Related Party Transactions Intercompany related dividends paid (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Citizens Inc. Stock Investment Plan [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Value of Shares Purchased	$ 0.6	$ 1.2
Related Party Transaction, Tax Expense	0.2	0.4
CICA Subsidiary of Citizens, Inc [Domain]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company by Consolidated Subsidiaries	5.4	6.8
SPLIC subsidiary of CICA [Domain]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Cash Dividends Paid to Parent Company by Consolidated Subsidiaries	$ 2.3	$ 0.6

This element represents disclosure of the aggregate cash dividends paid to the entity by consolidated subsidiaries.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-04.(b))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6881521&loc=d3e24072-122690

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 235

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-06)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6882215&loc=d3e537971-122884

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 06

-Article 9

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Paragraph b

-Article 12

Name:	us-gaap_CashDividendsPaidToParentCompanyByConsolidatedSubsidiaries
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration