Fair Value (Details - Level 3 rollforward) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015		Mar. 31, 2014
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	$ 769,384,000		$ 712,306,000
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income	683,000		10,519,000
Purchases	304,357,000		69,004,000
Settlements	(46,661,000)	[1]	(72,066,000)	[2]
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0		0
Balance, end of year	1,027,763,000		719,763,000
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period	2,232,000		10,787,000
Fixed maturities [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	599,646,000		554,957,000
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income	(600,000)		6,888,000
Purchases	43,422,000		63,683,000
Settlements	(43,202,000)	[1]	(64,360,000)	[2]
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0		0
Balance, end of year	599,266,000		561,168,000
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period	(570,000)		7,149,000
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	149,728,000		108,380,000
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income	(1,861,000)		892,000
Purchases	0		4,265,000
Settlements	(184,000)	[1]	(70,000)	[2]
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0		0
Balance, end of year	147,683,000		113,467,000
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period	(1,863,000)		890,000
Fixed maturities [Member] | Asset-backed securities [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	449,918,000		446,577,000
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income	1,261,000		5,996,000
Purchases	43,422,000		59,418,000
Settlements	(43,018,000)	[1]	(64,290,000)	[2]
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0		0
Balance, end of year	451,583,000		447,701,000
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period	1,293,000		6,259,000
Equities [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	40,134,000		38,045,000
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income	360,000		2,225,000
Purchases	249,340,000		0
Settlements	0	[1]	0	[2]
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0		0
Balance, end of year	289,834,000		40,270,000
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period	360,000		2,225,000
Equities [Member] | Finance [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	20,353,000		20,207,000
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income	179,000		2,499,000
Purchases	0		0
Settlements	0	[1]	0	[2]
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0		0
Balance, end of year	20,532,000		22,706,000
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period	179,000		2,499,000
Equities [Member] | Technology [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	8,555,000		7,752,000
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income	47,000		(352,000)
Purchases	0		0
Settlements	0	[1]	0	[2]
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0		0
Balance, end of year	8,602,000		7,400,000
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period	47,000		(352,000)
Equities [Member] | Communications [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	2,640,000		2,199,000
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income	83,000		(88,000)
Purchases	0		0
Settlements	0	[1]	0	[2]
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0		0
Balance, end of year	2,723,000		2,111,000
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period	83,000		(88,000)
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	8,586,000		7,887,000
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income	51,000		166,000
Purchases	249,340,000		0
Settlements	0	[1]	0	[2]
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0		0
Balance, end of year	257,977,000		8,053,000
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period	51,000		166,000
Other invested assets [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	116,074,000		103,853,000
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income	2,313,000		1,588,000
Purchases	11,595,000		5,066,000
Settlements	(3,459,000)	[1]	(7,706,000)	[2]
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0		0
Balance, end of year	126,523,000		102,801,000
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period	3,832,000		1,595,000
Other invested assets [Member] | Derivatives, net [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	(1,858,000)		(788,000)
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income	481,000		466,000
Purchases	0	[1]	(720,000)	[3]
Settlements	0	[1]	0	[2]
Issuances	0		700,000
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0		0
Balance, end of year	(1,377,000)		(1,042,000)
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period	481,000		466,000
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	44,817,000		41,446,000
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income	1,104,000		600,000
Purchases	6,411,000		720,000
Settlements	(1,229,000)	[1]	(523,000)	[2]
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0		0
Balance, end of year	51,103,000		42,243,000
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period	2,623,000		600,000
Other invested assets [Member] | Annuities and residuals [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	13,243,000		24,064,000
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income	231,000		89,000
Purchases	0		0
Settlements	(1,319,000)	[1]	(5,208,000)	[2]
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0		0
Balance, end of year	12,155,000		18,945,000
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period	231,000		128,000
Other invested assets [Member] | Private equities [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	59,872,000		39,131,000
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income	497,000		433,000
Purchases	5,184,000		5,066,000
Settlements	(911,000)	[1]	(1,975,000)	[2]
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0		0
Balance, end of year	64,642,000		42,655,000
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period	497,000		401,000
Funds Held - Directly Managed investment [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year	13,530,000		15,451,000
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income	(1,390,000)		(182,000)
Purchases	0		255,000
Settlements	0	[1]	0	[2]
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0		0
Balance, end of year	12,140,000		15,524,000
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period	(1,390,000)		(182,000)
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	13,398,000		15,165,000
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income	(1,390,000)		(197,000)
Purchases	0		255,000
Settlements	0	[1]	0	[2]
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0		0
Balance, end of year	12,008,000		15,223,000
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period	(1,390,000)		(197,000)
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	132,000		286,000
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income	0		15,000
Purchases	0		0
Settlements	0	[1]	0	[2]
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3	0		0
Balance, end of year	132,000		301,000
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period	$ 0		$ 15,000

[1] There were no issuances or sales for the three months ended March 31, 2015.

[2] There were no sales for the three months ended March 31, 2014.

[3] Purchases and issuances of derivatives include issuances of $0.7 million