<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-07-23</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001067462</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>INSIGNIA FINANCIAL GROUP INC /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>IFS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001047431</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GARRISON FRANK M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Office of the Chairman</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Common Stock</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <transactionDate>
            <value>2003-07-23</value>
        </transactionDate>
        <transactionCoding>
            <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
            <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
            <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            <footnoteId id="F1"/>
        </transactionCoding>
        <transactionTimeliness>
            <value></value>
        </transactionTimeliness>
        <transactionAmounts>
            <transactionShares>
                <value>12895</value>
            </transactionShares>
            <transactionValue>
                <value>11.156</value>
            </transactionValue>
            <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                <value>D</value>
            </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <postTransactionAmounts>
            <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                <value>0</value>
            </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
        </postTransactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Warrants (Right to Buy)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>8</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <transactionDate>
            <value>2003-07-23</value>
        </transactionDate>
        <transactionCoding>
            <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
            <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
            <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            <footnoteId id="F2"/>
        </transactionCoding>
        <transactionTimeliness>
            <value></value>
        </transactionTimeliness>
        <transactionAmounts>
            <transactionShares>
                <value>200000</value>
            </transactionShares>
            <transactionValue>
                <value>8</value>
            </transactionValue>
            <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                <value>D</value>
            </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>1988-08-08</value>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2005-01-14</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>0</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <postTransactionAmounts>
            <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                <value>0</value>
            </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
        </postTransactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Stock Options (Right to Buy)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>10.69</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <transactionDate>
            <value>2003-07-23</value>
        </transactionDate>
        <transactionCoding>
            <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
            <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
            <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            <footnoteId id="F3"/>
        </transactionCoding>
        <transactionTimeliness>
            <value></value>
        </transactionTimeliness>
        <transactionAmounts>
            <transactionShares>
                <value>100000</value>
            </transactionShares>
            <transactionValue>
                <value>10.69</value>
            </transactionValue>
            <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                <value>D</value>
            </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>1988-08-08</value>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2007-10-04</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>0</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <postTransactionAmounts>
            <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                <value>0</value>
            </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
        </postTransactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <derivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Stock Options (Right to Buy)</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <value>12.625</value>
        </conversionOrExercisePrice>
        <transactionDate>
            <value>2003-07-23</value>
        </transactionDate>
        <transactionCoding>
            <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
            <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
            <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            <footnoteId id="F4"/>
        </transactionCoding>
        <transactionTimeliness>
            <value></value>
        </transactionTimeliness>
        <transactionAmounts>
            <transactionShares>
                <value>50000</value>
            </transactionShares>
            <transactionValue>
                <value>12.65</value>
            </transactionValue>
            <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                <value>D</value>
            </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <exerciseDate>
            <value>1988-08-08</value>
        </exerciseDate>
        <expirationDate>
            <value>2004-03-21</value>
        </expirationDate>
        <underlyingSecurity>
            <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </underlyingSecurityTitle>
            <underlyingSecurityShares>
                <value>0</value>
            </underlyingSecurityShares>
        </underlyingSecurity>
        <postTransactionAmounts>
            <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                <value>0</value>
            </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
        </postTransactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </derivativeSecurity>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Disposed of pursuant to the amended and restated merger agreement among issuer, CBRE Holding, Inc., CB Richard Ellis Services, Inc. and Apple Acquisition Corp. for consideration of $11.156 per share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Warrants disposed of pursuant to the amended and restated merger agreement among issuer, CBRE Holding, Inc., CB Richard Ellis Services, Inc. and Apple Acquisition Corp. for an aggregate consideration equal to the excess of the merger consideration of $11.156 per share over the exercise price of the warrants, multiplied by the number of warrants owned by the reporting person.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Options disposed of pursuant to the amended and restated merger agreement among issuer, CBRE Holding, Inc., CB Richard Ellis Services, Inc. and Apple Acquisition Corp. for  an aggregate consideration equal to the excess of the merger consideration of $11.156 per share over the exercise price of the options, multiplied by the number of options owned by the reporting person.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Option were out-of-the-money and cancelled pursuant to the amended and restated merger agreement among issuer, CBRE Holding, Inc., CB Richard Ellis Services, Inc. and Apple Acquisition Corp.  The reporting person received no consideration for these options.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Yvonne Owens    Attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-07-24</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

