2.2.0.25falsefalse20402 - Disclosure - Fair Value (Policy)truefalsefalse1falsefalseUSDfalsefalse1/1/2010 - 12/31/2010 USD ($) USD ($) / shares $Duration_1_1_2010_To_12_31_2010http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000731766duration2010-01-01T00:00:002010-12-31T00:00:00Unit12Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso42170Unit13Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancepurexbrli0Unit1Standardhttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0Unit14Dividehttp://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217USDiso4217http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instancesharesxbrli0USDUSD$2true0unh_FairValueAbstractunhfalsenadurationFair Value [Abstract]falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherxbrli:stringItemTypestringFair Value [Abstract]falsefalse3false0unh_FairValueDisclosuresPolicyTextBlockunhfalsenadurationFair Value Disclosures Policy.falsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalseterselabel1falsefalsefalse00<div> <div> <p style="margin-top: 18px; margin-bottom: 0px;"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 6px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">Fair values of available-for-sale debt and equity securities are based on quoted market prices, where available. The Company obtains one price for each security primarily from a third-party pricing service (pricing service), which generally uses quoted or other observable inputs for the determination of fair value. The pricing service normally derives the security prices through recently reported trades for identical or similar securities, making adjustments through the reporting date based upon available observable market information. For securities not actively traded, the pricing service may use quoted market prices of comparable instruments or discounted cash flow analyses, incorporating inputs that are currently observable in the markets for similar securities. Inputs that are often used in the valuation methodologies include, but are not limited to, non-binding broker quotes, benchmark yields, credit spreads, default rates and prepayment speeds. As the Company is responsible for the determination of fair value, it performs quarterly analyses on the prices received from the pricing service to determine whether the prices are reasonable estimates of fair value. Specifically, the Company compares the prices received from the pricing service to prices reported by its custodian, its investment consultant and third-party investment advisors. Additionally, the Company compares changes in the reported market values and returns to relevant market indices to test the reasonableness of the reported prices. Based on the Company's internal price verification procedures and review of fair value methodology documentation provided by independent pricing services, the Company has not historically adjusted the prices obtained from the pricing service. </font></p> <p style="margin-top: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 1px;">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">In instances in which the inputs used to measure fair value fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy, the fair value measurement has been determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The Company's assessment of the significance of a particular item to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment, including the consideration of inputs specific to the asset or liability. </font></p> <p style="margin-top: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">The fair value hierarchy is as follows: </font></p> <p style="margin-top: 6px; text-indent: 4%; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2"><i>Level 1</i> &#8212; Quoted (unadjusted) prices for identical assets/liabilities in active markets. </font></p> <p style="margin-top: 6px; text-indent: 4%; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2"><i>Level 2</i> &#8212; Other observable inputs, either directly or indirectly, including: </font></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 6px;">&nbsp;</p> <table style="border-collapse: collapse;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"> <tr><td width="5%"><font class="_mt" size="1">&nbsp;</font></td> <td valign="top" width="2%" align="left"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">&bull;</font></td> <td valign="top" width="1%"><font class="_mt" size="1">&nbsp;</font></td> <td valign="top" align="left"> <p align="left"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">Quoted prices for similar assets/liabilities in active markets; </font></p></td></tr></table> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 6px;">&nbsp;</p> <table style="border-collapse: collapse;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"> <tr><td width="5%"><font class="_mt" size="1">&nbsp;</font></td> <td valign="top" width="2%" align="left"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">&bull;</font></td> <td valign="top" width="1%"><font class="_mt" size="1">&nbsp;</font></td> <td valign="top" align="left"> <p align="left"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">Quoted prices for identical or similar assets in non-active markets (e.g., few transactions, limited information, non-current prices, high variability over time); </font></p></td></tr></table> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 6px;">&nbsp;</p> <table style="border-collapse: collapse;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"> <tr><td width="5%"><font class="_mt" size="1">&nbsp;</font></td> <td valign="top" width="2%" align="left"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">&bull;</font></td> <td valign="top" width="1%"><font class="_mt" size="1">&nbsp;</font></td> <td valign="top" align="left"> <p align="left"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">Inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset/liability (e.g., interest rates, yield curves, volatilities, default rates); and </font></p></td></tr></table> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 6px;">&nbsp;</p> <table style="border-collapse: collapse;" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="100%"> <tr><td width="5%"><font class="_mt" size="1">&nbsp;</font></td> <td valign="top" width="2%" align="left"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">&bull;</font></td> <td valign="top" width="1%"><font class="_mt" size="1">&nbsp;</font></td> <td valign="top" align="left"> <p align="left"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2">Inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by other observable market data. </font></p></td></tr></table> <p style="margin-top: 6px; text-indent: 4%; margin-bottom: 0px;"><font style="font-family: Times New Roman;" class="_mt" size="2"><i>Level 3</i> &#8212; Unobservable inputs that cannot be corroborated by observable market data.</font></p></div> </div>Fair values of available-for-sale debt and equity securities are based on quoted market prices, where available. The Company obtains one price for eachfalsefalsefalsefalsefalseOtherus-types:textBlockItemTypestringFair Value Disclosures Policy.No authoritative reference available.falsefalse12Fair Value (Policy)UnKnownUnKnownUnKnownUnKnownfalsetrue