Federal, Foreign and State Current and Deferred Income Tax (Details) Carryforwards (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014
Federal Net Operating Losses
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Expire 2025 through 2029
Expire 2030 through 2034	133,683
Total	133,683
Foreign Tax Credits
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Expire 2015 through 2019	1,412
Expire 2020 through 2024	2,103
Total	3,515
State Net Operating Losses
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Expire 2015 through 2019	4,998
Expire 2020 through 2024	16,879
Expire 2025 through 2029	7,800
Expire 2030 through 2034	146,459
Total	176,136
State Net Operating Losses \| State Capital Losses
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]
Expire 2015 through 2019	8,500
Total	$ 8,500

Operating Loss Carryforwards, Expiring in the Next Five Years

No definition available.

Name:	pico_OperatingLossCarryforwardsExpiringintheNextFiveYears
Namespace Prefix:	pico_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Operating Loss Carryforwards, Expiring in Years Fifteen to Twenty

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pico_OperatingLossCarryforwardsExpiringinYearsFifteentoTwenty
Namespace Prefix:	pico_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Operating Loss Carryforwards, Expiring in Years Six to Ten

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pico_OperatingLossCarryforwardsExpiringinYearsSixtoTen
Namespace Prefix:	pico_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Operating Loss Carryforwards, Expiring in Years Ten to Fifteen

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pico_OperatingLossCarryforwardsExpiringinYearsTentoFifteen
Namespace Prefix:	pico_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Tax Credit Carryforward, Expiring in the Next Five Years

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pico_TaxCreditCarryforwardExpiringintheNextFiveYears
Namespace Prefix:	pico_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Tax Credit Carryforward, Expiring in Years Six to Ten

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	pico_TaxCreditCarryforwardExpiringinYearsSixtoTen
Namespace Prefix:	pico_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of operating loss carryforward, before tax effects, available to reduce future taxable income under enacted tax laws.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of the tax credit carryforward, before tax effects, available to reduce future taxable income under enacted tax laws.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 740

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32559-109319

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Carryforwards

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6506874

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis=us-gaap_DomesticCountryMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis=us-gaap_ForeignCountryMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis=us-gaap_StateAndLocalJurisdictionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: