Variable Interest Entities (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended					12 Months Ended								12 Months Ended				1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011 company	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2013 HG Global	Dec. 31, 2012 HG Global	Dec. 31, 2013 Prospector Turtle Fund [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Prospector	Dec. 31, 2012 Prospector	Dec. 31, 2011 Prospector	Dec. 31, 2013 Houston General Insurance [Member]	Dec. 31, 2004 Houston General Insurance [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Houston General Insurance [Member]	Dec. 31, 2005 Houston General Insurance [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Prospector Offshore Fund Ltd [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Tuckerman Fund I	Dec. 31, 2012 Entities Owned by Tuckerman Fund I company	Dec. 31, 2012 Common Stock BAM	Dec. 31, 2011 Common Stock Tuckerman Fund I	Dec. 31, 2011 Common Stock Tuckerman Fund I	Dec. 31, 2005 Houston General Insurance Company	Dec. 31, 2012 BAM	Dec. 31, 2013 BAM	Dec. 31, 2013 HG Global	Dec. 31, 2012 HG Global	Dec. 31, 2013 Surplus Note Houston General Insurance [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 First Loss Reinsurance Treaty [Member] HG Global	Dec. 31, 2013 First Loss Reinsurance Treaty [Member] BAM	Dec. 31, 2013 First Loss Reinsurance Treaty [Member] HG Global trust	Dec. 31, 2013 Amendment [Member] Houston General Insurance [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Issuance of notes																										$ 503.0
Percentage of par value of policy reinsured						15.00%					15.00%		15.00%																			15.00%			15.00%
Percentage of Premiums																																				60.00%
Number of Trust																																					2
Right to elect directors on board number																														2
Proceeds from Contributions from Parent																				2.0
Total assets related to consolidated VIE's																249.2	238.6		2.6		22.6			17.6					149.4
Total liabilities related to consolidated VIE's																90.6	94.4		4.2		43.8			9.9					127.6
Surplus notes																			4.0			23.7										503.0	503.0					4.0
Interest Paid										42.6	44.6	59.0							19.0
Repayments of debt, principal										275.0	75.0	0																						1.0
Accumulated losses		2,802.3				2,542.7				2,802.3	2,542.7								1.6
Accrued interest on surplus notes																			0.1
Noncontrolling interest in VIE		491.9				526.4				491.9	526.4		16.6	16.6		46.2	41.5							3.5						(36.0)	(97.6)	16.6	16.6
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent																14.5	9.3	(1.0)
Non-controlling interest in consolidated subsidiaries		0.3	(1.1)	(11.1)	(0.5)	(12.0)	(30.9)	12.1	16.8	(12.4)	(14.0)	41.5				4.0	2.7	(0.2)						2.2
Ownership interest in VIE (as a percent)															68.90%								71.70%				94.00%	94.00%
Number of small manufacturing companies owned by the Tuckerman Fund I from whom the entity received shares	2																								2
Captial at risk, investment in the fund																$ 112.5