CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS EQUITY - USD ($) $ in Millions	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Accumulated Deficit	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	Total Shareholders’ Equity	Noncontrolling Interest (“NCI”)	FGL [Member]	FGL [Member] Additional Paid-in Capital	FGL [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	FGL [Member] Total Shareholders’ Equity	FGL [Member] Noncontrolling Interest (“NCI”)	Spectrum Brands [Member]	Spectrum Brands [Member] Common Stock	Spectrum Brands [Member] Additional Paid-in Capital	Spectrum Brands [Member] Accumulated Deficit	Spectrum Brands [Member] Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income	Spectrum Brands [Member] Total Shareholders’ Equity	Spectrum Brands [Member] Noncontrolling Interest (“NCI”)
Common stock, shares issued, beginning balance at Sep. 30, 2013		142,400,000
Permanent equity, beginning balance at Sep. 30, 2013	$ 1,133.5	$ 1.4	$ 828.0	$ (192.4)	$ 87.7	$ 724.7	$ 408.8
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (loss) income	101.7			(10.3)		(10.3)	112.0
Unrealized investment gains, net	240.7				197.7	197.7	43.0
Other unrealized gains	11.5				6.8	6.8	4.7
Actuarial adjustments to pension plans	(5.7)				(4.0)	(4.0)	(1.7)
Translation adjustment	(32.5)				(19.1)	(19.1)	(13.4)
Comprehensive income (loss)	$ 315.7					171.1	144.6
Repurchase of common stock, shares	(5,197,000)	(5,200,000)
Repurchase of common stock, value	$ (65.6)	$ (0.1)	(65.5)			(65.6)
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues								$ 172.6	$ (58.5)	$ (25.5)	$ (84.0)	$ 256.6
Issuance (purchase) of subsidiary stock	(8.3)		(11.1)			(11.1)	2.8
Exercise of stock options, shares		0
Exercise of stock options, value	2.8		2.8		0.0	2.8
Stock compensation, shares		3,200,000
Stock compensation	93.0	$ 0.1	72.3			72.4	20.6
Adjustments To Additional Paid In Capital Share Based Compensation Restricted Stock Units Redeemed During Period Shares		100,000
Restricted stock surrendered for tax withholding	(31.5)		(21.1)			(21.1)	(10.4)
Preferred stock dividends, accretion and loss on conversion	(73.6)			(73.6)		(73.6)
Conversion of preferred stock, shares		62,000,000
Conversion of preferred stock, value	726.0	$ 0.6	725.4			726.0
NCI in acquired subsidiary	20.7		0.0			0.0	20.7
Dividend paid by subsidiary to NCI	(28.3)						(28.3)
Common stock, shares issued, ending balance at Sep. 30, 2014		202,300,000
Permanent equity, ending balance at Sep. 30, 2014	2,257.0	$ 2.0	1,472.3	(276.3)	243.6	1,441.6	815.4
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (loss) income	(512.4)			(556.8)		(556.8)	44.4
Unrealized investment gains, net	(256.6)				(206.1)	(206.1)	(50.5)
Other unrealized gains	(13.1)				(7.5)	(7.5)	(5.6)
Actuarial adjustments to pension plans	(11.7)				(7.0)	(7.0)	(4.7)
Translation adjustment	(112.9)				(65.7)	(65.7)	(47.2)
Comprehensive income (loss)	$ (906.7)					(843.1)	(63.6)
Repurchase of common stock, shares	(6,900,000)	(1,700,000)
Repurchase of common stock, value	$ (22.2)	$ (0.1)	(22.1)			(22.2)
Stock Issued During Period, Value, New Issues													$ 281.0	$ 0.0	$ 29.9	$ 0.0	$ 1.3	$ 31.2	$ 249.8
Issuance (purchase) of subsidiary stock	(61.0)		(76.8)		0.7	(76.1)	15.1
Exercise of stock options, shares		700,000
Exercise of stock options, value	4.1	$ 0.0	4.1			4.1
Stock compensation, shares		1,400,000
Stock compensation	90.0	$ 0.1	71.0			71.1	18.9
Adjustments To Additional Paid In Capital Share Based Compensation Restricted Stock Units Redeemed During Period Shares		(1,300,000)
Restricted stock surrendered for tax withholding	(21.0)		(19.9)			(19.9)	(1.1)
NCI in acquired subsidiary	0.8		0.0			0.0	0.8
Dividend paid by subsidiary to NCI	$ (33.9)						(33.9)
Common stock, shares issued, ending balance at Sep. 30, 2015	201,383,800	201,400,000
Permanent equity, ending balance at Sep. 30, 2015	$ 1,588.1	$ 2.0	1,458.5	(833.1)	(40.7)	586.7	1,001.4
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (loss) income	(33.9)			(198.8)		(198.8)	164.9
Unrealized investment gains, net	347.9				279.3	279.3	68.6
Other unrealized gains	7.1				4.1	4.1	3.0
Actuarial adjustments to pension plans	(28.5)				(16.6)	(16.6)	(11.9)
Translation adjustment	(8.5)				(4.8)	(4.8)	(3.7)
Comprehensive income (loss)	$ 284.1					63.2	220.9
Repurchase of common stock, shares	(6,900,000)
Issuance (purchase) of subsidiary stock	$ (54.5)	$ 0.0	(34.6)		(0.4)	(35.0)	(19.5)
Exercise of stock options, shares		600,000
Exercise of stock options, value	4.4	$ 0.0	4.4			4.4
Stock compensation, shares		0
Stock compensation	64.3	$ 0.0	42.9			42.9	21.4
Adjustments To Additional Paid In Capital Share Based Compensation Restricted Stock Units Redeemed During Period Shares		(1,200,000)
Restricted stock surrendered for tax withholding	(28.7)	$ 0.0	(24.1)			(24.1)	(4.6)
NCI in acquired subsidiary	0.0	$ 0.0	0.0			0.0	0.0
Dividend paid by subsidiary to NCI	$ (40.5)						(40.5)
Common stock, shares issued, ending balance at Sep. 30, 2016	200,789,100.00	200,800,000
Permanent equity, ending balance at Sep. 30, 2016	$ 1,817.2	$ 2.0	$ 1,447.1	$ (1,031.9)	$ 220.9	$ 638.1	$ 1,179.1