Disclosures About Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Details) Narrative (USD $)	9 Months Ended										9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013 security		Sep. 30, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring		Dec. 31, 2012 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring		Sep. 30, 2013 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Dec. 31, 2012 Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Sep. 30, 2013 Insurance	Sep. 30, 2013 Insurance Carrying Amount Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring	Sep. 30, 2013 Insurance Portion at Other than Fair Value, Fair Value Disclosure Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Available-for-sale equity securities			$ 41,606,000	[1]	$ 40,438,000	[1]	$ 26,203,000	[1]	$ 12,461,000	[1]
Number of securities transferred from Level 1 to Level 2	2
Amount transferred	11,000,000
Investment in unconsolidated affilitate Total Gain (Loss)	21,181,000	[2]
Minimum width of bid-ask spread, percentage	10.00%
Fair value												21,100,000	15,500,000
Asset Impairment Charges											$ 5,700,000

[1] Where there are quoted market prices that are readily available in an active market, securities are classified as Level 1 of the valuation hierarchy. Level 1 available-for-sale investments are valued using quoted market prices multiplied by the number of shares owned and debt securities are valued using a market quote in an active market. All Level 2 available-for-sale securities are one class because they all contain similar risks and are valued using market prices and include securities where the markets are not active, that is where there are few transactions, or the prices are not current or the prices vary considerably over time. Inputs include directly or indirectly observable inputs such as quoted prices. Level 3 available-for-sale securities would include securities where valuation is based on unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets. This includes certain pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies and similar techniques that use significant unobservable inputs.

[2] The Company had a non-recurring fair value measurement as a result of the merger transaction between Spigit and Mindjet. The transaction resulted in the deconsolidation of Spigit, and the recording of the Company’s common and preferred stock investment in Mindjet at fair value, on the date of the transaction. The transaction resulted in a gain of approximately $21.2 million before income taxes. The fair value of the investment in Mindjet was based on analysis of the financial and operational aspects of the company, including consideration of a discounted cash flow analysis which incorporated a contemporary forecast of the merged Mindjet/Spigit entity going forward. Also considered was a guideline public company analysis which compared business enterprise value-to-revenue ratios for comparable public companies to current revenue metrics for the company. Determination of the business enterprise value based on the foregoing was then considered in an analysis of the distribution of equity value to the various classes of equity held by PICO in order to reflect differences in value due to differing liquidation, dividend and voting rights. The fair value approach relied primarily on Level 3 unobservable inputs, whereby expected future cash flows are discounted using a rate that includes assumptions regarding an entity’s average cost of debt and equity, incorporates expected future cash flows based on internal business plans, and applies certain assumptions about risk and uncertainties. The estimates are based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable, but which by nature are uncertain and unpredictable. See Note 8, Business Combinations, for additional information.