Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Schedule of Selected Quarterly Financial Data) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Selected Quarterly Financial Information [Abstract]
Net revenues	$ 2,496,216	$ 2,366,096	$ 2,839,463	$ 3,184,683	$ 2,688,355	$ 3,003,643	$ 2,851,963	$ 2,942,524	$ 10,886,458	$ 11,486,485	$ 10,425,746
Income (loss) from continuing operations	39,038	(181,912)	15,034	374,429	(14,038)	58,253	70,190	100,846	246,589	215,251	409,104
Income from discontinued operations, net of taxes	0	429	0	0	932	(5,676)	(4,240)	(8,909)	429	(17,893)	(60,026)
Gain on disposal of discontinued operations, net of taxes	3,793	1,300	0	0	(6,518)	7,685	500	0	5,093	1,667	13,115
Net (income) loss attributable to the noncontrolling interest	3,168	1,238	356	234	1,294	1,058	912	(2,537)	4,996	727	1,162
Net (income) loss attributable to the redeemable noncontrolling interests	10,612	6,788	2,031	7,112	9,582	(5,625)	(1,273)	5,932	26,543	8,616	9,282
Preferred stock dividends	(1,016)	(1,016)	(1,015)	(1,016)	(1,015)	(1,016)	(1,015)	(1,016)	(4,063)	(4,062)	(3,397)
Net income attributable to Leucadia National Corporation common shareholders	$ 55,595	$ (173,173)	$ 16,406	$ 380,759	$ (9,763)	$ 54,679	$ 65,074	$ 94,316	$ 279,587	$ 204,306	$ 369,240
Income (loss) from continuing operations (USD per share)	$ 0.14	$ (0.47)	$ 0.04	$ 1.00	$ (0.01)	$ 0.14	$ 0.18	$ 0.27	$ 0.73	$ 0.58	$ 1.20
Income (loss) from discontinued operations (USD per share)	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	(0.02)	(0.01)	(0.02)	0.00	(0.05)	(0.17)
Gain (loss) on disposal of discontinued operations (USD per share)	0.01	0.00	0.00	0.00	(0.02)	0.02	0.00	0.00	0.01	0.01	0.04
Net income (loss) (USD per share)	$ 0.15	$ (0.47)	$ 0.04	$ 1.00	$ (0.03)	$ 0.14	$ 0.17	$ 0.25	$ 0.74	$ 0.54	$ 1.07
Number of shares used in calculation - basic (shares)	369,840	372,547	373,654	373,541	373,617	373,347	371,979	368,487	372,430	371,889	339,673
Income (loss) from continuing operations (USD per share)	$ 0.14	$ (0.47)	$ 0.04	$ 0.99	$ (0.01)	$ 0.14	$ 0.18	$ 0.27	$ 0.73	$ 0.58	$ 1.20
Income (loss) from discontinued operations (USD per share)	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	0.00	(0.02)	(0.01)	(0.02)	0.00	(0.05)	(0.17)
Gain (loss) on disposal of discontinued operations - diluted (USD per share)	0.01	0.00	0.00	0.00	(0.02)	0.02	0.00	0.00	0.01	0.01	0.03
Net income (USD per share)	$ 0.15	$ (0.47)	$ 0.04	$ 0.99	$ (0.03)	$ 0.14	$ 0.17	$ 0.25	$ 0.74	$ 0.54	$ 1.06
Number of shares used in calculation (shares)	369,840	372,547	373,662	377,713	373,617	373,375	373,179	377,348	372,431	373,333	347,734