Other Borrowings (Schedule of Other Borrowings) (Details) (USD $)	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ 396,255,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt	$ 350,109,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
FHLB stock, required collateral	12,000,000	14,200,000
Additional collateral, aggregate fair value	1,480,000,000	1,320,000,000
FHLB borrowing capacity	426,600,000
Advances from the FHLB
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	109,830,000	113,453,000
Weighted average interest rate	2.35%	3.06%
Wholesale Repurchase Agreements
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	45,000,000	60,000,000
Weighted average interest rate	3.62%	3.38%
Trust Preferred Securities
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	125,065,000	124,860,000
Senior Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	29,500,000	37,500,000
Notes Payable to Unaffiliated Bank
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	10,369,000	11,719,000
Contracts Payable for Purchase of Real Estate and Other Assets
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	2,541,000	2,577,000
Subordinated Notes
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term debt	$ 73,950,000	$ 0

Federal Home Loan Bank, Advances, General Debt Obligations, Disclosures, Required, Collateral, Amount of FHLB Stock

No definition available.

Name:	htlf_FederalHomeLoanBankAdvancesGeneralDebtObligationsDisclosuresRequiredCollateralAmountOfFhlbStock
Namespace Prefix:	htlf_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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

- Definition

Weighted average interest rate of debt outstanding.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtWeightedAverageInterestRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of maximum advances or credit lines available from the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB).

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 470

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6479118&loc=d3e64650-112822

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Subparagraph b

-Article 5

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.13(3)(a))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22 (b))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 13

-Subparagraph 3(a)

-Article 9

+ Details

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

- Definition

Carrying amount of long-term debt, net of unamortized discount or premium, including current and noncurrent amounts. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 16

-Article 7

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 16

-Article 9

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 20, 22

-Article 5

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

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

- Definition

The carrying amount, as of the date of the latest financial statement presented, of loans receivable which are owned but transferred to serve as collateral for the payment of FHLB debt obligations, and for which the transferee is not permitted to sell or re-pledge them to an unrelated party.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 860

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1A

-Subparagraph (b)(1)(i)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34720971&loc=SL6224234-111729

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=htlf_LongTermContractForPurchaseOfRealEstateAndOtherAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_FederalHomeLoanBankAdvancesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_NotesPayableToBanksMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_RepurchaseAgreementsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubordinatedDebtMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis=us-gaap_TrustPreferredSecuritiesSubjectToMandatoryRedemptionMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: