Base Annual Salary

No definition available.

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- Definition

Base Salary Reduction

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Common Stock Owned by Officer, Shares

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Cost Method, Ownership Percentage

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Deferred Compensation Arrangement With Individual, Description, Bonus Pool, Adjustment Factor

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Deferred Compensation Arrangement With Individual, Description, Bonus Pool, Allocation

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	pico_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Deferred Compensation Arrangement With Individual, Description, Bonus Pool, Percentage Of Eligible Gains

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	pico_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Deferred Compensation Arrangements, Fair Value of Company Stock Allocated

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Employment Agreement, Term

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Severance Agreement, Number of Years of Base Salary

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Severance Agreement, Number of Years of COBRA Expense Reimbursement

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	pico_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Severance Agreement, Term

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	pico_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Supplemental Unemployment Benefits, Additional Accrued Vacation

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Supplemental Unemployment Benefits, Continuation Of Health Care, Termination Provision

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Supplemental Unemployment Benefits, Severance Benefits, Reduced Amount

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This item represents the cost of equity securities, which are categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading, net of adjustments for other-than-temporary impairments recognized in earnings (less any cumulative-effect adjustments recognized, as defined), and fair value hedge accounting adjustments, if any.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- 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
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.12)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 325
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-Section 50
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 325
-SubTopic 20
-Section 35
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=29638308&loc=d3e40346-111594

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

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

+ References

+ Details

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

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.

+ Details

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

- 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.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 28
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

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.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

The cash inflow associated with the sale of equity securities classified as available-for-sale securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 11
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6871852&loc=d3e26853-111562

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3179-108585

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Investing Activities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Liability for amount due employees, in addition to wages and any other money that employers owe employees, when their employment ends through a layoff or other termination. For example, a company may provide involuntarily terminated employees with a lump sum payment equal to one week's salary for every year of employment.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Other Postemployment Benefits
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6519534

+ Details

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

- Details

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Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

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Period Type:

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Namespace Prefix:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis=pico_PresidentandChiefExecutiveOfficerMember
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Related-Party Transactions (Details) - USD ($)			12 Months Ended
Related-Party Transactions (Details) - USD ($)	Mar. 11, 2016	Jan. 20, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Deferred compensation			$ 25,493,000	$ 24,584,000
Deferred compensation arrangements, fair value of company stock allocated			$ 805,000	$ 1,500,000
Common stock owned by officer, shares			58,015	58,015
Synthonics
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Cost method investments			$ 2,170,000	$ 2,170,000
Ownership percentage			18.30%	19.60%
Line of Credit \| Affiliated Entity \| Synthonics \| Initial Synthonics Line of Credit \| PICO Holdings, Inc.
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity				$ 450,000
Line of Credit \| Affiliated Entity \| Synthonics \| Synthonics Line of Credit \| PICO Holdings, Inc.
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Interest rate				15.00%
Incentive Compensation Plan
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Employee benefits and share-based compensation			$ 350,000	$ 0	$ 919,000
Chief Executive Officer
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
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
Director
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Common stock owned by officer, shares			2,644	2,644
Trust for Benefit of Employees \| Rabbi Trusts
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Marketable equity securities, Cost		$ 2,300,000
Proceeds from sale of equity securities		$ 5,000,000
Subsequent Event \| Deferred Bonus
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Bonus pool as a percentage of adjusted total net gain from assets sold	20.00%
Adjustment factor	100.00%
President and Chief Executive Officer \| Subsequent Event
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Employee agreement term	5 years
Base annual salary	$ 1,000,000
Termination payment	10,000,000
Health care benefit	540,000
Accrued time off	389,000
Reduced termination benefit	$ 5,000,000
President and Chief Executive Officer \| Subsequent Event \| Deferred Bonus
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Bonus allocation	75.00%
Executive Officer \| Subsequent Event
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Severance agreement, term	5 years
Severance agreement, number of years of base salary	2 years
Severance agreement, number of years of COBRA expense reimbursement	1 year
Chief Financial Officer
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Base annual salary			$ 583,550
Chief Financial Officer \| Subsequent Event
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Base annual salary	$ 496,000
Reduction in base salary	15.00%
Chief Financial Officer \| Subsequent Event \| Deferred Bonus
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Bonus allocation	15.00%
Vice President \| Subsequent Event \| Deferred Bonus
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Bonus allocation	10.00%