Description of Business, Basis of Presentation and Recent Accounting Pronouncements - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended																0 Months Ended										9 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		9 Months Ended					3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014 Segment	Jun. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2014 Salus Capital Partners L L C [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 FGLH [Member] 6.375% Senior Notes, Due April 1, 2021 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 FGLH [Member] 6.375% Senior Notes, Due April 1, 2021 [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Spectrum Brands [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Spectrum Brands [Member] Term Loan Due September 4, 2017 [Member]	Dec. 18, 2013 Spectrum Brands [Member] Term Loan Due September 4, 2017 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Spectrum Brands [Member] Term Loan Due September 4, 2017 [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Spectrum Brands [Member] Six Point Three Seven Five Senior Notes [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Spectrum Brands [Member] Six Point Three Seven Five Senior Notes [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Spectrum Brands [Member] 6.625% Notes [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Spectrum Brands [Member] 6.625% Notes [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Zap Com Corporation [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Fgl Reinsurance Agreement With Fsr [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 HGI [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 HGI [Member] 7.875% Senior Secured Notes, due July 15, 2019 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 HGI [Member] 7.875% Senior Secured Notes, due July 15, 2019 [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 HGI [Member] Seven Point Seven Five Percent Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]	Jan. 21, 2014 HGI [Member] Seven Point Seven Five Percent Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 FGL [Member]	Dec. 13, 2013 FGL [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 CorAmerica [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 FOHG [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Bankers Life Insurance Company [Member]	Jan. 02, 2014 The Liquid Fence Company [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 FOHG [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 FOHG [Member]	May 30, 2014 FOHG [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 FOHG [Member] Minimum [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 FOHG [Member] Maximum [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Euro Member Countries, Euro Spectrum Brands [Member] Euro Term Loan, Due September 4, 2019 [Member]	Dec. 18, 2013 Euro Member Countries, Euro Spectrum Brands [Member] Euro Term Loan, Due September 4, 2019 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Euro Member Countries, Euro Spectrum Brands [Member] Euro Term Loan, Due September 4, 2019 [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Series A Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Series A-2 Redeemable Convertible Preferred Stock [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Gain loss upon conversion of convertible preferred stock [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Exchange of Senior Secured Notes for Senior Unsecured Notes [Member] HGI [Member] 7.875% Senior Secured Notes, due July 15, 2019 [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Exchange of Senior Secured Notes for Senior Unsecured Notes [Member] HGI [Member] Seven Point Seven Five Percent Senior Unsecured Notes [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]
Royalty Rate																																		0.25%	8.00%
residual growth rate																																3.00%
effective income tax rate assumption																																39.30%
Discount rate																																16.00%
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Intangible Assets, Other than Goodwill																														$ 26.9			$ 41.7
Unamortized costs exceed ceiling limitations				81.0
Document Period End Date			Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014
Long-term debt, interest rate								6.40%	0.00%		3.60%		3.60%	6.40%	6.40%	6.60%	6.60%				7.90%	0.00%	7.75%													3.80%		0.00%
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired, Goodwill, and Liabilities Assumed, Less Noncontrolling Interest																														35.8			13.5
Common Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share	$ 0.01		$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Conversion of Stock, Shares Issued																																							160.95	148.11
Less: Preferred stock dividends, accretion and loss on conversion	49.3	12.0		73.6	36.3																																				43.9
Long-term debt	5,341.0		5,341.0	5,341.0		4,909.7		300.0	300.0		512.4	215.0	300.0	520.0	520.0	570.0	570.0				604.4	925.0	550.0	200.0												305.5	225.0	0				320.6	350.0
Stock Repurchased During Period, Shares	1,000,000
Treasury Stock Acquired, Average Cost Per Share	$ 12.10																														$ 0.27
Payments for Repurchase of Equity	12.1
Stock Repurchase Program, Authorized Amount	100.0		100.0	100.0
Reinsurance arrangment in percentage																			10.00%
Payments for reinsurance																			1,400.0										153.0
Asset-based loans	724.3		724.3	724.3		560.4
Percentage of ownership interest acquired																										80.40%
Shares Offered To Public In Initial Offering																										9,750,000
Sale of Stock, Price Per Share																										$ 17
Shares Offered To Underwriters In Initial Offering																										1,463,000
Investment Owned, Balance, Shares																										47,000,000
Number of reporting segments			4	4
Noncontrolling Interest, Ownership Percentage by Noncontrolling Owners							14.30%			41.30%								2.10%							19.60%		83.00%	38.00%
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Deferred Tax Liabilities Noncurrent																																	8.0
Off-market Lease, Unfavorable																																	1.3
Finite-Lived Intangible Asset, Off-market Lease, Favorable, Gross																																	$ 0.4