Fair Value Of Financial Instruments (Schedule Of Fair Value Of Financial Instruments) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Securities purchased under agreements to resell	[1]	$ 669,002	$ 512,220
Financial instruments owned		1,181,047	1,143,684
Available-for-sale securities		3,712,801	3,773,508
Held-to-maturity securities	[2]	3,825,399	3,710,478
Investments, at fair value		98,920	111,379
Derivative contracts		11,606	7,995
Securities sold under agreements to repurchase	[3]	346,202	233,704
Bank deposits		13,329,623	13,411,935
Financial instruments sold, but not yet purchased, at fair value		959,535	778,863
Borrowings		316,000	256,000
Carrying Value [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents		450,343	696,283
Cash segregated for regulatory purposes		26,611	90,802
Securities purchased under agreements to resell		669,002	512,220
Financial instruments owned		1,181,047	1,143,684
Available-for-sale securities		3,712,801	3,773,508
Held-to-maturity securities		3,846,526	3,698,098
Loans held for sale		261,467	226,068
Bank loans		7,076,282	6,947,759
Investments, at fair value		98,920	111,379
Derivative contracts		11,606	7,995
Securities sold under agreements to repurchase		346,202	233,704
Bank deposits		13,329,623	13,411,935
Financial instruments sold, but not yet purchased, at fair value		959,535	778,863
Federal Home Loan Bank advances		827,000	745,000
Borrowings		316,000	256,000
Senior notes		1,015,195	1,014,940
Debentures to Stifel Financial Capital Trusts		67,500	67,500
Estimated Fair Value [Member]
Fair Value, Balance Sheet Grouping, Financial Statement Captions [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents		450,343	696,283
Cash segregated for regulatory purposes		26,611	90,802
Securities purchased under agreements to resell		669,002	512,220
Financial instruments owned		1,181,047	1,143,684
Available-for-sale securities		3,712,801	3,773,508
Held-to-maturity securities		3,825,399	3,710,478
Loans held for sale		261,467	226,068
Bank loans		7,005,857	6,953,328
Investments, at fair value		98,920	111,379
Derivative contracts		11,606	7,995
Securities sold under agreements to repurchase		346,202	233,704
Bank deposits		12,570,404	12,702,746
Financial instruments sold, but not yet purchased, at fair value		959,535	778,863
Federal Home Loan Bank advances		827,000	745,000
Borrowings		316,000	256,000
Senior notes		1,028,534	1,044,768
Debentures to Stifel Financial Capital Trusts		$ 57,718	$ 64,962

[1] Collateral received includes securities received by our company from the counterparty. These securities are not included on the consolidated statements of financial condition unless there is an event of default. The fair value of securities pledged as collateral was $667.0 million and $509.4 million at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively.

[2] Held-to-maturity securities are carried in the consolidated statements of financial condition at amortized cost, and the changes in the value of these securities, other than impairment charges, are not reported on the consolidated financial statements.

[3] Collateral pledged includes the fair value of securities pledged by our company to the counter party. These securities are included on the consolidated statements of financial condition unless we default. Collateral pledged by our company to the counter party includes U.S. government agency securities, U.S. government securities, and corporate fixed income securities with market values of $360.9 million and $241.4 million at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively.