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Employment Agreement, Term

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Incentive Compensation Threshold, Increase in Per-share Book Value as Percent of Annual Total Return of Stock Market Index

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No definition available.

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- Definition

Incentive Compensation Threshold, Lookback Period

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No definition available.

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- Definition

Incentive Compensation Threshold, Percent of Increase in Book Value Per Share Above Threshold Allocated As Award

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No definition available.

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- Definition

Severance Agreement, Automatic Extension, Term

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No definition available.

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Severance Agreement, Cancellation of Extension, Advance Notice Required

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No definition available.

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- Definition

Severance Agreement, Number of Years of Base Salary

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No definition available.

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- Definition

Severance Agreement, Number of Years of COBRA Expense Reimbursement

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No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Severance Agreement, Term

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No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Amount, after adjustment, of cost-method investment. Adjustments include, but are not limited to, dividends received in excess of earnings after date of investment that are considered a return of investment and other than temporary impairments.

+ References

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

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-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

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-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.12)

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

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-SubTopic 20

-Section 35

-Paragraph 2

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Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

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-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5

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-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))

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Aggregate carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the liabilities for all deferred compensation arrangements. Represents currently earned compensation under compensation arrangements that is not actually paid until a later date.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Costs and payments related to employee benefits and equity-based compensation, such as pension expense and contributions, other postretirement benefits expense and payments, stock or unit options expense, and amortization of restricted stock or unit.

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585

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- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

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-Paragraph 1

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Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

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Related-Party Transactions (Details) (USD $)	0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
Related-Party Transactions (Details) (USD $)	Aug. 06, 2012	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Deferred compensation		24,584,000		$ 24,160,000
Deferred compensation arrangements, fair value of company stock allocated		1,500,000		2,000,000
Synthonics
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Cost method investments		2,170,000		2,170,000
Ownership percentage		19.60%		19.90%
Officer
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Severance agreement, number of years of base salary	2 years
Severance agreement, term	2 years
Severance agreement, automatic extension, term	2 years
Chief Executive Officer
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Base annual salary			2,200,000
Incentive compensation threshold, increase in per-share book value as % of annual total return of S&P 500		80.00%
Common stock owned by officer, shares		53,996		53,996
Chief Financial Officer
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Common stock owned by officer, shares		1,375		1,375
Vice President
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Common stock owned by officer, shares		20,000		30,000
Director
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Common stock owned by officer, shares		2,644		2,644
Incentive Compensation Plan
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Employee benefits and share-based compensation		0		919,000	223,000
Maximum \| Officer
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Severance agreement, number of years of COBRA expense reimbursement	1 year
Minimum \| Officer
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Severance agreement, cancellation of extension, advance notice required	90 days
President and Chief Executive Officer [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Employee agreement term		3 years
Lookback period		5 years
Increase in book value per share allocated as awards		7.50%
Synthonics \| PICO Holdings, Inc. [Member] \| Line of Credit \| Affiliated Entity \| Initial Synthonics Line of Credit
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity		400,000
Synthonics \| PICO Holdings, Inc. [Member] \| Line of Credit \| Affiliated Entity \| Synthonics Line of Credit
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Interest rate		15.00%
Maximum borrowing capacity		450,000
Amount outstanding		280,000