| **Other Income (Expense) (Tables)**      | 12 Months Ended                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
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| **Other Income and Expenses [Abstract]** |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| Other Income (Expense)                   | Other income (expense) consists of the following during the three years ended December 31, 2016:  2016 2015 2014Investment income, net      Net investment income from available-for-sale securities      Interest and dividend income $6,602 $6,940 $6,258Accretion income 1,829 1,526 1,455Realized gains (losses) on the sale of investments 795 5,311 (833)Other-than-temporary impairment losses — — (1,295)Total net investment income from available-for-sale securities 9,226 13,777 5,585Interest income from investments in SPEs 8,202 8,217 6,116Interest accrued on notes receivable and other interest 348 694 990Total investment income, net 17,776 22,688 12,691Interest expense      Interest expense and amortization of discount and issuance costs for Senior Notes issued by SPE (8,833) (8,755) (6,584)Interest expense (3,462) (2,674) (2,024)Total interest expense (12,295) (11,429) (8,608)Claim settlement 12,548 — —Other income (expense), net      SEC investigation fees and expenses 742 (8,161) —Accretion income from retained interest investments 991 913 889Hunting lease income 553 562 764Litigation and insurance proceeds received — — 1,814Other income, net 336 399 1,021Other income (expense), net 2,622 (6,287) 4,488Total other income, net $20,651 $4,972 $8,571 |

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