Preneed Funeral Activities Schedule of Unrealized Loss on Investments (Details) (Funeral [Member], USD $)
In Thousands | Sep. 30, 2011 | Dec. 31, 2010 |
|---|
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | $ 263,182 | $ 84,655 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | (51,453) | (5,235) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | 97,869 | 108,789 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | (43,556) | (48,290) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | 361,051 | 193,444 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | (95,009) | (53,525) |
US Treasury Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | 8,064 | 10,433 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | (80) | (316) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | 9,021 | 393 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | (256) | (18) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | 17,085 | 10,826 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | (336) | (334) |
Foreign Government Debt Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | 9,536 | 1,632 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | (48) | (2) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | 105 | 668 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | (2) | (18) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | 9,641 | 2,300 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | (50) | (20) |
Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | 369 | 836 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | (2) | (9) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | 391 | 263 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | (30) | (13) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | 760 | 1,099 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | (32) | (22) |
Corporate Debt Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | 20,897 | 5,619 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | (1,171) | (285) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | 979 | 0 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | (36) | 0 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | 21,876 | 5,619 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | (1,207) | (285) |
Asset-backed Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | | 225 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | | (1) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | | 53 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | | (1) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | | 278 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | | (2) |
Preferred Stock securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | 1,645 | 1,045 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | (292) | (78) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | 0 | 0 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | 0 | 0 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | 1,645 | 1,045 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | (292) | (78) |
US Common Stock Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | 122,765 | 41,491 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | (31,623) | (3,019) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | 17,031 | 24,919 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | (4,645) | (5,372) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | 139,796 | 66,410 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | (36,268) | (8,391) |
Canada Common Stock Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | 8,374 | 4,493 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | (1,005) | (324) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | 620 | 1,361 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | (349) | (474) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | 8,994 | 5,854 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | (1,354) | (798) |
Other International Common Stock Securities [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | 9,966 | 5,251 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | (1,867) | (862) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | 2,897 | 3,446 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | (1,352) | (1,468) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | 12,863 | 8,697 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | (3,219) | (2,330) |
Equity Funds [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | 53,310 | 3,778 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | (10,834) | (110) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | 45,439 | 61,844 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | (12,709) | (18,179) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | 98,749 | 65,622 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | (23,543) | (18,289) |
Fixed Income Funds [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | 26,896 | 9,630 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | (3,029) | (156) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | 8,746 | 8,818 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | (6,966) | (5,472) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | 35,642 | 18,448 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | (9,995) | (5,628) |
Private Equity Funds [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | 1,360 | 214 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | (1,502) | (71) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | 12,640 | 6,715 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | (17,211) | (16,819) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | 14,000 | 6,929 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | (18,713) | (16,890) |
Other Investments [Member] | | |
| Schedule of unrealized loss on investments [Line Items] | | |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than Twelve Months, Fair Value | | 8 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Less than 12 Months, Aggregate Losses | | (2) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Twelve Months or Longer, Fair Value | | 309 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, 12 Months or Longer, Aggregate Losses | | (456) |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Fair Value | | 317 |
| Available-for-sale Securities, Continuous Unrealized Loss Position, Aggregate Losses | | $ (458) |