Preneed Activities Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	$ 3,275,460	$ 3,260,648
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	326,010	367,569
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(96,279)	(57,889)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	3,505,191	3,570,328
Reported at net asset value
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	1,107,497	1,122,537
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	69,465	64,692
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(15,508)	(8,009)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	1,161,454	1,179,220
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	4,382,957	4,383,185
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	395,475	432,261
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(111,787)	(65,898)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	4,666,645	4,749,548
Fixed Income Commingled funds [Member] | Reported at net asset value
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	417,729	454,242
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	41	235
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(12,473)	(5,860)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	405,297	448,617
Commingled funds - Equity [Member] | Reported at net asset value
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	223,207	214,000
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	10,312	12,826
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(647)	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	232,872	226,826
Private Equity Funds | Reported at net asset value
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	172,522	166,860
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	59,112	51,631
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(2,388)	(2,149)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	229,246	216,342
Money Market Funds [Member] | Reported at net asset value
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	294,039	287,435
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	0	0
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	0	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	294,039	287,435
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | US Treasury Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	47,338	48,805
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	12	14
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(429)	(117)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	46,921	48,702
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Foreign Government Debt Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	60,522	81,500
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	78	160
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(1,379)	(1,089)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	59,221	80,571
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Corporate Debt Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	12,402	13,540
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	269	327
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(260)	(170)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	12,411	13,697
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Residential Mortgage Backed Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	3,312	3,279
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	16	16
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(61)	(14)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	3,267	3,281
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Asset-backed Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	305	320
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	11	15
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(11)	(10)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	305	325
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 2 | Preferred Stock Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	7,120	7,834
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	363	385
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(172)	(139)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	7,311	8,080
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | US Common Stock Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	1,208,816	1,161,015
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	241,804	266,822
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(46,846)	(24,739)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	1,403,774	1,403,098
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | Canada Common Stock Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	30,150	30,762
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	9,751	12,545
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(1,503)	(522)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	38,398	42,785
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | Other International Common Stock Securities
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	63,594	63,510
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	12,741	13,174
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(3,280)	(2,834)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	73,055	73,850
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | Equity Funds
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	696,520	613,934
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	53,631	59,100
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(9,364)	(4,312)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	740,787	668,722
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 1 | Fixed Income Funds
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	1,139,940	1,230,196
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	4,227	11,897
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(32,959)	(23,943)
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	1,111,208	1,218,150
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 | Other Investments
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Amortized Cost Basis	5,441	5,953
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Gain, before Tax	3,107	3,114
Accumulated Gross Unrealized Loss, before Tax	(15)	0
Available-for-sale Securities, Fair Value	$ 8,533	$ 9,067