Fair Value (Details - Level 3 rollforward) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013		Sep. 30, 2014		Sep. 30, 2013
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	$ 776,170,000	$ 889,704,000		$ 712,306,000		$ 790,421,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income	(7,448,000)	18,098,000		11,407,000		(11,964,000)
Purchases	46,591,000	150,473,000		205,364,000		344,357,000
Settlements	(62,924,000)	(70,993,000)		(176,688,000)		(135,532,000)
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0	0		0		0
Balance, end of year	752,389,000	987,282,000		752,389,000		987,282,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	(7,300,000)	11,753,000		13,225,000		(12,850,000)
Fixed maturities [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	612,723,000	745,347,000		554,957,000		657,273,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income	(803,000)	12,962,000		15,186,000		(6,226,000)
Purchases	16,780,000	148,148,000		152,758,000		303,313,000
Settlements	(39,782,000)	(63,942,000)		(133,983,000)		(111,845,000)
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0	0		0		0
Balance, end of year	588,918,000	842,515,000		588,918,000		842,515,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	(656,000)	5,119,000		15,476,000		(13,886,000)
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	123,617,000	219,163,000		108,380,000		233,235,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income	3,636,000	8,431,000		10,488,000		(5,427,000)
Purchases	5,695,000	61,706,000		14,220,000		61,706,000
Settlements	(2,205,000)	(165,000)		(2,345,000)		(379,000)
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0	0		0		0
Balance, end of year	130,743,000	289,135,000		130,743,000		289,135,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	3,747,000	8,431,000		10,483,000		(5,427,000)
Fixed maturities [Member] | Corporate [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year		99,896,000				100,904,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income		(269,000)				(1,277,000)
Purchases		0				0
Settlements		0				0
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3		0				0
Balance, end of year		99,627,000				99,627,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period		(269,000)				(1,277,000)
Fixed maturities [Member] | Asset-backed securities [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	489,106,000	426,288,000		446,577,000		323,134,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income	(4,439,000)	4,800,000		4,698,000		478,000
Purchases	11,085,000	86,442,000		138,538,000		241,607,000
Settlements	(37,577,000)	(63,777,000)	[1]	(131,638,000)		(111,466,000)	[2]
Sales		(13,700,000)				(13,700,000)
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0	0		0		0
Balance, end of year	458,175,000	453,753,000		458,175,000		453,753,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	(4,403,000)	(3,043,000)		4,993,000		(7,182,000)
Equities [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	37,529,000	30,601,000		38,045,000		27,728,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income	(727,000)	2,651,000		(1,251,000)		3,484,000
Purchases	0	0		8,000		2,040,000
Settlements	0	0		0		0
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0	0		0		0
Balance, end of year	36,802,000	33,252,000		36,802,000		33,252,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	(727,000)	2,651,000		(1,251,000)		3,484,000
Equities [Member] | Finance [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	19,564,000	13,000,000		20,207,000		13,477,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income	(428,000)	1,285,000		(1,071,000)		808,000
Purchases	0	0		0		0
Settlements	0	0		0		0
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0	0		0		0
Balance, end of year	19,136,000	14,285,000		19,136,000		14,285,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	(428,000)	1,285,000		(1,071,000)		808,000
Equities [Member] | Communications [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	2,067,000	2,040,000		2,199,000		0
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income	(101,000)	103,000		(233,000)		103,000
Purchases	0	0		0		2,040,000
Settlements	0	0		0		0
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0	0		0		0
Balance, end of year	1,966,000	2,143,000		1,966,000		2,143,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	(101,000)	103,000		(233,000)		103,000
Equities [Member] | Technology [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	7,645,000	8,012,000		7,752,000		6,987,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income	(327,000)	1,138,000		(434,000)		2,163,000
Purchases	0	0		0		0
Settlements	0	0		0		0
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0	0		0		0
Balance, end of year	7,318,000	9,150,000		7,318,000		9,150,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	(327,000)	1,138,000		(434,000)		2,163,000
Equities [Member] | Other equities [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	7,000			0
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income	0			(1,000)
Purchases	0			8,000
Settlements	0			0
Net transfers into/ (out of) 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	0			(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	8,246,000	7,549,000		7,887,000		7,264,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income	129,000	125,000		488,000		410,000
