Fair Value Disclosures (Details 1) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance		$ 28
Principal transactions and other income / (loss)		(9)
Transfers in and/or (out), net of Level 3
Purchases
Sales		19
Deep Value [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance		28
Principal transactions and other income / (loss)		(9)
Transfers in and/or (out), net of Level 3
Sales		19
Investment Funds [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance				28
Principal transactions and other income / (loss)				(9)
Sales				(19)
Investment Funds [Member] | Deep Value [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance				28
Principal transactions and other income / (loss)				(9)
Sales				(19)
Interests in securitizations [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance		105
Transfers in and/or (out), net of Level 3
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance		105		105
Equity securities [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance		40,219
Principal transactions and other income / (loss)		1,277
Transfers in and/or (out), net of Level 3
Purchases		569
Sales		78
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance		41,987		41,987
change in unrealized gains/(losses) for the period included in earnings		1,286
Residential loans [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance		287
Principal transactions and other income / (loss)		3
Transfers in and/or (out), net of Level 3
Sales		14
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance		276		276
change in unrealized gains/(losses) for the period included in earnings		3
Investments-trading [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance	2,576	14,530	5,188	73,385
Net trading	(125)	2,092	(139)	6,837
Transfers in and/or (out), net of Level 3				4,332
Purchases		17,075	2,522	32,237
Sales	2,203	14,868	(7,323)	(97,962)
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance	248	18,829	248	18,829
change in unrealized gains/(losses) for the period included in earnings	(104)	818	(135)	1,088
Investments-trading [Member] | U.S. government agency MBS and CMOs [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance		12,206		68,885
Net trading		1,024		452
Transfers in and/or (out), net of Level 3				4,332
Purchases		7,283		20,599
Sales		11,894		(85,649)
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance		8,619		8,619
change in unrealized gains/(losses) for the period included in earnings		706		602
Investments-trading [Member] | RMBS [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance			4,932
Net trading			17
Transfers in and/or (out), net of Level 3
Purchases		1,473	171	1,473
Sales			(5,120)
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance		1,473		1,473
Investments-trading [Member] | Commercial mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Net trading		114		114
Transfers in and/or (out), net of Level 3
Purchases		1,233		1,233
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance		1,347		1,347
change in unrealized gains/(losses) for the period included in earnings		114		114
Investments-trading [Member] | Interests in securitizations [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance	2,409	1,857	221	4,500
Net trading	(21)	1,000	(58)	6,238
Transfers in and/or (out), net of Level 3
Purchases		7,016	2,225	8,101
Sales	2,203	2,582	(2,203)	(11,548)
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance	185	7,291	185	7,291
change in unrealized gains/(losses) for the period included in earnings		44	(37)	340
Investments-trading [Member] | Certificates of deposit [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance		393
Net trading				3
Transfers in and/or (out), net of Level 3
Purchases				761
Sales		392		(763)
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance		1		1
change in unrealized gains/(losses) for the period included in earnings				2
Investments-trading [Member] | Equity securities [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance	167	74	35
Net trading	(104)	(46)	(98)	30
Transfers in and/or (out), net of Level 3
Purchases		70	126	70
Sales				(2)
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance	63	98	63	98
change in unrealized gains/(losses) for the period included in earnings	(104)	(46)	(98)	30
Other investments, at fair value [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance	37,295	40,611	42,748	42,699
Principal transactions and other income / (loss)	(5)	1,280	(5,191)	(540)
Transfers in and/or (out), net of Level 3			(267)
Purchases		569		795
Sales		92		(586)
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance	37,290	42,368	37,290	42,368
change in unrealized gains/(losses) for the period included in earnings	(5)	1,289	(5,191)	(531)
Other investments, at fair value [Member] | EuroDekania [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Transfers in and/or (out), net of Level 3
Other investments, at fair value [Member] | Star Asia [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance		35,094
Principal transactions and other income / (loss)		667
