UNAUDITED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Parentheticals) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Amortized cost of fixed maturities	$ 30,822,936	$ 29,587,656
Cost of equity securities	920,130	996,610
Amortized cost of short-term investments, available for sale	336,071	626,142
Amortized cost of fixed maturities, trading	1,823,406	1,548,178
Amortized cost of short-term investments, trading	9,362	9,536
Future policy benefit reserves recoverable	$ 3,221,803	$ 3,072,615
Ordinary shares, shares authorized (in shares)	999,990,000	999,990,000
Common shares, par value (in dollars per share)	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Ordinary shares, shares issued (in shares)	255,980,636	266,889,127
Ordinary shares, shares outstanding (in shares)	255,980,636	266,889,127