FDIC-ASSISTED TRANSACTIONS (Schedule of Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed in United Western Acquisition) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended							3 Months Ended				1 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2008	Mar. 31, 2011 United Western Bank [Member]	Jan. 21, 2011 United Western Bank [Member]	Jan. 21, 2011 United Western Bank [Member] As Recorded By United Western [Member]		Jan. 21, 2011 United Western Bank [Member] Fair Value Adjustments [Member]		Jan. 21, 2011 United Western Bank [Member] Subsequent Acquisition Date Adjustments [Member]		Jan. 21, 2011 United Western Bank [Member] As Recorded By FCB [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Cash and due from banks		$ 590,801		$ 460,178						$ 420,902		$ 0		$ 0		$ 420,902
Investment securities available for sale		4,056,423		4,510,076						281,862		0		0		281,862
Loans covered by loss share agreements		2,362,152	[1]	2,007,452	[1]				759,351	1,034,074	[2]	(278,913)	[2],[3]	4,190	[2],[4]	759,351	[2]
Other real estate owned covered by loss share agreements		50,399		52,842						37,812		(10,252)	[5]	(1,469)	[4]	26,091
Income earned not collected		42,216		83,644						5,275		0		0		5,275
Receivable from FDIC for loss share agreements		539,511		623,261		249,842	0			0		140,285	[6]	(2,832)	[4]	137,453
FHLB stock		58,508		67,103						22,783		0				22,783
Mortgage Servicing Rights										4,925		(1,489)	[7]	0		3,436
Core deposit intangible										0		537	[8]	0		537
Other assets		286,430		258,524						15,421		109	[9]	(991)	[4]	14,539
Total assets acquired		20,881,493		20,806,659						1,823,054		(149,723)		(1,102)		1,672,229
Deposits: Noninterest-bearing		4,331,706		3,976,366						101,875		0		0		101,875
Deposits: Interest-bearing		13,245,568		13,658,900						1,502,983		0		0		1,502,983
Total deposits		17,577,274		17,635,266						1,604,858		0		0		1,604,858
Short-term borrowings		615,222		546,597						336,853		0		0		336,853
Long-term obligations		687,599		809,949						206,838		789	[10]	0		207,627
Deferred tax liability								24,856		1,351		(565)	[11]	0		786
Other liabilities		140,270		81,885						11,772		0		0		11,772
Total liabilities assumed		19,020,365		19,073,697						2,161,672		224		0		2,161,896
Excess (shortfall) of assets acquired over liabilities assumed										(338,618)
Aggregate fair value adjustments												(149,947)		(1,102)
Cash received from the FDIC																553,141	[12]
Gain on acquisition of United Western								63,474								63,474
Loans repurchased by FDIC	$ 11,998

[1] Covered loans are acquired loans subject to loss share agreements with the FDIC.

[2] Excludes $11,998 in loans repurchased by FDIC during the second quarter of 2011

[3] Adjustment reflects the fair value adjustments based on FCB’s evaluation of the acquired loan portfolio.

[4] Adjustments are based on additional information received post-acquisition regarding acquisition date fair value and adjustments resulting from loans repurchased by the FDIC.

[5] Adjustment reflects the estimated OREO losses based on FCB’s evaluation of the acquired OREO.

[6] Adjustment reflects the estimated fair value of payments FCB will receive from the FDIC under the loss share agreements.

[7] Adjustment reflects the fair value adjustment based on evaluation of mortgage servicing rights.

[8] Adjustment reflects the estimated fair value of intangible assets, which includes core deposit intangibles.

[9] Adjustment reflects amount needed to adjust the carrying value of other assets to estimated fair value.

[10] Adjustment reflects the amount of the prepayment penalty assessed on early payoff of long-term obligations.

[11] Adjustment reflects the fair value adjustment on FCB’s evaluation of the deferred tax liability assumed in the transaction.

[12] Cash received includes cash received from loans repurchased by the FDIC during the second quarter of 2011