Purchases	0	0		0		0
Settlements	0	0		0		0
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0	0		0		0
Balance, end of year	8,375,000	7,674,000		8,375,000		7,674,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	129,000	125,000		488,000		410,000
Other invested assets [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	109,813,000	98,212,000		103,853,000		87,099,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income	(4,457,000)	1,479,000		(1,466,000)		(7,522,000)
Purchases	29,591,000	2,325,000		52,123,000		39,004,000
Settlements	(23,142,000)	(6,365,000)		(42,705,000)		(22,930,000)
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0	0		0		0
Balance, end of year	111,805,000	95,651,000		111,805,000		95,651,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	(4,456,000)	2,977,000		62,000		(1,812,000)
Other invested assets [Member] | Derivatives, net [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	(852,000)	2,333,000		(788,000)		3,911,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income	(1,255,000)	(1,885,000)		(391,000)		(6,084,000)
Purchases	57,000	0		(871,000)	[3]	121,000	[4]
Settlements	560,000	(1,395,000)	[1]	560,000		1,105,000	[2]
Sales		(1,400,000)				(1,400,000)
Issuances				900,000		800,000
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0	0		0		0
Balance, end of year	(1,490,000)	(947,000)		(1,490,000)		(947,000)
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	(1,255,000)	(140,000)		(391,000)		(349,000)
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	38,603,000	44,224,000		41,446,000		34,902,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income	(1,379,000)	3,250,000		2,188,000		1,867,000
Purchases	29,286,000	1,248,000		32,202,000		14,598,000
Settlements	(21,114,000)	(941,000)		(30,440,000)		(3,586,000)
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0	0		0		0
Balance, end of year	45,396,000	47,781,000		45,396,000		47,781,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	(1,379,000)	3,250,000		3,707,000		1,867,000
Other invested assets [Member] | Annuities and residuals [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	17,134,000	30,555,000		24,064,000		46,882,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income	(475,000)	413,000		(84,000)		506,000
Purchases	0	0		0		0
Settlements	(1,779,000)	(4,029,000)		(9,100,000)		(20,449,000)	[2]
Sales						(6,300,000)
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0	0		0		0
Balance, end of year	14,880,000	26,939,000		14,880,000		26,939,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	(474,000)	166,000		(44,000)		481,000
Other invested assets [Member] | Private equities [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	54,928,000	21,100,000		39,131,000		1,404,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income	(1,348,000)	(299,000)		(3,179,000)		(3,811,000)
Purchases	248,000	1,077,000		20,792,000		24,285,000
Settlements	(809,000)	0		(3,725,000)		0
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0	0		0		0
Balance, end of year	53,019,000	21,878,000		53,019,000		21,878,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	(1,348,000)	(299,000)		(3,210,000)		(3,811,000)
Funds Held - Directly Managed investment [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	16,105,000	15,544,000		15,451,000		18,321,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income	(1,461,000)	1,006,000		(1,062,000)		(1,700,000)
Purchases	220,000	0		475,000		0
Settlements	0	(686,000)		0		(757,000)
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0	0		0		0
Balance, end of year	14,864,000	15,864,000		14,864,000		15,864,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	(1,461,000)	1,006,000		(1,062,000)		(636,000)
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	15,800,000	15,207,000		15,165,000		17,976,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income	(1,467,000)	1,045,000		(1,087,000)		(1,653,000)
Purchases	220,000	0		475,000		0
Settlements	0	(686,000)		0		(757,000)
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0	0		0		0
Balance, end of year	14,553,000	15,566,000		14,553,000		15,566,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	(1,467,000)	1,045,000		(1,087,000)		(589,000)
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	305,000	337,000		286,000		345,000
Realized and unrealized investment gains (losses) included in net income	6,000	(39,000)		25,000		(47,000)
Purchases	0	0		0		0
Settlements	0	0		0		0
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0	0		0		0
Balance, end of year	311,000	298,000		311,000		298,000
Change in unrealized investment gains (losses) relating to assets held at the end of period	$ 6,000	$ (39,000)		$ 25,000		$ (47,000)

[1] Settlements and sales of asset-backed securities and derivatives include sales of $13.7 million and $1.4 million, respectively.

[2] Settlements and sales of asset-backed securities, derivatives and annuities and residuals include sales of $13.7 million, $1.4 million and $6.3 million, respectively

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

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