Segment Data - Segment Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Document Period End Date			Mar. 31, 2014
Revenues:
Consolidated revenues	$ 1,341,200,000	$ 1,411,100,000	$ 2,851,200,000	$ 2,633,400,000
Operating income (loss):
Consolidated operating income	16,200,000	134,000,000	195,500,000	349,400,000
Interest expense	(77,200,000)	(75,700,000)	(161,200,000)	(218,800,000)
(Loss) gain from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock	(3,500,000)	(39,600,000)	(50,700,000)	29,300,000
Gain on contingent purchase price reduction			500,000	0
Other expense, net	(4,600,000)	(3,200,000)	(16,500,000)	(11,900,000)
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes	(69,100,000)	15,500,000	(32,400,000)	148,000,000
Total assets:
Consolidated total assets	29,322,500,000		29,322,500,000		27,908,800,000
Total cash provided from operating activities:
Consolidated cash provided from operating activities			(81,900,000)	(67,200,000)
Consumer Products Segment [Member]
Revenues:
Consolidated revenues	1,021,700,000	987,700,000	2,122,300,000	1,858,000,000
Operating income (loss):
Consolidated operating income	92,500,000	52,200,000	217,600,000	120,400,000
Interest expense			(104,400,000)
(Loss) gain from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock
Gain on contingent purchase price reduction			0
Other expense, net			(1,600,000)	(5,300,000)
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes			111,600,000	(15,100,000)
Total assets:
Consolidated total assets	5,687,600,000		5,687,600,000		5,626,700,000
Total cash provided from operating activities:
Consolidated cash provided from operating activities			(156,700,000)	(179,900,000)
Insurance [Member]
Revenues:
Consolidated revenues	274,100,000	402,300,000	647,200,000	745,900,000
Operating income (loss):
Consolidated operating income	26,300,000	108,000,000	111,600,000	271,600,000
Interest expense			(11,300,000)
(Loss) gain from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock
Gain on contingent purchase price reduction			0
Other expense, net				300,000
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes			96,700,000	274,400,000
Total assets:
Consolidated total assets	22,364,000,000		22,364,000,000		21,183,100,000
Total cash provided from operating activities:
Consolidated cash provided from operating activities			123,600,000	188,300,000
Energy Segment [Member]
Revenues:
Consolidated revenues	39,200,000	16,700,000	74,700,000	16,700,000
Operating income (loss):
Consolidated operating income	(71,800,000)	500,000	(65,800,000)	500,000
Interest expense			(4,100,000)
(Loss) gain from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock
Gain on contingent purchase price reduction			0
Other expense, net			(10,200,000)	(8,900,000)
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes			(84,600,000)	(10,400,000)
Total assets:
Consolidated total assets	515,500,000		515,500,000		617,600,000
Total cash provided from operating activities:
Consolidated cash provided from operating activities			25,000,000	2,700,000
Financial Services segment [Member]
Revenues:
Consolidated revenues			14,300,000	13,700,000
Total cash provided from operating activities:
Consolidated cash provided from operating activities			5,200,000	(1,400,000)
Other Financial Services [Member]
Revenues:
Consolidated revenues	9,800,000	5,300,000	14,300,000	13,700,000
Operating income (loss):
Consolidated operating income	4,000,000	2,700,000	100,000	7,800,000
Interest expense
(Loss) gain from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock
Gain on contingent purchase price reduction			0
Other expense, net			(1,300,000)	(100,000)
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes			(4,200,000)	6,300,000
Total assets:
Consolidated total assets	686,200,000		686,200,000		572,200,000
Total segments [Member]
Operating income (loss):
Consolidated operating income	47,000,000	163,400,000	255,800,000	400,300,000
Total cash provided from operating activities:
Consolidated cash provided from operating activities			(2,900,000)	9,700,000
Intersegment elimination [Member]
Revenues:
Consolidated revenues	(3,600,000)	(900,000)	(7,300,000)	(900,000)
Operating income (loss):
Consolidated operating income	(4,000,000)		(7,700,000)	0
Interest expense				(148,000,000)
(Loss) gain from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock
Gain on contingent purchase price reduction			0
Other expense, net			(4,800,000)
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes			(49,600,000)	(148,000,000)
Corporate expenses [Member]
Revenues:
Consolidated revenues
Operating income (loss):
Consolidated operating income	(30,800,000)	(29,400,000)	(60,300,000)	(50,900,000)
Interest expense			(41,400,000)	148,000,000
(Loss) gain from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock			(50,700,000)	29,300,000
Gain on contingent purchase price reduction			500,000
Other expense, net			1,400,000	2,100,000
(Loss) income from continuing operations before income taxes			(102,300,000)	40,800,000
Total assets:
Consolidated total assets	2,572,400,000		2,572,400,000		2,383,500,000
Corporate Segment [Member]
Total cash provided from operating activities:
Consolidated cash provided from operating activities			$ (79,000,000)	$ (76,900,000)