Organization, Consolidation, Basis of Presentation, Business Description and Accounting Policies [Text Block]	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2019
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., My1HR, Inc. (“My1HR”) 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 61% of IHC's outstanding common stock at June 30, 2019.` `(B)` `Consolidation` In May 2019, IHC purchased the remaining issued and outstanding units of HealthInsurance.org, LLC (“HIO”) from noncontrolling interests for total consideration valued at $4,700,000 making HIO a wholly owned subsidiary. The carrying value of the noncontrolling interest on the transaction date was $2,380,000. As a result of the equity transaction, $1,012,000 was charged to paid-in capital representing the difference between the fair value of the consideration paid and the carrying amount of noncontrolling interest on the transaction date, net of a deferred tax benefit. `(C)` `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 six months ended June 30, 2019 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be anticipated for the entire year. `(D)` `Reclassifications` Certain amounts in prior year’s consolidated financial statements and Notes thereto have been reclassified to conform to the 2019 presentation. `(E)` `Revenue Recognition` Insurance premiums are recognized as revenue over the period insurance protection is provided. For additional information about our policies regarding the recognition of premium revenues, see Note 1 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in our 2018 Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Fee income includes fees and commissions for various sales, marketing and administrative services provided by our marketing and administrative companies. Revenue is recognized as these services are performed. For these administrative service and other contracts, we have no material contract assets or contract liabilities on our consolidated balance sheet at June 30, 2019. Revenue recognized from performance obligations related to prior periods, and revenue expected to be recognized in future periods related to unfulfilled contractual performance obligations and contracts with variable consideration, is not material. `(F)` `Recent Accounting Pronouncements` *Recently Adopted Accounting Standards* In July 2018, the FASB issued guidance to simplify several aspects of accounting for nonemployee share-based compensation. The adoption of this guidance did not 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 adoption of this guidance did not have a material effect 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 Company elected the following practical expedients permitted within the new standard: ``an accounting policy election to recognize the lease payments for short-term leases in profit or loss on a straight-line basis over the lease term and variable lease payments in the period in which the obligation for those payments is incurred; ``practical expedients for leases that commenced before the effective date to not reassess: (i) whether any expired or existing contracts are or contain leases; (ii) the lease classification for any expired or existing leases; and (iii) initial direct costs for any existing leases; ``a practical expedient to use hindsight in determining the lease term and in assessing impairment of the entity’s right-of-use assets. ``an accounting policy election to not separate non-lease components from lease components and instead to account for them together as a single lease component. The Company selected the new transition method by applying the new lease requirements on January 1, 2019, without adjustment to the financial statements for periods prior to adoption. As a result, on January 1, 2019, the Company recognized right-of-use assets of $7,010,000 for operating leases, reduced other liabilities by $687,000 to reclassify the unamortized balances of previously deferred operating lease incentives, and recognized operating lease liabilities of $7,697,000 in its Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated results of operations or cash flows. `Recently Issued Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted` In October 2018, the FASB issued guidance for determining whether a decision making fee is a variable interest and requires reporting entities to consider indirect interests held through related parties under common control on a proportional basis rather than as the equivalent of a direct interest. The amendments in this guidance are effective for public business entities for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. The amendments in this guidance should be applied retrospectively through a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings at the beginning of the earliest period presented. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. 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 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. In 2019, the FASB provided transition relief by providing entities with an option to irrevocably elect the fair value option on an instrument-by-instrument basis for eligible instruments upon adoption. 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.

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

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2019

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., My1HR, Inc. (“My1HR”) 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 61% of IHC's outstanding common stock at June 30, 2019.

(B) Consolidation

In May 2019, IHC purchased the remaining issued and outstanding units of HealthInsurance.org, LLC (“HIO”) from noncontrolling interests for total consideration valued at $4,700,000 making HIO a wholly owned subsidiary. The carrying value of the noncontrolling interest on the transaction date was $2,380,000. As a result of the equity transaction, $1,012,000 was charged to paid-in capital representing the difference between the fair value of the consideration paid and the carrying amount of noncontrolling interest on the transaction date, net of a deferred tax benefit.

(C) 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 six months ended June 30, 2019 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be anticipated for the entire year.

(D) Reclassifications

Certain amounts in prior year’s consolidated financial statements and Notes thereto have been reclassified to conform to the 2019 presentation.

(E) Revenue Recognition

Insurance premiums are recognized as revenue over the period insurance protection is provided. For additional information about our policies regarding the recognition of premium revenues, see Note 1 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements included in our 2018 Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Fee income includes fees and commissions for various sales, marketing and administrative services provided by our marketing and administrative companies. Revenue is recognized as these services are performed. For these administrative service and other contracts, we have no material contract assets or contract liabilities on our consolidated balance sheet at June 30, 2019. Revenue recognized from performance obligations related to prior periods, and revenue expected to be recognized in future periods related to unfulfilled contractual performance obligations and contracts with variable consideration, is not material.

(F) Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

In July 2018, the FASB issued guidance to simplify several aspects of accounting for nonemployee share-based compensation. The adoption of this guidance did not 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 adoption of this guidance did not have a material effect 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 Company elected the following practical expedients permitted within the new standard:

an accounting policy election to recognize the lease payments for short-term leases in profit or loss on a straight-line basis over the lease term and variable lease payments in the period in which the obligation for those payments is incurred;

practical expedients for leases that commenced before the effective date to not reassess: (i) whether any expired or existing contracts are or contain leases; (ii) the lease classification for any expired or existing leases; and (iii) initial direct costs for any existing leases;

a practical expedient to use hindsight in determining the lease term and in assessing impairment of the entity’s right-of-use assets.

an accounting policy election to not separate non-lease components from lease components and instead to account for them together as a single lease component.

The Company selected the new transition method by applying the new lease requirements on January 1, 2019, without adjustment to the financial statements for periods prior to adoption. As a result, on January 1, 2019, the Company recognized right-of-use assets of $7,010,000 for operating leases, reduced other liabilities by $687,000 to reclassify the unamortized balances of previously deferred operating lease incentives, and recognized operating lease liabilities of $7,697,000 in its Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated results of operations or cash flows.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted

In October 2018, the FASB issued guidance for determining whether a decision making fee is a variable interest and requires reporting entities to consider indirect interests held through related parties under common control on a proportional basis rather than as the equivalent of a direct interest. The amendments in this guidance are effective for public business entities for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. The amendments in this guidance should be applied retrospectively through a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings at the beginning of the earliest period presented. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

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 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. In 2019, the FASB provided transition relief by providing entities with an option to irrevocably elect the fair value option on an instrument-by-instrument basis for eligible instruments upon adoption. 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.