Organization, Consolidation, Basis of Presentation, Business Description and Accounting Policies [Text Block]	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018
Notes
Organization, Consolidation, Basis of Presentation, Business Description and Accounting Policies	`Note 1.Organization, Consolidation, Basis of Presentation and Accounting Policies` `(A)` `Business and Organization` Independence Holding Company, a Delaware corporation (“IHC”), is a holding company principally engaged in the life and health insurance business through: (i) its insurance companies, Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York ("Standard Security Life"), Madison National Life Insurance Company, Inc. ("Madison National Life"), and Independence American Insurance Company (“Independence American”); and (ii) its marketing and administrative companies, including IHC Specialty Benefits Inc., IHC Carrier Solutions, Inc. and a majority interest in PetPartners, Inc. IHC also owns a significant equity interest in Ebix Health Exchange Holdings, LLC (“Ebix Health Exchange”), an administration exchange for health insurance. Standard Security Life, Madison National Life and Independence American are sometimes collectively referred to as the “Insurance Group”. IHC and its subsidiaries (including the Insurance Group) are sometimes collectively referred to as the "Company", or “IHC”, or are implicit in the terms “we”, “us” and “our”. `Geneve Corporation, a diversified financial holding company, and its affiliated entities, held approximately 62% of IHC's outstanding common stock at September 30, 2018.` `(B)` `Basis of Presentation` The unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") for interim financial statements and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X and, therefore, do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. The unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of IHC and its consolidated subsidiaries. All significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect: (i) the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements; and (ii) the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. IHC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission should be read in conjunction with the accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring accruals) that are necessary for a fair presentation of the consolidated financial position and results of operations for the interim periods have been included. The condensed consolidated results of operations for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2018 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be anticipated for the entire year. `(C)` `Reclassifications` Certain amounts in prior year’s consolidated financial statements and Notes thereto have been reclassified to conform to the 2018 presentation primarily as a result of new accounting principles adopted in the current year. In January 2016, the FASB issued guidance that eliminates the requirement to classify equity securities with readily determinable fair values as trading or available-for-sale. The guidance requires equity securities, other than those that result in consolidation or are accounted for under the equity method (including other ownership interests, such as partnerships, unincorporated joint ventures, and limited liability companies), to be measured at fair value with changes in the fair value recognized through net income, simplifies the impairment assessment of equity securities without readily determinable fair values and requires changes in disclosure requirements. The amendments in this guidance were applied by means of a cumulative-effect adjustment of $340,000 credit to retained earnings as of January 1, 2018. The amendments related to equity securities without readily determinable fair values (including disclosure requirements) will be applied prospectively to equity investments that existed as of January 1, 2018. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material effect on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet or IHC’s stockholders’ equity. In May 2014, the FASB issued revenue recognition guidance for entities that either enter into contracts with customers to transfer goods or services or enter into contracts for the transfer of nonfinancial assets unless those contracts are within the scope of other standards such as insurance contracts or lease contracts. The amendment provides specific steps that an entity should apply in order to achieve its main objective which is recognizing revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. Substantially all of the Company’s revenue sources are excluded from the scope of the standard. For those revenue sources within the scope of the standard (included in the Fee income line of the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income), there were no material changes in the timing or measurement of revenues. The amendments in this guidance were applied retrospectively with a cumulative effect adjustment on January 1, 2018, and as such, the Company recorded $552,000 of contract assets and $1,094,000 of deferred revenues, which are included on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet in other assets and accounts payable, accruals and other liabilities. The overall net impact on retained earnings was a charge of $306,000, after the effects of taxes and noncontrolling interests. `Recently Issued Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted` In August 2018, the FASB issued guidance to improve existing measurements, presentation and disclosure requirements for long-duration contracts issued by insurance entities. The amendments in this guidance requires an entity to (1) review and update assumptions used to measure cash flows at least annually as well as update the discount rate assumption at each reporting date; (2) measure market risk benefits associated with deposit contracts at fair value; (3) disclose liability rollforwards and information about significant inputs, judgements assumptions, and methods used in measurement. Additionally, it simplifies the amortization of deferred acquisition costs and other balances on a constant level basis over the expected term of the related contracts. The amendments in this guidance are effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim periods within that fiscal year. Upon adoption, the amendments in this guidance should be applied to contracts in-force as of the beginning of the earliest period presented with a cumulative adjustment to beginning retained earnings. Management is evaluating the requirements and potential impact that the adoption of this guidance will have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In August 2018, the FASB issued guidance to improve the effectiveness of disclosures in the notes to financial statements regarding fair value measurements. The amendments in this guidance are effective for all entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within that fiscal year. Certain amendments should be applied prospectively for the most recent interim or annual period presented in the initial fiscal year of adoption while other amendments should be applied retrospectively to all periods presented upon the effective date. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In July 2018, the FASB issued guidance to simplify several aspects of accounting for nonemployee share-based compensation. The amendments in this guidance are effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within that fiscal year. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In March 2017, the FASB issued guidance requiring premium amortization on callable debt securities to be amortized to the earliest call date to more closely align the amortization period with expectations incorporated in market pricing of the underlying securities. The amendments in this guidance should be applied using a modified retrospective approach for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those periods. Additional disclosures are required in the period of adoption. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In January 2017, the FASB issued guidance to simplify the test for goodwill impairment by eliminating Step 2 in the goodwill impairment test. Instead, under the amendments in this guidance, an entity should perform its annual or interim, goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount. An entity should recognize an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value. Additionally, an entity should consider income tax effects from any tax-deductible goodwill on the carrying amount of the reporting unit when measuring the goodwill impairment loss, if applicable. The amendments in this guidance are effective for public business entities for annual, or any interim, goodwill impairment tests in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In June 2016, the FASB issued guidance requiring financial assets measured at amortized cost basis to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. An allowance for credit losses will be deducted from the amortized cost basis to present the net carrying value at the amount expected to be collected with changes in the allowance recorded in earnings. Credit losses relating to available-for-sale debt securities will also be recorded through an allowance for credit losses rather than the currently applied U.S. GAAP method of taking a permanent impairment of the security, which would be limited to the amount by which fair value is below the amortized cost. Certain existing requirements used to evaluate credit losses have been removed. For public entities that are SEC filers, the amendments in this guidance are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those years. Early adoption is permitted for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. The amendments in this guidance should be applied through a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings upon adoption as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the guidance is effective. Management is evaluating the requirements and potential impact that the adoption of this guidance will have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In February 2016, the FASB issued guidance that requires lessees to recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from leases, including operating leases, on the statement of financial position. The amendments in this guidance are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 31, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. In July 2018, the FASB issued additional guidance that allows entities the option to either recognize a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption or to use a modified retrospective approach. The Company is in the process of analyzing its lease portfolio. This process includes the evaluation of policies, processes and internal controls that will be required to comply with this new guidance. The Company plans to elect the practical expedients permitted within the new standard, which among other things, allows us to carryforward the historical lease classification. In addition, the Company plans to select the new transition method and apply the new lease requirements in the period of adoption without adjustment to the financial statements for periods prior to adoption. The Company expects the adoption of this new standard to result in an increase on its consolidated balance sheet for right-of-use assets and corresponding lease liabilities. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated results of operations or cash flows.

