Fair Value (Details - Level 3 rollforward) (USD $)	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014		Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2014		Jun. 30, 2013
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	$ 719,763,000		$ 792,328,000		$ 712,306,000		$ 790,421,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income (loss)	8,336,000		(21,770,000)		18,855,000		(30,062,000)
Purchases	89,769,000		145,943,000		158,773,000		193,884,000
Settlements	(41,698,000)		(26,797,000)		(113,764,000)		(64,539,000)
Net transfers (out of)/ into Level 3	0		0		0		0
Balance, end of year	776,170,000		889,704,000		776,170,000		889,704,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	9,898,000		(24,395,000)		20,686,000		(28,092,000)
Fixed maturities [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	561,168,000		658,667,000		554,957,000		657,273,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income (loss)	9,101,000		(19,892,000)		15,989,000		(19,188,000)
Purchases	72,295,000		128,009,000		135,978,000		155,165,000
Settlements	(29,841,000)		(21,437,000)		(94,201,000)		(47,903,000)
Net transfers (out of)/ into Level 3	0		0		0		0
Balance, end of year	612,723,000		745,347,000		612,723,000		745,347,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	9,143,000		(19,750,000)		16,293,000		(19,006,000)
Fixed maturities [Member] | US states, territories and municipalities [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	113,467,000		232,292,000		108,380,000		233,235,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income (loss)	5,960,000		(13,009,000)		6,852,000		(13,858,000)
Purchases	4,260,000		0		8,525,000		0
Settlements	(70,000)		(120,000)		(140,000)		(214,000)
Net transfers (out of)/ into Level 3	0		0		0		0
Balance, end of year	123,617,000		219,163,000		123,617,000		219,163,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	5,959,000		(13,009,000)		6,849,000		(13,858,000)
Fixed maturities [Member] | Corporate [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year			100,716,000				100,904,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income (loss)			(820,000)				(1,008,000)
Purchases			0				0
Settlements			0				0
Net transfers (out of)/ into Level 3			0				0
Balance, end of year			99,896,000				99,896,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period			(820,000)				(1,008,000)
Fixed maturities [Member] | Asset-backed securities [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	447,701,000		325,659,000		446,577,000		323,134,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income (loss)	3,141,000		(6,063,000)		9,137,000		(4,322,000)
Purchases	68,035,000		128,009,000		127,453,000		155,165,000
Settlements	(29,771,000)		(21,317,000)		(94,061,000)		(47,689,000)
Net transfers (out of)/ into Level 3	0		0		0		0
Balance, end of year	489,106,000		426,288,000		489,106,000		426,288,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	3,184,000		(5,921,000)		9,444,000		(4,140,000)
Equities [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	40,270,000		27,642,000		38,045,000		27,728,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income (loss)	(2,749,000)		919,000		(524,000)		833,000
Purchases	8,000		2,040,000		8,000		2,040,000
Settlements	0		0		0		0
Net transfers (out of)/ into Level 3	0		0		0		0
Balance, end of year	37,529,000		30,601,000		37,529,000		30,601,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	(2,749,000)		919,000		(524,000)		833,000
Equities [Member] | Finance [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	22,706,000		12,553,000		20,207,000		13,477,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income (loss)	(3,142,000)		447,000		(643,000)		(477,000)
Purchases	0		0		0		0
Settlements	0		0		0		0
Net transfers (out of)/ into Level 3	0		0		0		0
Balance, end of year	19,564,000		13,000,000		19,564,000		13,000,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	(3,142,000)		447,000		(643,000)		(477,000)
Equities [Member] | Communications [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	2,111,000		0		2,199,000		0
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income (loss)	(44,000)		0		(132,000)		0
Purchases	0		2,040,000		0		2,040,000
Settlements	0		0		0		0
Net transfers (out of)/ into Level 3	0		0		0		0
Balance, end of year	2,067,000		2,040,000		2,067,000		2,040,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	(44,000)		0		(132,000)		0
Equities [Member] | Technology [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	7,400,000		7,647,000		7,752,000		6,987,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income (loss)	245,000		365,000		(107,000)		1,025,000
Purchases	0		0		0		0
Settlements	0		0		0		0
Net transfers (out of)/ into Level 3	0		0		0		0
Balance, end of year	7,645,000		8,012,000		7,645,000		8,012,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	245,000		365,000		(107,000)		1,025,000
Equities [Member] | Other equities [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	0				0
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income (loss)	(1,000)				(1,000)
Purchases	8,000				8,000
Settlements	0				0
Net transfers (out of)/ into Level 3	0				0
Balance, end of year	7,000				7,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	(1,000)				(1,000)
