Commitments and Contingencies (Details) Debt Covenant (Subsidiaries, Northstar, USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2012
Construction Loans
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit, amount outstanding	$ 89.5
Line of Credit
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Deposit potentially required by lender for covenant noncompliance, percentage of unused line of credit	105.00%
Remaining borrowing capacity	$ 10.5

Line of Credit Facility, Covenant Compliance, Deposit Potentially Required by Lender for Noncompliance, Percentage of Unused Line of Credit

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pico_LineOfCreditFacilityCovenantComplianceDepositPotentiallyRequiredByLenderForNoncompliancePercentageOfUnusedLineOfCredit
Namespace Prefix:	pico_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount borrowed under the credit facility as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 22

-Article 5

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityAmountOutstanding
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of borrowing capacity currently available under the credit facility (current borrowing capacity less the amount of borrowings outstanding).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 19, 22

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityRemainingBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant