Consolidating Financial Information - Schedule of Income Statement Information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013
Revenues:
Net consumer and other product sales	$ 1,133,200,000	$ 1,089,800,000	$ 3,255,500,000	$ 2,947,800,000
Oil and natural gas	37,600,000	37,800,000	112,300,000	54,500,000
Insurance premiums	13,300,000	19,000,000	42,000,000	46,900,000
Net investment income	210,900,000	188,200,000	618,500,000	537,500,000
Net investment gains	184,600,000	58,300,000	367,400,000	411,500,000
Insurance and investment product fees and other	19,800,000	16,100,000	54,900,000	44,400,000
Total revenues	1,599,400,000	1,409,200,000	4,450,600,000	4,042,600,000
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of consumer products and other goods sold	714,900,000	707,000,000	2,096,400,000	1,954,000,000
Oil and natural gas direct operating costs	17,700,000	18,100,000	50,900,000	26,900,000
Benefits and other changes in policy reserves	265,100,000	107,200,000	696,300,000	431,700,000
Selling, acquisition, operating and general expenses	331,900,000	309,300,000	979,900,000	877,400,000
Impairment of Proved Oil and Gas Properties				0
Amortization of intangibles	40,700,000	85,000,000	121,500,000	220,600,000
Total operating costs and expenses	1,370,300,000	1,226,600,000	4,026,000,000	3,510,600,000
Operating income	229,100,000	182,600,000	424,600,000	532,000,000
Interest expense	(77,900,000)	(83,900,000)	(239,100,000)	(302,700,000)
Gain (loss) from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock	38,000,000	52,600,000	(12,700,000)	81,900,000
Gain on contingent purchase price reduction			500,000	0
Other income (expense), net	6,000,000	4,200,000	(10,500,000)	(7,700,000)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	195,200,000	155,500,000	162,800,000	303,500,000
Income tax expense	53,700,000	36,800,000	78,700,000	167,200,000
Net income (loss)	141,500,000	118,700,000	84,100,000	136,300,000
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest	43,200,000	15,100,000	88,100,000	(8,100,000)
Net income (loss) attributable to controlling interest	98,300,000	103,600,000	(4,000,000)	144,400,000
Less: Preferred stock dividends, accretion and loss on conversion	49,300,000	12,000,000	73,600,000	36,300,000
Net income (loss) attributable to common and participating preferred stockholders	49,000,000	91,600,000	(77,600,000)	108,100,000
Consolidated Entities [Member]
Revenues:
Net consumer and other product sales			3,255,500,000	2,947,800,000
Oil and natural gas			112,300,000	54,500,000
Insurance premiums			42,000,000	46,900,000
Net investment income			618,500,000	537,500,000
Net investment gains			367,400,000	411,500,000
Insurance and investment product fees and other			54,900,000	44,400,000
Total revenues			4,450,600,000	4,042,600,000
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of consumer products and other goods sold			2,096,400,000	1,954,000,000
Oil and natural gas direct operating costs			50,900,000	26,900,000
Benefits and other changes in policy reserves			696,300,000	431,700,000
Selling, acquisition, operating and general expenses			979,900,000	877,400,000
Impairment of Proved Oil and Gas Properties			81,000,000
Amortization of intangibles			121,500,000	220,600,000
Total operating costs and expenses			4,026,000,000	3,510,600,000
Operating income			424,600,000	532,000,000
Equity in net income (losses) of subsidiaries
Interest expense			(239,100,000)
Affiliated interest income				(302,700,000)
Gain (loss) from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock			(12,700,000)	81,900,000
Gain on contingent purchase price reduction			500,000
Other income (expense), net			(10,500,000)	(7,700,000)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes			162,800,000	303,500,000
Income tax expense			78,700,000	167,200,000
Net income (loss)			84,100,000	136,300,000
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest			88,100,000	(8,100,000)
Net income (loss) attributable to controlling interest			(4,000,000)	144,400,000
Less: Preferred stock dividends, accretion and loss on conversion			73,600,000	36,300,000
Net income (loss) attributable to common and participating preferred stockholders			(77,600,000)	108,100,000
Intersegment elimination [Member]
Revenues:
Net consumer and other product sales
Oil and natural gas
Insurance premiums
Net investment income			(10,000,000)	(6,100,000)
Net investment gains			500,000
Insurance and investment product fees and other
Total revenues	(2,200,000)	(5,200,000)	(9,500,000)	(6,100,000)
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of consumer products and other goods sold
