Fair Value (Details - Level 3 rollforward) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2016		Mar. 31, 2015
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year		$ 767,255		$ 769,384
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income		9,072		683
Purchases		74,566		304,357
Settlements		(32,173)		(46,661)
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3		0		0
Balance, end of year		818,720		1,027,763
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period		7,892		2,232
Fixed maturities [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year		508,546		599,646
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income		8,986		(600)
Purchases		21,835		43,422
Settlements		(24,305)		(43,202)
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3		0		0
Balance, end of year		515,062		599,266
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period		9,039		(570)
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		138,847		149,728
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income		1,876		(1,861)
Purchases		0		0
Settlements		(150)		(184)
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3		0		0
Balance, end of year		140,573		147,683
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period		1,876		(1,863)
Fixed maturities [Member] | Asset-backed securities [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year		369,699		449,918
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income		7,110		1,261
Purchases		21,835		43,422
Settlements		(24,155)		(43,018)
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3		0		0
Balance, end of year		374,489		451,583
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period		7,163		1,293
Equities [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year		37,556		40,134
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income		(2,570)		360
Purchases		0		249,340
Settlements		(2,220)		0
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3		0		0
Balance, end of year		32,766		289,834
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period		(3,303)		360
Equities [Member] | Finance [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year		22,760		20,353
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income		(1,351)		179
Purchases		0		0
Settlements		0		0
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3		0		0
Balance, end of year		21,409		20,532
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period		(1,351)		179
Equities [Member] | Technology [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year		8,207		8,555
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income		(1,223)		47
Purchases		0		0
Settlements		0		0
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3		0		0
Balance, end of year		6,984		8,602
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period		(1,223)		47
Equities [Member] | Communications [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year		1,985		2,640
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income		52		83
Purchases		0		0
Settlements		0		0
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3		0		0
Balance, end of year		2,037		2,723
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period		52		83
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		4,604		8,586
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income		(48)		51
Purchases		0		249,340
Settlements		(2,220)	[1]	0
Sales	[1]	2,200
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3		0		0
Balance, end of year		2,336		257,977
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period		(781)		51
Other invested assets [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year		211,007		116,074
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income		2,510		2,313
Purchases		52,731		11,595
Settlements		(5,648)		(3,459)
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3		0		0
Balance, end of year		260,600		126,523
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period		2,010		3,832
Other invested assets [Member] | Derivatives, net [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year		5,351		(1,858)
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income		(810)		481
Purchases		414	[2]	0
Settlements		(1,340)		0
Issuances		400
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3		0		0
Balance, end of year		3,615		(1,377)
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period		(1,310)		481
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		125,922		44,817
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income		2,535		1,104
Purchases		50,377		6,411
Settlements		(2,864)		(1,229)
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3		0		0
Balance, end of year		175,970		51,103
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period		2,535		2,623
Other invested assets [Member] | Annuities and residuals [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year		8,436		13,243
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income		1,266		231
Purchases		0		0
Settlements		(586)		(1,319)
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3		0		0
Balance, end of year		9,116		12,155
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period		1,266		231
Other invested assets [Member] | Private equities [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year		71,298		59,872
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income		(481)		497
Purchases		1,940		5,184
Settlements		(858)		(911)
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3		0		0
Balance, end of year		71,899		64,642
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period		(481)		497
Funds Held - Directly Managed investment [Member]
Fair Value Assets Measured On Recurring Basis Unobservable Input Reconciliation [Line Items]
Balance, beginning of year		10,146		13,530
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income		146		(1,390)
Purchases		0		0
Settlements		0		0
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3		0		0
Balance, end of year		10,292		12,140
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period		146		(1,390)
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		10,146		13,398
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income		146		(1,390)
Purchases		0		0
Settlements		0		0
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3		0		0
Balance, end of year		10,292		12,008
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period		$ 146		(1,390)
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
Realized and unrealized investment (losses) gains included in net income				0
Purchases				0
Settlements				0
Net transfers into/ (out of) Level 3				0
Balance, end of year				132
Change in unrealized investment (losses) gains relating to assets held at the end of period				$ 0

[1] Settlements and sales of mutual funds and exchange traded funds include sales of $2.2 million during the three months ended March 31, 2016.

[2] Purchases and issuances of derivatives include issuances of $0.4 million.