Consolidating Financial Information - Schedule of Income Statement Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013		Apr. 01, 2012		Mar. 31, 2013	Apr. 01, 2012
Revenues:
Net consumer product sales	$ 987.8		$ 746.3		$ 1,858.0	$ 1,595.1
Oil and natural gas	16.7				16.7
Insurance premiums	14.1		13.3		27.9	30.1
Net investment income	172.0		173.0		350.1	359.8
Net investment gains	206.7		163.6		353.2	267.5
Insurance and investment product fees and other	14.6		9.5		28.3	19.2
Total revenues	1,411.9		1,105.7		2,634.2	2,271.7
Operating costs and expenses:
Consumer products cost of goods sold	664.9		486.3		1,247.0	1,051.0
Oil and natural gas direct operating costs	8.8				8.8
Benefits and other changes in policy reserves	240.9		241.8		324.5	418.7
Selling, acquisition, operating and general expenses	314.3		222.9		568.9	478.8
Amortization of intangibles	49.0		58.8		135.6	115.5
Total operating costs and expenses	1,277.9		1,009.8		2,284.8	2,064.0
Operating income	134.0		95.9		349.4	207.7
Interest expense	(75.7)		(84.1)		(218.8)	(140.0)
(Loss) gain from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock	(39.6)		(26.4)		29.3	1.5
Gain on contingent purchase price reduction			41.0			41.0
Other expense, net	(3.2)		(9.7)		(11.9)	(8.5)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	15.5		16.7		148.0	101.7
Income tax expense	66.0		16.9		130.4	56.4
Net (loss) income	(50.5)		(0.2)		17.6	45.3
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	(17.2)		(12.2)		(23.2)	(6.2)
Net (loss) income attributable to controlling interest	(33.3)		12.0		40.8	51.5
Less: Preferred stock dividends and accretion	12.2		15.9		24.3	31.6
Net (loss) income attributable to common and participating preferred stockholders	(45.5)		(3.9)		16.5	19.9
Consumer Products [Member]
Revenues:
Net consumer product sales					1,858.0	1,595.1
Oil and natural gas
Insurance premiums
Net investment income
Net investment gains
Insurance and investment product fees and other
Total revenues	987.8		746.3		1,858.0	1,595.1
Operating costs and expenses:
Consumer products cost of goods sold					1,247.0	1,051.0
Oil and natural gas direct operating costs
Benefits and other changes in policy reserves
Selling, acquisition, operating and general expenses					453.4	374.8
Amortization of intangibles					37.2	30.4
Total operating costs and expenses					1,737.6	1,456.2
Operating income	52.3		55.2		120.4	138.9
Equity in net income (losses) of subsidiaries
Interest expense					(130.2)
Affiliated interest income						(110.4)
(Loss) gain from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock
Gain on contingent purchase price reduction
Other expense, net					(5.3)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes					(15.1)	28.5
Income tax expense					39.8	44.1
Net (loss) income					(54.9)	(15.6)
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest					(23.5)	(6.2)
Net (loss) income attributable to controlling interest					(31.4)	(9.4)
Less: Preferred stock dividends and accretion
Net (loss) income attributable to common and participating preferred stockholders					(31.4)	(9.4)
Insurance [Member]
Revenues:
Net consumer product sales
Oil and natural gas
Insurance premiums					27.9	30.1
Net investment income					336.9	359.5
Net investment gains					353.2	267.5
Insurance and investment product fees and other					28.3	19.2
Total revenues	402.7		359.1		746.3	676.3
Operating costs and expenses:
Consumer products cost of goods sold
Oil and natural gas direct operating costs
Benefits and other changes in policy reserves					324.5	418.7
Selling, acquisition, operating and general expenses					50.4	81.5
Amortization of intangibles					98.4	85.1
Total operating costs and expenses					473.3	585.3
Operating income	109.4		55.8		273.0	91.0
Equity in net income (losses) of subsidiaries
Interest expense
Affiliated interest income					1.1	(1.3)
(Loss) gain from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock
Gain on contingent purchase price reduction						41.0
Other expense, net					0.3
Income from continuing operations before income taxes					274.4	130.7
Income tax expense					90.6	12.3
Net (loss) income					183.8	118.4
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest
Net (loss) income attributable to controlling interest					183.8	118.4
Less: Preferred stock dividends and accretion
Net (loss) income attributable to common and participating preferred stockholders					183.8	118.4
Energy Segment [Member]
Revenues:
Net consumer product sales
Oil and natural gas					16.7
Insurance premiums
Net investment income
Net investment gains
Insurance and investment product fees and other
Total revenues	16.7				16.7
Operating costs and expenses:
Consumer products cost of goods sold
Oil and natural gas direct operating costs					8.8
Benefits and other changes in policy reserves
Selling, acquisition, operating and general expenses					7.4
Amortization of intangibles
Total operating costs and expenses					16.2
Operating income	0.5				0.5
Equity in net income (losses) of subsidiaries
Interest expense					(0.9)
Affiliated interest income					(1.1)
(Loss) gain from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock
Gain on contingent purchase price reduction
Other expense, net					(8.9)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes					(10.4)
Income tax expense
Net (loss) income					(10.4)
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest
Net (loss) income attributable to controlling interest					(10.4)
Less: Preferred stock dividends and accretion
Net (loss) income attributable to common and participating preferred stockholders					(10.4)
