SCHEDULE V-VALUATION AND QUALIFYING ACCOUNTS (Details) (Allowance for uncollectible reinsurance, USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Allowance for uncollectible reinsurance
Allowance for uncollectible reinsurance
Balance at beginning of period	$ 26,900	$ 29,620	$ 29,211
Amounts charged to expense		(1,865)	1,002
Amounts recovered (written off)	(496)	(855)	(593)
Balance at end of period	$ 26,404	$ 26,900	$ 29,620

Total of the deductions in a given period to allowances and reserves, representing receivables written off as uncollectible and portions of the reserves utilized, respectively, net of the total of recoveries of amounts due the Entity that had previously been written off as uncollectible using allowances and total of reestablishments of reserves that had previously been utilized.

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Total of allowances and reserves, the valuation and qualifying accounts that are either netted against the cost of an asset (in order to value it at its carrying value) or that reflect a liability established to represent expected future costs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 09

-Article 12

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 4

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6881521&loc=d3e24092-122690

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- Definition

+ References

+ Details

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