Earnings Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net Income attributable to Hubbell	$ 64.4	$ 86.7	$ 81.0	$ 60.9	$ 61.5	$ 73.3	$ 80.1	$ 62.4	$ 293.0	$ 277.3	$ 325.3
Less: Earnings allocated to participating securities									(0.9)	(0.7)	(0.9)
Net income available to common shareholders									$ 292.1	$ 276.6	$ 324.4
Average number of common shares outstanding									55,500,000	57,700,000	58,800,000
Potential dilutive shares									200,000	300,000	400,000
Average number of diluted shares outstanding (shares)									55,700,000	58,000,000	59,200,000
Basic (USD per share)	$ 1.16	$ 1.56	$ 1.46	$ 1.08	$ 1.06	$ 1.27	$ 1.39	$ 1.07	$ 5.26	$ 4.79	$ 5.51
Diluted (USD per share)	$ 1.16	$ 1.56	$ 1.45	$ 1.08	$ 1.06	$ 1.27	$ 1.37	$ 1.07	$ 5.24	$ 4.77	$ 5.48
Performance Shares
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Shares granted (shares)									58,418	30,482