Business and Operations	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Business and Operations	NOTE 1 — BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS Signature Group Holdings, Inc. (“Signature”) is a holding company that owns all of the outstanding interests of its operating company, SGGH, LLC. The Company’s operations are largely concentrated in one operating segment, Industrial Supply. Signature’s board of directors (the “Board”) and management expect to grow the business through acquisitions, as well as through organic efforts within existing operations. Signature’s current business strategy seeks to leverage its public company status, considerable federal and California net operating loss tax carryforwards (“NOLs”), and the experience of the Board and management to acquire operating businesses at prices and on terms that are aligned with current growth plans. On October 17, 2014, Signature entered into a definitive purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) to purchase the global recycling and specification alloys business (“GRSA Business”) from Aleris Corporation (“Aleris”) for $525.0 million (the “GRSA Acquisition”). See Note 15—Subsequent Events for additional information about the GRSA Acquisition. Signature’s ‘continuing operations’ includes one primary operating segment, Industrial Supply, and a second segment, Special Situations, which no longer meets the criteria of a reportable segment but is presented for comparative purposes to prior periods when it met the criteria of a reportable segment. Industrial Supply. The Industrial Supply segment, which includes one of the largest circuit breaker suppliers in the United States, North American Breaker Co., LLC (“NABCO”), is headquartered in Burbank, California. NABCO focuses on the replacement market for commercial and industrial circuit breakers where replacement time is extremely important, and also supplies residential circuit breakers in order to provide its customers with a single source solution for their circuit breaker needs. Industrial Supply sells from nine warehouse locations across North America to facilitate next day ground shipping service to a broad section of its customer base. In October 2014, management engaged an investment banking advisor to explore strategic alternatives, including the possible sale of the NABCO. Special Situations. Special Situations selectively acquired sub-performing and nonperforming commercial and industrial loans, leases and mortgages, typically at a discount to unpaid principal balance, and also took positions in corporate bonds and other structured debt instruments, which were generally sub-performing or nonperforming. Special Situations opportunistically exited the majority of its investment positions and sold the majority of its assets in 2013. As of September 30, 2014, Special Situations maintains a small portfolio of commercial real estate loans and a nonmarketable preferred equity investment in a private company, each of which is classified in other noncurrent assets. Additionally, Signature’s operations include a discontinued operations segment, where it holds and manages certain assets and liabilities related to its former businesses, then known as Fremont General Corporation (“Fremont”) and its primary operating subsidiary, Fremont Investment & Loan (“FIL”). As of September 30, 2014, there are assets with nominal carrying values in discontinued operations and the remaining liabilities are being managed to limit costs and exposures. See Note 12—Operations by Reportable Segments for additional information about Signature’s operating segments.

NOTE 1 — BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS

Signature Group Holdings, Inc. (“Signature”) is a holding company that owns all of the outstanding interests of its operating company, SGGH, LLC. The Company’s operations are largely concentrated in one operating segment, Industrial Supply. Signature’s board of directors (the “Board”) and management expect to grow the business through acquisitions, as well as through organic efforts within existing operations. Signature’s current business strategy seeks to leverage its public company status, considerable federal and California net operating loss tax carryforwards (“NOLs”), and the experience of the Board and management to acquire operating businesses at prices and on terms that are aligned with current growth plans. On October 17, 2014, Signature entered into a definitive purchase agreement (the “Purchase Agreement”) to purchase the global recycling and specification alloys business (“GRSA Business”) from Aleris Corporation (“Aleris”) for $525.0 million (the “GRSA Acquisition”). See Note 15—Subsequent Events for additional information about the GRSA Acquisition.

Signature’s ‘continuing operations’ includes one primary operating segment, Industrial Supply, and a second segment, Special Situations, which no longer meets the criteria of a reportable segment but is presented for comparative purposes to prior periods when it met the criteria of a reportable segment.

Industrial Supply. The Industrial Supply segment, which includes one of the largest circuit breaker suppliers in the United States, North American Breaker Co., LLC (“NABCO”), is headquartered in Burbank, California. NABCO focuses on the replacement market for commercial and industrial circuit breakers where replacement time is extremely important, and also supplies residential circuit breakers in order to provide its customers with a single source solution for their circuit breaker needs. Industrial Supply sells from nine warehouse locations across North America to facilitate next day ground shipping service to a broad section of its customer base.

In October 2014, management engaged an investment banking advisor to explore strategic alternatives, including the possible sale of the NABCO.

Special Situations. Special Situations selectively acquired sub-performing and nonperforming commercial and industrial loans, leases and mortgages, typically at a discount to unpaid principal balance, and also took positions in corporate bonds and other structured debt instruments, which were generally sub-performing or nonperforming. Special Situations opportunistically exited the majority of its investment positions and sold the majority of its assets in 2013. As of September 30, 2014, Special Situations maintains a small portfolio of commercial real estate loans and a nonmarketable preferred equity investment in a private company, each of which is classified in other noncurrent assets.

Additionally, Signature’s operations include a discontinued operations segment, where it holds and manages certain assets and liabilities related to its former businesses, then known as Fremont General Corporation (“Fremont”) and its primary operating subsidiary, Fremont Investment & Loan (“FIL”). As of September 30, 2014, there are assets with nominal carrying values in discontinued operations and the remaining liabilities are being managed to limit costs and exposures.

See Note 12—Operations by Reportable Segments for additional information about Signature’s operating segments.