CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY (USD $)	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Retained Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Treasury Stock	Non-controlling Interest	Comprehensive Income attributable to PICO Holdings, Inc.
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2008	$ 477,746,000	$ 23,000	$ 439,382,000	$ 118,037,000	$ (1,424,000)	$ (78,272,000)
Treasury Stock, Shares, Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2008						4,425,000
Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding, Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2008		23,265,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Changes in ownership of noncontrolling interest	948,000		172,000				776,000
Stock-based compensation expense, value	4,427,000		4,427,000
Common stock offering, net of $5.4 million of offering expenses, value	95,731,000	4,000	95,727,000
Common stock offering, shares	3,750,000	3,750,000
Offering expenses for common stock offering	5,400,000
Restricted stock awards, value	84,000		84,000
Restricted stock awards, shares		5,000
Comprehensive loss:
Net loss	(21,759,000)			(18,035,000)			(3,724,000)	(18,035,000)
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax:
Unrealized gain on securities, net of deferred income tax and reclassification adjustments	14,285,000				14,285,000			14,285,000
Foreign currency translation	8,233,000				8,233,000			8,233,000
Other comprehensive income	22,518,000							22,518,000
Comprehensive Income	759,000							4,483,000
Deferred income tax on unrealized gain on securities	10,500,000
Reclassification adjustments netted against unrealized gain on securities	5,100,000
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2009	579,695,000	27,000	539,792,000	100,002,000	21,094,000	(78,272,000)	(2,948,000)
Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding, Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2009		27,020,000
Treasury Stock, Shares, Beginning Balance at Dec. 31, 2009						4,425,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Changes in ownership of noncontrolling interest	8,468,000						8,468,000
Stock-based compensation expense, value	4,678,000		4,678,000
Stock-based compensation expense, shares		4,000
Exercise of restricted stock unit, value	(2,086,000)		(2,086,000)
Exercise of restricted stock unit, shares		93,000
Income tax deficiencies on stock-based compensation	(448,000)		(448,000)
Disposition of treasury stock from deferred compensation plans, value	256,000		136,000			120,000
Disposition of treasury stock from deferred compensation plans, shares						(8,000)
Comprehensive loss:
Net loss	(14,072,000)			(11,172,000)			(2,900,000)	(11,172,000)
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax:
Unrealized gain on securities, net of deferred income tax and reclassification adjustments	(5,744,000)				(5,744,000)			(5,744,000)
Foreign currency translation	(23,000)				(23,000)			(23,000)
Other comprehensive income	(5,767,000)							(5,767,000)
Comprehensive Income	(19,839,000)							(16,939,000)
Deferred income tax on unrealized gain on securities	1,500,000
Reclassification adjustments netted against unrealized gain on securities	11,900,000
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2010	570,724,000	27,000	542,072,000	88,830,000	15,327,000	(78,152,000)	2,620,000
Treasury Stock, Shares, Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2010	4,417,000					4,417,000
Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding, Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2010	22,700,000	27,117,000
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Changes in ownership of noncontrolling interest	490,000						490,000
Stock-based compensation expense, value	4,536,000		4,536,000
Stock-based compensation expense, shares		5,000
Comprehensive loss:
Net loss	(49,802,000)			(54,542,000)			4,740,000	(54,542,000)
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax:
Unrealized gain on securities, net of deferred income tax and reclassification adjustments	(15,427,000)				(15,427,000)			(15,427,000)
Foreign currency translation	(859,000)				(859,000)			(859,000)
Other comprehensive income	(16,286,000)							(16,286,000)
Comprehensive Income	(66,088,000)							(70,828,000)
Deferred income tax on unrealized gain on securities	8,200,000
Reclassification adjustments netted against unrealized gain on securities	22,100,000
Ending balance at Dec. 31, 2011	$ 509,662,000	$ 27,000	$ 546,608,000	$ 34,288,000	$ (959,000)	$ (78,152,000)	$ 7,850,000
Treasury Stock, Shares, Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2011	4,417,000					4,417,000
Common Stock, Shares, Outstanding, Ending Balance at Dec. 31, 2011	22,705,000	27,122,000