Organization, Consolidation, Basis of Presentation, Business Description and Accounting Policies [Text Block]

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2018

Organization, Consolidation, Basis of Presentation, Business Description and Accounting Policies

Note 1.Organization, Consolidation, Basis of Presentation and Accounting Policies

(A) Business and Organization

Independence Holding Company, a Delaware corporation (“IHC”), is a holding company principally engaged in the life and health insurance business through: (i) its insurance companies, Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York ("Standard Security Life"), Madison National Life Insurance Company, Inc. ("Madison National Life"), and Independence American Insurance Company (“Independence American”); and (ii) its marketing and administrative companies, including IHC Specialty Benefits Inc., IHC Carrier Solutions, Inc. and a majority interest in PetPartners, Inc. IHC also owns a significant equity interest in Ebix Health Exchange Holdings, LLC (“Ebix Health Exchange”), an administration exchange for health insurance. Standard Security Life, Madison National Life and Independence American are sometimes collectively referred to as the “Insurance Group”. IHC and its subsidiaries (including the Insurance Group) are sometimes collectively referred to as the "Company", or “IHC”, or are implicit in the terms “we”, “us” and “our”.

Geneve Corporation, a diversified financial holding company, and its affiliated entities, held approximately 62% of IHC's outstanding common stock at September 30, 2018.

(B) Basis of Presentation

The unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") for interim financial statements and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X and, therefore, do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. The unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of IHC and its consolidated subsidiaries. All significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect: (i) the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements; and (ii) the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. IHC’s Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission should be read in conjunction with the accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting only of normal recurring accruals) that are necessary for a fair presentation of the consolidated financial position and results of operations for the interim periods have been included. The condensed consolidated results of operations for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2018 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be anticipated for the entire year.

(C) Reclassifications

Certain amounts in prior year’s consolidated financial statements and Notes thereto have been reclassified to conform to the 2018 presentation primarily as a result of new accounting principles adopted in the current year.

In January 2016, the FASB issued guidance that eliminates the requirement to classify equity securities with readily determinable fair values as trading or available-for-sale. The guidance requires equity securities, other than those that result in consolidation or are accounted for under the equity method (including other ownership interests, such as partnerships, unincorporated joint ventures, and limited liability companies), to be measured at fair value with changes in the fair value recognized through net income, simplifies the

impairment assessment of equity securities without readily determinable fair values and requires changes in disclosure requirements. The amendments in this guidance were applied by means of a cumulative-effect adjustment of $340,000 credit to retained earnings as of January 1, 2018. The amendments related to equity securities without readily determinable fair values (including disclosure requirements) will be applied prospectively to equity investments that existed as of January 1, 2018. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material effect on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet or IHC’s stockholders’ equity.