Transfers in and/or (out), net of Level 3
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance		35,761		35,761
change in unrealized gains/(losses) for the period included in earnings		667
Other investments, at fair value [Member] | Tiptree Financial Partners L.P. [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Transfers in and/or (out), net of Level 3
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance		2,551		2,551
Other investments, at fair value [Member] | Interests in securitizations [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance	97		88	105
Principal transactions and other income / (loss)			9	0
Transfers in and/or (out), net of Level 3
Purchases
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance	97	105	97	105
change in unrealized gains/(losses) for the period included in earnings			9
Other investments, at fair value [Member] | Equity securities [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance	37,198		42,393	42,291
Principal transactions and other income / (loss)	(5)		(5,200)	(545)
Transfers in and/or (out), net of Level 3
Purchases				795
Sales				(554)
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance	37,193	41,987	37,193	41,987
change in unrealized gains/(losses) for the period included in earnings	(5)		(5,200)	(536)
Other investments, at fair value [Member] | Equity securities [Member] | EuroDekania [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Transfers in and/or (out), net of Level 3
Other investments, at fair value [Member] | Equity securities [Member] | Star Asia [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Transfers in and/or (out), net of Level 3
Other investments, at fair value [Member] | Equity securities [Member] | Tiptree Financial Partners L.P. [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Transfers in and/or (out), net of Level 3
Other investments, at fair value [Member] | Equity securities [Member] | Other securities [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance	82		132	500
Principal transactions and other income / (loss)	6		(44)	(212)
Transfers in and/or (out), net of Level 3
Purchases				36
Sales				(59)
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance	88	265	88	265
change in unrealized gains/(losses) for the period included in earnings	6		(44)	(212)
Other investments, at fair value [Member] | Equity securities [Member] | Investment Funds [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance		553
Principal transactions and other income / (loss)		(265)
Transfers in and/or (out), net of Level 3
Purchases		36
Sales		59
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance		265		265
change in unrealized gains/(losses) for the period included in earnings		(265)
Other investments, at fair value [Member] | Equity securities [Member] | Other Investment Vehicles [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance	37,116	39,638	42,261	41,763
Principal transactions and other income / (loss)	(11)	1,551	(5,156)	(324)
Transfers in and/or (out), net of Level 3
Purchases		533		759
Sales				(476)
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance	37,105	41,722	37,105	41,722
change in unrealized gains/(losses) for the period included in earnings	(11)	1,551	(5,156)	(324)
Other investments, at fair value [Member] | Equity securities [Member] | Other Investment Vehicles [Member] | EuroDekania [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance	2,348	2,033	2,370	1,258
Principal transactions and other income / (loss)	(245)	844	(267)	1,619
Purchases		533		533
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance	2,103	3,410	2,103	3,410
change in unrealized gains/(losses) for the period included in earnings	(245)	844	(267)	1,619
Other investments, at fair value [Member] | Equity securities [Member] | Other Investment Vehicles [Member] | Star Asia [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance	32,118		37,358	38,025
Principal transactions and other income / (loss)	181		(5,059)	(2,014)
Purchases				226
Sales				(476)
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance	32,299	35,761	32,299	35,761
change in unrealized gains/(losses) for the period included in earnings	181		(5,059)	(2,014)
Other investments, at fair value [Member] | Equity securities [Member] | Other Investment Vehicles [Member] | Tiptree Financial Partners L.P. [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance	2,650	2,511	2,533	2,480
Principal transactions and other income / (loss)	53	40	170	71
Purchases
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance	2,703	2,551	2,703	2,551
change in unrealized gains/(losses) for the period included in earnings	53	40	170	71
Other investments, at fair value [Member] | Residential loans [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance			267	303
Principal transactions and other income / (loss)				5
Transfers in and/or (out), net of Level 3			(267)
Sales				(32)
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance		276		276
change in unrealized gains/(losses) for the period included in earnings				$ 5