STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Cash flows from operating activities
Management fee received	$ 1,845,075	$ 1,751,247	$ 1,627,558
Administrative services reimbursements received	588,255	574,698	0
Service agreement fee received	27,627	28,677	29,149
Net investment income received	34,511	37,489	31,281
Limited partnership distributions	1,931	7,173	5,128
Decrease in reimbursements collected from affiliates	0	0	(4,720)
Commissions paid to agents	(895,563)	(853,758)	(800,627)
Agents bonuses paid	(115,795)	(134,314)	(122,743)
Salaries and wages paid	(186,460)	(182,537)	(171,547)
Pension contributions and employee benefits paid	(42,728)	(115,525)	(89,981)
General operating expenses paid	(236,128)	(208,036)	(199,084)
Administrative services expenses paid	(582,528)	(580,338)	0
Income taxes paid	(72,817)	(58,814)	(106,250)
Interest paid	(853)	(2,377)	(1,038)
Net cash provided by operating activities	364,527	263,585	197,126
Purchase of investments:
Available-for-sale securities	(956,818)	(392,895)
Available-for-sale securities			(391,181)
Equity securities	(66,760)	(4,087)
Limited partnerships	(48)	(243)	(410)
Other investments	(1,032)	0	0
Proceeds from investments:
Available-for-sale securities sales	687,347	235,323
Available-for-sale securities sales			144,317
Available-for-sale securities maturities/calls	303,798	134,396	194,980
Equity securities	16,109	4,162
Limited partnerships	3,722	3,387	10,768
Purchase of fixed assets	(102,039)	(56,297)	(28,927)
Proceeds from disposal of fixed assets	777	6,014	0
Loans to agents	(17,611)	(42,594)	(9,153)
Collections on agent loans	7,921	6,436	4,943
Repayment of note receivable from Erie Family Life Insurance	0	25,000	0
Net cash used in investing activities	(124,634)	(81,398)	(74,663)
Cash flows from financing activities
Dividends paid to shareholders	(167,651)	(156,474)	(145,765)
Net (payments) proceeds from long-term borrowings	(1,920)	24,983	49,951
Net cash used in financing activities	(169,571)	(131,491)	(95,814)
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents	70,322	50,696	26,649
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of year	266,417	215,721	189,072
Cash and cash equivalents, end of year	336,739	266,417	215,721
Supplemental disclosure of noncash transactions
Transfer of investments from limited partnerships to equity securities	3,310	0	0
Liability incurred to purchase fixed assets	6,800	8,453	0
Operating lease assets obtained in exchange for new operating lease liabilities	$ 35,483	$ 0	$ 0