Equities [Member] | Mutual funds and exchange traded funds [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	8,053,000		7,442,000		7,887,000		7,264,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income (loss)	193,000		107,000		359,000		285,000
Purchases	0		0		0		0
Settlements	0		0		0		0
Net transfers (out of)/ into Level 3	0		0		0		0
Balance, end of year	8,246,000		7,549,000		8,246,000		7,549,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	193,000		107,000		359,000		285,000
Other invested assets [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	102,801,000		90,210,000		103,853,000		87,099,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income (loss)	1,403,000		(2,532,000)		2,991,000		(9,001,000)
Purchases	17,466,000		15,894,000		22,532,000		36,679,000
Settlements	(11,857,000)		(5,360,000)		(19,563,000)		(16,565,000)
Net transfers (out of)/ into Level 3	0		0		0		0
Balance, end of year	109,813,000		98,212,000		109,813,000		98,212,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	2,923,000		(5,299,000)		4,518,000		(8,277,000)
Other invested assets [Member] | Derivatives, net [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	(1,042,000)		2,732,000		(788,000)		3,911,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income (loss)	398,000		(520,000)	[1]	864,000		(4,199,000)
Purchases	(208,000)	[2]	121,000		(928,000)	[3]	121,000	[1]
Settlements	0		0		0		2,500,000
Issuances	200,000		800,000		900,000		800,000
Net transfers (out of)/ into Level 3	0		0		0		0
Balance, end of year	(852,000)		2,333,000		(852,000)		2,333,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	398,000		(3,020,000)		864,000		(3,698,000)
Other invested assets [Member] | Notes And Loan Receivables And Notes Securitization [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	42,243,000		34,058,000		41,446,000		34,902,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income (loss)	2,967,000		(1,322,000)		3,567,000		(1,383,000)
Purchases	2,196,000		11,990,000		2,916,000		13,350,000
Settlements	(8,803,000)		(502,000)		(9,326,000)		(2,645,000)
Net transfers (out of)/ into Level 3	0		0		0		0
Balance, end of year	38,603,000		44,224,000		38,603,000		44,224,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	4,486,000		(1,322,000)		5,086,000		(1,383,000)
Other invested assets [Member] | Annuities and residuals [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	18,945,000		35,656,000		24,064,000		46,882,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income (loss)	302,000		(243,000)		391,000		93,000
Purchases	0		0		0		0
Settlements	(2,113,000)		(4,858,000)		(7,321,000)		(16,420,000)	[4]
Sales							(6,300,000)
Net transfers (out of)/ into Level 3	0		0		0		0
Balance, end of year	17,134,000		30,555,000		17,134,000		30,555,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	303,000		(510,000)		431,000		316,000
Other invested assets [Member] | Private equities [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	42,655,000		17,764,000		39,131,000		1,404,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income (loss)	(2,264,000)		(447,000)		(1,831,000)		(3,512,000)
Purchases	15,478,000		3,783,000		20,544,000		23,208,000
Settlements	(941,000)		0		(2,916,000)		0
Net transfers (out of)/ into Level 3	0		0		0		0
Balance, end of year	54,928,000		21,100,000		54,928,000		21,100,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	(2,264,000)		(447,000)		(1,863,000)		(3,512,000)
Funds Held - Directly Managed investment [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	15,524,000		15,809,000		15,451,000		18,321,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income (loss)	581,000		(265,000)		399,000		(2,706,000)
Purchases	0		0		255,000		0
Settlements	0		0		0		(71,000)
Net transfers (out of)/ into Level 3	0		0		0		0
Balance, end of year	16,105,000		15,544,000		16,105,000		15,544,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	581,000		(265,000)		399,000		(1,642,000)
Funds Held - Directly Managed investment [Member] | Other invested assets funds held directly managed [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	15,223,000		15,468,000		15,165,000		17,976,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income (loss)	577,000		(261,000)		380,000		(2,698,000)
Purchases	0		0		255,000		0
Settlements	0		0		0		(71,000)
Net transfers (out of)/ into Level 3	0		0		0		0
Balance, end of year	15,800,000		15,207,000		15,800,000		15,207,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	577,000		(261,000)		380,000		(1,634,000)
Funds Held - Directly Managed investment [Member] | US states, territories and municipalities [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	301,000		341,000		286,000		345,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income (loss)	4,000		(4,000)		19,000		(8,000)
Purchases	0		0		0		0
Settlements	0		0		0		0
Net transfers (out of)/ into Level 3	0		0		0		0
Balance, end of year	305,000		337,000		305,000		337,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	$ 4,000		$ (4,000)		$ 19,000		$ (8,000)

[1] Purchases and issuances of derivatives include issuances of $0.8 million.

[2] Purchases and issuances of derivatives include issuances of $0.2 million.

[3] Purchases and issuances of derivatives include issuances of $0.9 million.

[4] Settlement and sales of annuities and residuals include sales of $6.3 million.