Investments and Fair Value Measurements (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended																9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2014 5.5% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Notes due 2020 Convertible Debt [Member]	Mar. 24, 2014 5.5% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Notes due 2020 Convertible Debt [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Equity securities	Dec. 31, 2013 Equity securities	Sep. 30, 2014 Mutual funds invested in fixed income securities	Sep. 30, 2014 U.S. Government securities	Sep. 30, 2014 Corporate securities	Sep. 30, 2014 U.S. mortgage backed securities	Sep. 30, 2014 Commercial mortgage-backed securities	Sep. 30, 2014 U.S. asset backed securities	Sep. 30, 2014 Government agencies	Sep. 30, 2014 Fixed income securities	Dec. 31, 2013 Fixed income securities	Sep. 30, 2014 Warrants (1) Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services [Member] New Valley LLC [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Warrants (1) Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services [Member] New Valley LLC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Warrants (1) Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services [Member] New Valley LLC [Member]	Nov. 04, 2011 Warrants (1) Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services [Member] New Valley LLC [Member]	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Total	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Total	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Equity securities Total	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Equity securities Total	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Equity securities Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Equity securities Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Equity securities Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Equity securities Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Equity securities Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Equity securities Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Mutual funds invested in fixed income securities Total	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Mutual funds invested in fixed income securities Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Mutual funds invested in fixed income securities Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Mutual funds invested in fixed income securities Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] U.S. Government securities Total	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] U.S. Government securities Total	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] U.S. Government securities Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] U.S. Government securities Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] U.S. Government securities Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] U.S. Government securities Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] U.S. Government securities Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] U.S. Government securities Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Corporate securities Total	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Corporate securities Total	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Corporate securities Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Corporate securities Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Corporate securities Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Corporate securities Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Corporate securities Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Corporate securities Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] U.S. mortgage backed securities Total	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] U.S. mortgage backed securities Total	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] U.S. mortgage backed securities Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] U.S. mortgage backed securities Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] U.S. mortgage backed securities Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] U.S. mortgage backed securities Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] U.S. mortgage backed securities Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] U.S. mortgage backed securities Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Commercial mortgage-backed securities Total	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Commercial mortgage-backed securities Total	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Commercial mortgage-backed securities Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Commercial mortgage-backed securities Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Commercial mortgage-backed securities Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Commercial mortgage-backed securities Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Commercial mortgage-backed securities Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Commercial mortgage-backed securities Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] U.S. asset backed securities Total	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] U.S. asset backed securities Total	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] U.S. asset backed securities Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] U.S. asset backed securities Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] U.S. asset backed securities Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] U.S. asset backed securities Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] U.S. asset backed securities Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] U.S. asset backed securities Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Government agencies Total	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Government agencies Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Government agencies Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Government agencies Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Index-linked U.S. bonds Total	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Index-linked U.S. bonds Total	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Index-linked U.S. bonds Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Index-linked U.S. bonds Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Index-linked U.S. bonds Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Index-linked U.S. bonds Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Index-linked U.S. bonds Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Index-linked U.S. bonds Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Fixed income securities Total	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Fixed income securities Total	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Fixed income securities Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Fixed income securities Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Fixed income securities Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Fixed income securities Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)	Sep. 30, 2014 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Fixed income securities Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)	Dec. 31, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member] Fixed income securities Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Assets:
Money market funds																							$ 220,197,000	$ 130,733,000	$ 220,197,000	$ 130,733,000	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Certificates of deposit																							3,462,000	2,961,000	0	0	3,462,000	2,961,000	0	0
Bonds																							5,093,000	5,337,000	5,093,000	5,337,000	0	0	0	0
Investment securities available for sale	333,883,000		333,883,000		172,534,000			143,964,000	118,474,000	60,051,000	44,220,000	50,913,000	297,000	15,561,000	14,671,000	2,900,000	129,868,000	54,060,000											0		143,964,000	118,474,000	143,403,000	117,737,000	561,000	737,000	0	0	60,051,000	60,051,000	0	0	44,220,000	13,990,000	0	0	44,220,000	13,990,000	0	0	50,913,000	29,923,000	6,525,000	6,497,000	44,388,000	23,426,000	0	0	297,000	495,000	0	0	297,000	495,000	0	0	15,561,000	6,822,000	0	0	15,561,000	6,822,000	0	0	14,671,000	2,081,000	0	0	14,671,000	2,081,000	0	0	2,900,000	0	2,900,000	0	1,306,000	749,000	0	0	1,306,000	749,000	0	0	129,868,000	54,060,000	6,525,000	6,497,000	123,343,000	47,563,000	0	0
Warrants																							2,638,000	1,935,000	0	0	0	0	2,638,000	1,935,000
Total																							565,273,000	313,500,000	435,269,000	260,304,000	127,366,000	51,261,000	2,638,000	1,935,000
Liabilities:
Fair value of derivatives embedded within convertible debt																							183,470,000	112,062,000	0	0	0	0	183,470,000	112,062,000
Investment (in shares)																						1,000,000
Investment																			2,638,000		1,758,000
Change in fair value gain (loss)																			868,000	172,000
Interest rate						5.50%	5.50%
Income (loss) from embedded derivatives	7,127,000	2,800,000	7,447,000	8,299,000
Nonrecurring nonfinancial assets subject to fair value measurements	$ 0		$ 0		$ 0