurance Information, Unearned Premiums	0	0	0
Supplementary Insurance Information, Premium Revenue	0	0	0
Supplementary Insurance Information, Net Investment Income	1,861	2,874	205
Supplementary Insurance Information, Benefits, Claims, Losses and Settlement Expense	0	0	0
Supplementary Insurance Information, Amortization of Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs	0	0	0
Supplementary Insurance Information, Other Operating Expense	10,486	11,652	8,342
Supplementary Insurance Information, Premiums Written	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0