Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Income or Loss - Unaudited - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2016	Mar. 31, 2015
Revenues and other income:
Sale of real estate and water assets	$ 68,323	$ 43,610
Other income, net	714	1,714
Total revenues and other income	69,037	45,324
Cost of sales and expenses:
Cost of real estate and water assets sold	56,566	36,333
General, administrative, and other	12,323	12,296
Sales and marketing	$ 4,429	4,198
Impairment loss on intangible and long-lived assets		1,089
Depreciation and amortization	$ 514	491
Total cost of sales and expenses	73,832	54,407
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in loss of unconsolidated affiliates	(4,795)	(9,083)
Benefit (provision) for federal and state income taxes	$ (158)	239
Equity in loss of unconsolidated affiliate		(483)
Loss from continuing operations	$ (4,953)	(9,327)
Loss from discontinued agribusiness operations, net of tax	(40)	$ (10,482)
Loss on sale of discontinued agribusiness operations, net of tax	(1,849)
Net loss from discontinued agribusiness operations, net of tax	(1,889)	$ (10,482)
Net loss	(6,842)	(19,809)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	41	2,984
Net loss attributable to PICO Holdings, Inc.	(6,801)	(16,825)
Other comprehensive loss:
Net loss	(6,842)	(19,809)
Unrealized gain (loss) on securities, net of deferred income tax and reclassification adjustments	40	(51)
Foreign currency translation	9	9
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax	49	(42)
Comprehensive loss	(6,793)	(19,851)
Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	41	2,984
Comprehensive loss attributable to PICO Holdings, Inc.	$ (6,752)	$ (16,867)
Net income (loss) per common share – basic and diluted ($ per share)
Loss from continuing operations	$ (0.21)	$ (0.32)
Loss from discontinued agribusiness operations	(0.08)	(0.41)
Net loss per common share – basic and diluted	$ (0.29)	$ (0.73)
Weighted average shares outstanding - basic and diluted (number of shares)	23,038	23,005