Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs

A summary of information relative to deferred policy acquisition costs (DPAC) is provided in the table below.

	Years Ended December 31,
	2012			2011		2010
	(In thousands)
Deferred policy acquisition costs, beginning of year	$	722,542		691,939		626,440
Policy acquisition costs deferred:
Agents' commissions	121,900			171,763		184,616
Other	6,617			9,755		7,185
Total costs deferred	128,517			181,518		191,801
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs	(121,922		)	(133,088	)	(96,449	)
Adjustments for unrealized (gains) losses on investment securities	(23,740		)	(17,827	)	(29,853	)
Deferred policy acquisition costs, end of year	$	705,397		722,542		691,939

Summary of Direct Premiums and Deposits Collected

A summary of direct premiums and deposits collected is provided below.

	Years Ended December 31,
	2012		2011	2010
	(In thousands)
Annuity deposits	$	864,719	1,390,990	1,431,011
Universal life insurance deposits	248,118		202,774	179,682
Traditional life and other premiums	21,476		20,978	19,385
Totals	$	1,134,313	1,614,742	1,630,078

Schedule of Movement in Deferred Sales Inducement

A summary of information relative to deferred sales inducements is provided in the table below.

	Years Ended December 31,
	2012			2011		2010
	(In thousands)
Deferred sales inducements, beginning of year	$	155,753		143,844		122,232
Sales inducement costs deferred	31,758			46,709		51,093
Amortization of sales inducements	(27,261		)	(29,819	)	(22,108	)
Adjustments for unrealized (gains) losses on investment securities	(7,406		)	(4,981	)	(7,373	)
Deferred sales inducements, end of year	$	152,844		155,753		143,844

Statutory Accounting Practices Disclosure

The table below provides the Company’s net gain from operations, net income, unassigned surplus (retained earnings) and capital and surplus (stockholders' equity), on the statutory basis used to report to regulatory authorities for the years ended December 31.

	2012		2011	2010
	(In thousands)
Net gain from operations before Federal and foreign income taxes	$	130,644	78,283	106,966
Net income	84,473		53,901	76,954
Unassigned surplus	961,054		859,074	821,097
Capital and surplus	1,004,766		922,522	878,451

The following assets were on deposit with state and other regulatory authorities as required by law, at the end of each year.

	December 31,
	2012		2011
	(In thousands)
Debt securities held to maturity	$	15,399	14,913
Debt securities available for sale	823		1,304
Short-term investments	475		475
Totals	$	16,697	16,692