Segment Information - Reconciliation of Operating Profit from Segments to Consolidated (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020	Mar. 31, 2020	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2020
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit from Segment to Consolidated
Revenues	$ 276,545,000	$ 242,875,000		$ 538,700,000	$ 488,921,000
Net corporate interest expense	(1,213,000)	(2,452,000)		(2,795,000)	(4,676,000)
Goodwill impairment			$ (17,674,000)	0	(17,674,000)
Restructuring costs	0			0
Income (Loss) Before Income Taxes	15,393,000	12,433,000		23,898,000	(9,212,000)
Operating Segments
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit from Segment to Consolidated
Total segment operating earnings	21,282,000	20,310,000		35,461,000	30,419,000
Segment Reconciling Items
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit from Segment to Consolidated
Unallocated corporate and shared costs, net	1,662,000	2,066,000		2,815,000	5,162,000
Net corporate interest expense	(1,213,000)	(2,452,000)		(2,795,000)	(4,676,000)
Stock option expense	264,000	286,000		404,000	576,000
Amortization of customer-relationship intangible assets	2,750,000	2,732,000		5,549,000	5,488,000
Goodwill impairment	0	0		0	(17,674,000)
Restructuring costs	0	0		0	5,714,000
Gain on disposition of businesses, net	0	(341,000)		0	(341,000)
Crawford Loss Adjusting
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit from Segment to Consolidated
Revenues	115,956,000	109,062,000		228,493,000	216,166,000
Crawford Loss Adjusting | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit from Segment to Consolidated
Total segment operating earnings	6,199,000	10,043,000		11,061,000	10,715,000
Crawford TPA Solutions
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit from Segment to Consolidated
Revenues	100,374,000	88,668,000		198,619,000	186,665,000
Crawford TPA Solutions | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit from Segment to Consolidated
Total segment operating earnings	4,715,000	3,122,000		9,431,000	9,420,000
Crawford Platform Solutions
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit from Segment to Consolidated
Revenues	51,127,000	36,686,000		93,526,000	69,116,000
Crawford Platform Solutions | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit from Segment to Consolidated
Total segment operating earnings	10,368,000	7,145,000		14,969,000	10,284,000
Service
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit from Segment to Consolidated
Revenues	267,457,000	234,416,000		520,638,000	471,947,000
Service | Crawford Loss Adjusting | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit from Segment to Consolidated
Revenues	115,956,000	109,062,000		228,493,000	216,166,000
Service | Crawford TPA Solutions
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit from Segment to Consolidated
Revenues	100,374,000	88,668,000		198,619,000	186,665,000
Service | Crawford TPA Solutions | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit from Segment to Consolidated
Revenues	100,374,000	88,668,000		198,619,000	186,665,000
Service | Crawford Platform Solutions
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit from Segment to Consolidated
Revenues	51,127,000	36,686,000		93,526,000	69,116,000
Service | Crawford Platform Solutions | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit from Segment to Consolidated
Revenues	51,127,000	36,686,000		93,526,000	69,116,000
Reimbursements
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit from Segment to Consolidated
Revenues	$ 9,088,000	$ 8,459,000		$ 18,062,000	$ 16,974,000