SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2013

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Schedule of reconciliation of numerator and denominator of the basic and diluted earnings per share computations

	For the Three-Month Period					For the Three-Month Period
	Ended September 30, 2013					Ended September 30, 2012
(in thousands, except	Income		Shares	Per Share		Income		Shares	Per Share
per share data)	(Numerator)		(Denominator)	Amount		(Numerator)		(Denominator)	Amount
Basic EPS
Income available to common shareholders	$	37,647	21,422	$	1.76	$	25,463	21,218	$	1.20
Effect of Dilutive Securities
Stock options	—		351			—		268
Diluted EPS
Income available to common shareholders	$	37,647	21,773	$	1.73	$	25,463	21,486	$	1.19

	For the Nine-Month Period					For the Nine-Month Period
	Ended September 30, 2013					Ended September 30, 2012
(in thousands, except	Income		Shares	Per Share		Income		Shares	Per Share
per share data)	(Numerator)		(Denominator)	Amount		(Numerator)		(Denominator)	Amount
Basic EPS
Income available to common shareholders	$	92,396	21,337	$	4.33	$	78,249	21,207	$	3.69
Effect of Dilutive Securities
Stock options	—		328			—		312
Diluted EPS
Income available to common shareholders	$	92,396	21,665	$	4.26	$	78,249	21,519	$	3.64

Schedule of changes in the balance of each component of accumulated other comprehensive earnings

	For the Three-Month Periods Ended September 30,					For the Nine-Month Periods Ended September 30,
(in thousands)	2013			2012		2013			2012
Unrealized Gains/Losses on Available-for-Sale Securities
Beginning balance	$	127,242		133,991		$	143,170		117,325
Other comprehensive earnings before reclassifications	5,203			25,127		(5,354		)	50,066
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive earnings	(7,149		)	(4,080	)	(12,520		)	(12,353	)
Net current-period other comprehensive earnings	$	(1,946	)	21,047		$	(17,874	)	37,713
Ending balance	$	125,296		155,038		$	125,296		155,038

Schedule of effects of reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive earnings

	Amount Reclassified from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Earnings
(in thousands) Component of Accumulated	For the Three-Month Periods Ended September 30,					For the Nine-Month Periods Ended September 30,					Affected line item in the
Other Comprehensive Earnings	2013			2012		2013			2012		Statement of Earnings
Unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale securities	$	10,998		6,278		$	19,261		20,161		Net realized investment gains
	—			—		—			(1,156	)	Other-than-temporary impairment (OTTI) losses on investments
	10,998			6,278		19,261			19,005		Earnings before income taxes
	(3,849		)	(2,198	)	(6,741		)	(6,652	)	Income tax expense
	$	7,149		4,080		$	12,520		12,353		Net earnings