Oil and natural gas direct operating costs
Benefits and other changes in policy reserves
Selling, acquisition, operating and general expenses			200,000
Impairment of Proved Oil and Gas Properties
Amortization of intangibles
Total operating costs and expenses			200,000
Operating income	(2,000,000)	(6,100,000)	(9,700,000)	(6,100,000)
Equity in net income (losses) of subsidiaries			(158,000,000)	6,100,000
Interest expense				(233,000,000)
Affiliated interest income			11,500,000
Gain (loss) from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock
Gain on contingent purchase price reduction			0
Other income (expense), net			(4,100,000)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes			(160,300,000)	(233,000,000)
Income tax expense			(200,000)
Net income (loss)			(160,100,000)	(233,000,000)
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest
Net income (loss) attributable to controlling interest			(160,100,000)	(233,000,000)
Less: Preferred stock dividends, accretion and loss on conversion
Net income (loss) attributable to common and participating preferred stockholders			(160,100,000)	(233,000,000)
Corporate and Other [Member]
Revenues:
Net consumer and other product sales			4,700,000
Oil and natural gas
Insurance premiums
Net investment income
Net investment gains
Insurance and investment product fees and other
Total revenues	4,700,000		4,700,000
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of consumer products and other goods sold			3,500,000
Oil and natural gas direct operating costs
Benefits and other changes in policy reserves
Selling, acquisition, operating and general expenses			99,400,000	68,400,000
Impairment of Proved Oil and Gas Properties
Amortization of intangibles
Total operating costs and expenses			102,900,000	68,400,000
Operating income	(37,900,000)	(17,500,000)	(98,200,000)	(68,400,000)
Equity in net income (losses) of subsidiaries			159,800,000
Interest expense			(64,600,000)	233,000,000
Affiliated interest income			(500,000)	(102,200,000)
Gain (loss) from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock			(12,700,000)	81,900,000
Gain on contingent purchase price reduction			500,000
Other income (expense), net			11,100,000	100,000
Income from continuing operations before income taxes			(4,600,000)	144,400,000
Income tax expense
Net income (loss)			(4,600,000)	144,400,000
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest			(600,000)
Net income (loss) attributable to controlling interest			(4,000,000)	144,400,000
Less: Preferred stock dividends, accretion and loss on conversion			73,600,000	36,300,000
Net income (loss) attributable to common and participating preferred stockholders			(77,600,000)	108,100,000
Other Financial Services [Member]
Operating costs and expenses:
Operating income	3,100,000	2,400,000
Asset Management segment [Member]
Revenues:
Net consumer and other product sales
Oil and natural gas
Insurance premiums
Net investment income			25,600,000	20,800,000
Net investment gains
Insurance and investment product fees and other
Total revenues	11,300,000	7,100,000	25,600,000	20,800,000
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of consumer products and other goods sold
Oil and natural gas direct operating costs
Benefits and other changes in policy reserves
Selling, acquisition, operating and general expenses			22,400,000	10,600,000
Impairment of Proved Oil and Gas Properties
Amortization of intangibles
Total operating costs and expenses			22,400,000	10,600,000
Operating income			3,200,000	10,200,000
Equity in net income (losses) of subsidiaries				(2,700,000)
Interest expense
Affiliated interest income			(4,400,000)
Gain (loss) from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock
Gain on contingent purchase price reduction			0
Other income (expense), net			(700,000)	(900,000)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes			(1,900,000)	6,600,000
Income tax expense			(100,000)	200,000
Net income (loss)			(1,800,000)	6,400,000
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest				400,000
Net income (loss) attributable to controlling interest			(1,800,000)	6,000,000
Less: Preferred stock dividends, accretion and loss on conversion
Net income (loss) attributable to common and participating preferred stockholders			(1,800,000)	6,000,000
Energy Segment [Member]
Revenues:
Net consumer and other product sales
Oil and natural gas			112,300,000	54,500,000
Insurance premiums
Net investment income
Net investment gains
Insurance and investment product fees and other
Total revenues	37,600,000	37,800,000	112,300,000	54,500,000