Other Financial Services [Member]
Revenues:
Net consumer product sales
Oil and natural gas
Insurance premiums
Net investment income					18.4	0.4
Net investment gains
Insurance and investment product fees and other					0.9
Total revenues	8.7		0.4		19.3	0.4
Operating costs and expenses:
Consumer products cost of goods sold
Oil and natural gas direct operating costs
Benefits and other changes in policy reserves
Selling, acquisition, operating and general expenses					6.8	1.4
Amortization of intangibles
Total operating costs and expenses					6.8	1.4
Operating income	5.2		(0.8)		12.5	(1.0)
Equity in net income (losses) of subsidiaries						(0.1)
Interest expense
Affiliated interest income					(5.5)
(Loss) gain from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock
Gain on contingent purchase price reduction
Other expense, net					(0.1)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes					6.9	(1.1)
Income tax expense
Net (loss) income					6.9	(1.1)
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest					0.3
Net (loss) income attributable to controlling interest					6.6	(1.1)
Less: Preferred stock dividends and accretion
Net (loss) income attributable to common and participating preferred stockholders					6.6	(1.1)
Corporate and Other [Member]
Revenues:
Net consumer product sales
Oil and natural gas
Insurance premiums
Net investment income
Net investment gains
Insurance and investment product fees and other
Total revenues
Operating costs and expenses:
Consumer products cost of goods sold
Oil and natural gas direct operating costs
Benefits and other changes in policy reserves
Selling, acquisition, operating and general expenses					50.9	21.1
Amortization of intangibles
Total operating costs and expenses					50.9	21.1
Operating income	(29.5)	[1]	(14.2)	[1]	(50.9)	(21.1)	[1]
Equity in net income (losses) of subsidiaries					148.0
Interest expense					(87.7)	108.0
Affiliated interest income						(28.3)
(Loss) gain from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock					29.3	1.5
Gain on contingent purchase price reduction
Other expense, net					2.1	(8.5)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes					40.8	51.6
Income tax expense
Net (loss) income					40.8	51.6
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest
Net (loss) income attributable to controlling interest					40.8	51.6
Less: Preferred stock dividends and accretion					24.3	31.6
Net (loss) income attributable to common and participating preferred stockholders					16.5	20.0
Intersegment elimination [Member]
Revenues:
Net consumer product sales
Oil and natural gas
Insurance premiums
Net investment income					(5.2)	(0.1)
Net investment gains
Insurance and investment product fees and other					(0.9)
Total revenues	(4.0)		(0.1)		(6.1)	(0.1)
Operating costs and expenses:
Consumer products cost of goods sold
Oil and natural gas direct operating costs
Benefits and other changes in policy reserves
Selling, acquisition, operating and general expenses
Amortization of intangibles
Total operating costs and expenses
Operating income	(3.9)		(0.1)		(6.1)	(0.1)
Equity in net income (losses) of subsidiaries					(148.0)	0.1
Interest expense						(108.0)
Affiliated interest income					5.5
(Loss) gain from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock
Gain on contingent purchase price reduction
Other expense, net
Income from continuing operations before income taxes					(148.6)	(108.0)
Income tax expense
Net (loss) income					(148.6)	(108.0)
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest
Net (loss) income attributable to controlling interest					(148.6)	(108.0)
Less: Preferred stock dividends and accretion
Net (loss) income attributable to common and participating preferred stockholders					(148.6)	(108.0)
Consolidated Entities [Member]
Revenues:
Net consumer product sales					1,858.0	1,595.1
Oil and natural gas					16.7
Insurance premiums					27.9	30.1
Net investment income					350.1	359.8
Net investment gains					353.2	267.5
Insurance and investment product fees and other					28.3	19.2
Total revenues					2,634.2	2,271.7
Operating costs and expenses:
Consumer products cost of goods sold					1,247.0	1,051.0
Oil and natural gas direct operating costs					8.8
Benefits and other changes in policy reserves					324.5	418.7
Selling, acquisition, operating and general expenses					568.9	478.8
Amortization of intangibles					135.6	115.5
Total operating costs and expenses					2,284.8	2,064.0
Operating income					349.4	207.7
Equity in net income (losses) of subsidiaries
Interest expense					(218.8)
Affiliated interest income						(140.0)
(Loss) gain from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock					29.3	1.5
Gain on contingent purchase price reduction						41.0
Other expense, net					(11.9)	(8.5)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes					148.0	101.7
Income tax expense					130.4	56.4
Net (loss) income					17.6	45.3
Less: Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest					(23.2)	(6.2)
Net (loss) income attributable to controlling interest					40.8	51.5
Less: Preferred stock dividends and accretion					24.3	31.6
Net (loss) income attributable to common and participating preferred stockholders					$ 16.5	$ 19.9

[1] Included in corporate expenses for the three and six months ended March 31, 2013 and April 1, 2012, are $0.0 and $0.9, and $0.9 and $1.7, respectively, for start-up costs relating to Front Street and Salus, and $4.7 and $11.1, and $0.6 and $2.1, respectively, relating to acquisitions and other projects.