In May 2014, the FASB issued revenue recognition guidance for entities that either enter into contracts with customers to transfer goods or services or enter into contracts for the transfer of nonfinancial assets unless those contracts are within the scope of other standards such as insurance contracts or lease contracts. The amendment provides specific steps that an entity should apply in order to achieve its main objective which is recognizing revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. Substantially all of the Company’s revenue sources are excluded from the scope of the standard. For those revenue sources within the scope of the standard (included in the Fee income line of the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income), there were no material changes in the timing or measurement of revenues. The amendments in this guidance were applied retrospectively with a cumulative effect adjustment on January 1, 2018, and as such, the Company recorded $552,000 of contract assets and $1,094,000 of deferred revenues, which are included on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet in other assets and accounts payable, accruals and other liabilities. The overall net impact on retained earnings was a charge of $306,000, after the effects of taxes and noncontrolling interests.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted

In August 2018, the FASB issued guidance to improve existing measurements, presentation and disclosure requirements for long-duration contracts issued by insurance entities. The amendments in this guidance requires an entity to (1) review and update assumptions used to measure cash flows at least annually as well as update the discount rate assumption at each reporting date; (2) measure market risk benefits associated with deposit contracts at fair value; (3) disclose liability rollforwards and information about significant inputs, judgements assumptions, and methods used in measurement. Additionally, it simplifies the amortization of deferred acquisition costs and other balances on a constant level basis over the expected term of the related contracts. The amendments in this guidance are effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim periods within that fiscal year. Upon adoption, the amendments in this guidance should be applied to contracts in-force as of the beginning of the earliest period presented with a cumulative adjustment to beginning retained earnings. Management is evaluating the requirements and potential impact that the adoption of this guidance will have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued guidance to improve the effectiveness of disclosures in the notes to financial statements regarding fair value measurements. The amendments in this guidance are effective for all entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within that fiscal year. Certain amendments should be applied prospectively for the most recent interim or annual period presented in the initial fiscal year of adoption while other amendments should be applied retrospectively to all periods presented upon the effective date. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In July 2018, the FASB issued guidance to simplify several aspects of accounting for nonemployee share-based compensation. The amendments in this guidance are effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within that fiscal year. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In March 2017, the FASB issued guidance requiring premium amortization on callable debt securities to be amortized to the earliest call date to more closely align the amortization period with expectations incorporated in market pricing of the underlying securities. The amendments in this guidance should be applied using a modified retrospective approach for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those periods. Additional disclosures are required in the period of adoption. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In January 2017, the FASB issued guidance to simplify the test for goodwill impairment by eliminating Step 2 in the goodwill impairment test. Instead, under the amendments in this guidance, an entity should perform its annual or interim, goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount. An entity should recognize an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value. Additionally, an entity should consider income tax effects from any tax-deductible goodwill on the carrying amount of the reporting unit when measuring the goodwill impairment loss, if applicable. The amendments in this guidance are effective for public business entities for annual, or any interim, goodwill impairment tests in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued guidance requiring financial assets measured at amortized cost basis to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. An allowance for credit losses will be deducted from the amortized cost basis to present the net carrying value at the amount expected to be collected with changes in the allowance recorded in earnings. Credit losses relating to available-for-sale debt securities will also be recorded through an allowance for credit losses rather than the currently applied U.S. GAAP method of taking a permanent impairment of the security, which would be limited to the amount by which fair value is below the amortized cost. Certain existing requirements used to evaluate credit losses have been removed. For public entities that are SEC filers, the amendments in this guidance are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those years. Early adoption is permitted for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. The amendments in this guidance should be applied through a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings upon adoption as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the guidance is effective. Management is evaluating the requirements and potential impact that the adoption of this guidance will have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued guidance that requires lessees to recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from leases, including operating leases, on the statement of financial position. The amendments in this guidance are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 31, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. In July 2018, the FASB issued additional guidance that allows entities the option to either recognize a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption or to use a modified retrospective approach. The Company is in the process of analyzing its lease portfolio. This process includes the evaluation of policies, processes and internal controls that will be required to comply with this new guidance. The Company plans to elect the practical expedients permitted within the new standard, which among other things, allows us to carryforward the historical lease classification. In addition, the Company plans to select the new transition method and apply the new lease requirements in the period of adoption without adjustment to the financial statements for periods prior to adoption. The Company expects the adoption of this new standard to result in an increase on its consolidated balance sheet for right-of-use assets and corresponding lease liabilities. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated results of operations or cash flows.