Derivative Instruments (Financial Statement Classification and Impact of Derivatives Used in Qualifying and Non-qualifying Hedge Relationships) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Realized Investment Gains (Losses)
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	$ (7,907)	$ (8,156)	$ 804,087	$ (124,318)
Net Investment Income
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	855	845	3,143	2,094
Other Income
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	(822)	2,190	(1,123)	2,204
AOCI
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	(6,848)	15,774	(16,976)	28,675
Derivatives Designated as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Cash flow hedges | Realized Investment Gains (Losses)
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	0	0	0	0
Derivatives Designated as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Cash flow hedges | Net Investment Income
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	855	845	3,143	2,094
Derivatives Designated as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Cash flow hedges | Other Income
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	(828)	2,135	(1,072)	2,051
Derivatives Designated as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Cash flow hedges | AOCI
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	(6,848)	15,774	(16,976)	28,675
Derivatives Designated as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Cash flow hedges | Currency/Interest Rate | Realized Investment Gains (Losses)
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	0	0	0	0
Derivatives Designated as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Cash flow hedges | Currency/Interest Rate | Net Investment Income
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	855	845	3,143	2,094
Derivatives Designated as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Cash flow hedges | Currency/Interest Rate | Other Income
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	(828)	2,135	(1,072)	2,051
Derivatives Designated as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Cash flow hedges | Currency/Interest Rate | AOCI
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	(6,848)	15,774	(16,976)	28,675
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Realized Investment Gains (Losses)
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	(7,907)	(8,156)	804,087	(124,318)
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Net Investment Income
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	0	0	0	0
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Other Income
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	6	55	(51)	153
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | AOCI
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	0	0	0	0
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Interest Rate | Realized Investment Gains (Losses)
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	(628)	150,414	191,250	101,141
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Interest Rate | Net Investment Income
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	0	0	0	0
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Interest Rate | Other Income
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	0	0	0	0
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Interest Rate | AOCI
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	0	0	0	0
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Currency | Realized Investment Gains (Losses)
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	146	65	1,031	117
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Currency | Net Investment Income
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	0	0	0	0
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Currency | Other Income
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	0	0	0	0
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Currency | AOCI
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	0	0	0	0
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Currency/Interest Rate | Realized Investment Gains (Losses)
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	1,408	5,733	8,243	10,283
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Currency/Interest Rate | Net Investment Income
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	0	0	0	0
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Currency/Interest Rate | Other Income
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	6	55	(51)	153
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Currency/Interest Rate | AOCI
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	0	0	0	0
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Credit | Realized Investment Gains (Losses)
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	(157)	300	(524)	137
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Credit | Net Investment Income
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	0	0	0	0
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Credit | Other Income
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	0	0	0	0
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Credit | AOCI
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	0	0	0	0
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Equity | Realized Investment Gains (Losses)
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	2,063	39,537	(3,177)	18,368
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Equity | Net Investment Income
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	0	0	0	0
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Equity | Other Income
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	0	0	0	0
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Equity | AOCI
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	0	0	0	0
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Embedded Derivatives | Realized Investment Gains (Losses)
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	(10,739)	(204,205)	607,264	(254,364)
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Embedded Derivatives | Net Investment Income
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	0	0	0	0
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Embedded Derivatives | Other Income
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	0	0	0	0
Derivatives Not Qualifying as Hedge Accounting Instruments: | Embedded Derivatives | AOCI
Derivative Instruments, Gain (Loss) [Line Items]
Derivative, gain (loss) on derivatives, net	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0