Amount, after valuation allowance, recoverable under reinsurance contracts including premium paid under reinsurance contracts. Examples include, but are not limited to, settled and unsettled claims, incurred but not reported losses, loss adjustment expense, premium paid, policy benefits and policy reserves.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6480758&loc=d3e6824-158387

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 310
-Section 45
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6485522&loc=d3e21409-158489

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.(a),6)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Name:	us-gaap_ReinsuranceRecoverables
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Reinsurance (Details 3) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Reinsurance (Details 3) $ in Thousands	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) reinsurer	Dec. 31, 2005	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Reinsurance recoverables
Reinsurance recoverables	$ 2,225,924		$ 2,154,208
Forethought Life Insurance Company
Reinsurance recoverables
Period of time entity obligated to discontinue writing new preneed insurance policies		10 years
FFG division \| The Hartford \| Minimum
Reinsurance recoverables
Number of reinsurer insolvency for making company responsible for administering reinsurance business \| reinsurer	1
John Hancock \| LTC Operations \| John Hancock
Reinsurance recoverables
Reinsurance recoverables	$ 1,554,780		1,469,893
The Hartford \| FFG division \| The Hartford
Reinsurance recoverables
Reinsurance recoverables	$ 562,334		$ 575,625