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of consumer products and other goods sold
Oil and natural gas direct operating costs			50,900,000	26,900,000
Benefits and other changes in policy reserves
Selling, acquisition, operating and general expenses			37,600,000	22,300,000
Impairment of Proved Oil and Gas Properties			81,000,000
Amortization of intangibles
Total operating costs and expenses			169,500,000	49,200,000
Operating income	8,600,000	4,800,000	(57,200,000)	5,300,000
Equity in net income (losses) of subsidiaries				(3,400,000)
Interest expense			(5,900,000)
Affiliated interest income			(6,800,000)	(2,800,000)
Gain (loss) from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock
Gain on contingent purchase price reduction			0
Other income (expense), net			(12,400,000)	800,000
Income from continuing operations before income taxes			(82,300,000)	(100,000)
Income tax expense
Net income (loss)			(82,300,000)	(100,000)
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest
Net income (loss) attributable to controlling interest			(82,300,000)	(100,000)
Less: Preferred stock dividends, accretion and loss on conversion
Net income (loss) attributable to common and participating preferred stockholders			(82,300,000)	(100,000)
Insurance [Member]
Revenues:
Net consumer and other product sales
Oil and natural gas
Insurance premiums			42,000,000	46,900,000
Net investment income			602,900,000	522,800,000
Net investment gains			366,900,000	411,500,000
Insurance and investment product fees and other			54,900,000	44,400,000
Total revenues	419,500,000	279,700,000	1,066,700,000	1,025,600,000
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of consumer products and other goods sold
Oil and natural gas direct operating costs
Benefits and other changes in policy reserves			696,300,000	431,700,000
Selling, acquisition, operating and general expenses			89,900,000	75,900,000
Impairment of Proved Oil and Gas Properties
Amortization of intangibles			60,300,000	163,100,000
Total operating costs and expenses			846,500,000	670,700,000
Operating income	108,600,000	83,300,000	220,200,000	354,900,000
Equity in net income (losses) of subsidiaries			(1,800,000)
Interest expense			(16,900,000)
Affiliated interest income			200,000	(5,900,000)
Gain (loss) from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock
Gain on contingent purchase price reduction			0
Other income (expense), net				200,000
Income from continuing operations before income taxes			201,700,000	349,200,000
Income tax expense			35,200,000	112,100,000
Net income (loss)			166,500,000	237,100,000
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest			19,700,000
Net income (loss) attributable to controlling interest			146,800,000	237,100,000
Less: Preferred stock dividends, accretion and loss on conversion
Net income (loss) attributable to common and participating preferred stockholders			146,800,000	237,100,000
Consumer Products Segment [Member]
Revenues:
Net consumer and other product sales			3,250,800,000	2,947,800,000
Oil and natural gas
Insurance premiums
Net investment income
Net investment gains
Insurance and investment product fees and other
Total revenues	1,128,500,000	1,089,800,000	3,250,800,000	2,947,800,000
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of consumer products and other goods sold			2,092,900,000	1,954,000,000
Oil and natural gas direct operating costs
Benefits and other changes in policy reserves
Selling, acquisition, operating and general expenses			730,400,000	700,200,000
Impairment of Proved Oil and Gas Properties
Amortization of intangibles			61,200,000	57,500,000
Total operating costs and expenses			2,884,500,000	2,711,700,000
Operating income	148,700,000	115,700,000	366,300,000	236,100,000
Equity in net income (losses) of subsidiaries
Interest expense			(151,700,000)
Affiliated interest income				(191,800,000)
Gain (loss) from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock
Gain on contingent purchase price reduction			0
Other income (expense), net			(4,400,000)	(7,900,000)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes			210,200,000	36,400,000
Income tax expense			43,800,000	54,900,000
Net income (loss)			166,400,000	(18,500,000)
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest			69,000,000	(8,500,000)
Net income (loss) attributable to controlling interest			97,400,000	(10,000,000)
Less: Preferred stock dividends, accretion and loss on conversion
Net income (loss) attributable to common and participating preferred stockholders			$ 97,400,000	$ (10,000,000)