Consolidated Balance Sheets (Parenthetical) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Statement of Financial Position [Abstract]
Fixed maturity investments trading, amortized cost	$ 7,014,564	$ 6,825,877
Fixed maturity investments available for sale, amortized cost	$ 10,323	$ 15,943
Preference Shares, Par Value (In dollars per share)	$ 1	$ 1
Preference Shares, Shares issued (In shares)	16,000,000	16,000,000
Preference Shares, Shares outstanding (In shares)	16,000,000	16,000,000
Common Shares, Par Value (In dollars per share)	$ 1	$ 1
Common Shares, Shares issued (In shares)	41,155,526	43,701,064
Common Shares, Shares outstanding (In shares)	41,155,526	43,701,064

This item represents the cost of debt securities, which are categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading, net of adjustments including accretion, amortization, collection of cash, previous other-than-temporary impairments recognized in earnings (less any cumulative-effect adjustments recognized, as defined), and fair value hedge accounting adjustments, if any.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (aa)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73527792&loc=d3e27161-111563

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
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-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644

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