Catatrophe Reinsurance - Coverage for Catastrophe Reinsurance (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Retained [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Retained [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] First Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] First Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Second Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Second Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Third Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Third Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Fourth Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Fourth Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Minimum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Minimum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Minimum [Member] First Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Minimum [Member] First Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Minimum [Member] Second Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Minimum [Member] Second Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Minimum [Member] Third Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Minimum [Member] Third Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Minimum [Member] Fourth Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Minimum [Member] Fourth Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Maximum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Maximum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Maximum [Member] First Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Maximum [Member] First Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Maximum [Member] Second Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Maximum [Member] Second Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Maximum [Member] Third Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Maximum [Member] Third Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Maximum [Member] Fourth Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Kemper Preferred, Kemper Specialty and Kemper Direct Segments [Member] Maximum [Member] Fourth Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Kemper Preferred [Member] Retained [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Kemper Preferred [Member] First Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Kemper Preferred [Member] Second Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Kemper Preferred [Member] Third Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Kemper Preferred [Member] Minimum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Kemper Preferred [Member] Minimum [Member] First Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Kemper Preferred [Member] Minimum [Member] Second Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Kemper Preferred [Member] Minimum [Member] Third Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Kemper Preferred [Member] Maximum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Kemper Preferred [Member] Maximum [Member] First Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Kemper Preferred [Member] Maximum [Member] Second Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Kemper Preferred [Member] Maximum [Member] Third Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Life and Health Segment - Property Insurance Operations [Member] Retained [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Life and Health Segment - Property Insurance Operations [Member] Retained [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Life and Health Segment - Property Insurance Operations [Member] First Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Life and Health Segment - Property Insurance Operations [Member] First Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Life and Health Segment - Property Insurance Operations [Member] Second Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Life and Health Segment - Property Insurance Operations [Member] Second Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Life and Health Segment - Property Insurance Operations [Member] Minimum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Life and Health Segment - Property Insurance Operations [Member] Minimum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Life and Health Segment - Property Insurance Operations [Member] Minimum [Member] First Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Life and Health Segment - Property Insurance Operations [Member] Minimum [Member] First Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Life and Health Segment - Property Insurance Operations [Member] Minimum [Member] Second Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Life and Health Segment - Property Insurance Operations [Member] Minimum [Member] Second Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Life and Health Segment - Property Insurance Operations [Member] Maximum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Life and Health Segment - Property Insurance Operations [Member] Maximum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Life and Health Segment - Property Insurance Operations [Member] Maximum [Member] First Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Life and Health Segment - Property Insurance Operations [Member] Maximum [Member] First Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Life and Health Segment - Property Insurance Operations [Member] Maximum [Member] Second Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Life and Health Segment - Property Insurance Operations [Member] Maximum [Member] Second Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Kemper Direct and Kemper Specialty Segments [Member] Retained [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Kemper Direct and Kemper Specialty Segments [Member] First Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Kemper Direct and Kemper Specialty Segments [Member] Minimum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Kemper Direct and Kemper Specialty Segments [Member] Minimum [Member] First Layer of Coverage [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Kemper Direct and Kemper Specialty Segments [Member] Maximum [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Kemper Direct and Kemper Specialty Segments [Member] Maximum [Member] First Layer of Coverage [Member]
Liability for Catastrophe Claims [Line Items]
Reinsurance Retention Policy, Amount Retained											$ 0	$ 0									$ 50.0	$ 50.0													$ 0				$ 50.0										$ 0	$ 0					$ 8.0	$ 8.0							$ 0		$ 3.0
Reinsurance Retention Policy, Reinsured Risk, Percentage	0.00%	0.00%																													0.00%												0.00%	0.00%																	0.00%
Reinsurance Retention Policy, Excess Retention, Percentage			65.00%	65.00%	95.00%	95.00%	90.00%	90.00%	50.00%	50.00%																						65.00%	95.00%	90.00%											70.00%	70.00%	70.00%	100.00%														100.00%
Reinsurance Retention Policy, Excess Retention, Amount Reinsured													$ 50.0	$ 50.0	$ 100.0	$ 100.0	$ 200.0	$ 200.0	$ 350.0	$ 350.0			$ 100.0	$ 100.0	$ 200.0	$ 200.0	$ 350.0	$ 350.0	$ 450.0	$ 450.0						$ 50.0	$ 100.0	$ 200.0		$ 100.0	$ 200.0	$ 350.0									$ 8.0	$ 8.0	$ 15.0	$ 15.0			$ 15.0	$ 15.0	$ 40.0	$ 40.0				$ 3.0		$ 16.0