Consolidating Financial Information - Schedule of Income Statement Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Revenues:
Net consumer and other product sales	$ 1,249.7	$ 1,361.6	$ 1,209.6	$ 1,218.8	$ 1,308.1	$ 1,249.7	$ 1,086.5	$ 1,088.8	$ 5,039.7	$ 4,733.1	$ 4,449.2
Net investment income									67.0	84.3	90.1
Net investment gains (losses)									101.1	(114.0)	89.3
Insurance and investment product fees and other									7.6	6.3	6.1
Total revenues									5,215.4	4,709.7	4,634.7
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of consumer products and other goods sold									3,119.8	3,050.9	2,875.6
Benefits and other changes in policy reserves									(103.0)	(70.6)	(66.9)
Selling, acquisition, operating and general expenses									1,243.6	1,301.3	1,181.0
Asset Impairment Charges									27.1	153.3	2.1
Amortization of intangibles									93.9	87.8	81.7
Total operating costs and expenses									4,587.4	4,663.9	4,207.3
Operating income									628.0	45.8	427.4
Interest expense									(397.1)	(401.6)	(298.8)
Loss from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock										0.0	(12.7)
Deconsolidation, Gain (Loss), Amount									0.0	38.5	0.0
Other income (expense), net									1.0	10.2	(11.9)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes									231.9	(307.1)	104.0
Income tax expense (benefit)									41.5	(16.2)	89.6
Net income (loss) from continuing operations	36.2	(93.0)	15.9	7.0	(127.1)	(41.4)	(237.5)	(106.4)	(33.9)	(512.4)	101.7
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest									164.9	44.4	112.0
Net loss attributable to controlling interest	(7.3)	(132.9)	(24.7)	(33.9)	(143.1)	(75.6)	(228.3)	(109.8)	(198.8)	(556.8)	(10.3)
Less: Preferred stock dividends, accretion and loss on conversion											73.6
Net loss attributable to common and participating preferred stockholders									(198.8)	(556.8)	(83.9)
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	45.8	(234.5)	(40.6)	5.0	(32.1)	(16.7)	(152.4)	(20.3)	(224.3)	(221.5)	87.3
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest	$ (9.6)	$ 141.5	$ 56.5	$ 2.0	$ (95.0)	$ (24.7)	$ (85.1)	$ (86.1)	190.4	(290.9)	14.4
Consumer Products Segment
Revenues:
Net consumer and other product sales									5,039.7	4,690.4	4,429.1
Total revenues									5,039.7	4,690.4	4,429.1
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of consumer products and other goods sold									3,119.8	3,020.0	2,860.3
Selling, acquisition, operating and general expenses									1,165.0	1,108.5	1,005.2
Asset Impairment Charges									4.7		0.0
Amortization of intangibles									93.9	87.8	81.7
Total operating costs and expenses									4,383.4	4,216.3	3,947.2
Operating income									656.3	474.1	481.9
Equity in net income of subsidiaries											0.0
Interest expense									(250.0)	(271.9)	(202.1)
Interest Income From Affiliates											0.0
Loss from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock											0.0
Deconsolidation, Gain (Loss), Amount										0.0
Other income (expense), net									(8.6)	(8.9)	(6.3)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes									397.7	193.3	273.5
Income tax expense (benefit)									40.0	43.9	59.0
Net income (loss) from continuing operations									357.7	149.4	214.5
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest									151.1	62.7	88.9
Net loss attributable to controlling interest									206.6	86.7	125.6
Less: Preferred stock dividends, accretion and loss on conversion											0.0
Net loss attributable to common and participating preferred stockholders											125.6
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest									0.0	0.0	0.0
Insurance Segment [Member]
Revenues:
Net investment income									2.4	8.9	9.3
Net investment gains (losses)									148.0	(107.7)	135.0
Total revenues									150.4	(98.8)	144.3
Operating costs and expenses:
Benefits and other changes in policy reserves									(153.2)	(43.5)	(92.8)
Selling, acquisition, operating and general expenses									9.6	13.4	11.4
Asset Impairment Charges										57.1	0.0
Total operating costs and expenses									162.8	(30.1)	104.2
Operating income									(12.4)	(68.7)	40.1
Equity in net income of subsidiaries											0.0
Interest expense											0.0
Interest Income From Affiliates											0.0
Loss from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock											0.0
Deconsolidation, Gain (Loss), Amount										0.0
Other income (expense), net											0.0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes									(12.4)	(68.7)	40.1
Income tax expense (benefit)									(2.4)	(24.0)	15.7
Net income (loss) from continuing operations									(10.0)	(44.7)	24.4
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest											0.0
Net loss attributable to controlling interest									(10.0)	(44.7)	24.4
Less: Preferred stock dividends, accretion and loss on conversion											0.0
Net loss attributable to common and participating preferred stockholders											24.4
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest									0.0	0.0	0.0
Corporate and Other
Revenues:
Net consumer and other product sales										42.7	20.1
Net investment income									8.0	20.6	33.4
Insurance and investment product fees and other									0.9	0.1
Total revenues									8.9	63.4	53.5
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of consumer products and other goods sold										30.9	15.3
Selling, acquisition, operating and general expenses									69.4	181.1	163.0
Asset Impairment Charges									23.5	148.1	2.3
Total operating costs and expenses									92.9	360.1	180.6
Operating income									(84.0)	(296.7)	(127.1)
Equity in net income of subsidiaries									43.0	(232.4)	251.6
Interest expense									(143.1)	(124.2)	(89.7)
Interest Income From Affiliates									(12.2)	(29.6)	(15.6)
Loss from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock											(12.7)
Deconsolidation, Gain (Loss), Amount										38.5
Other income (expense), net									11.1	29.8	(5.4)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes									(185.2)	(614.6)	1.1
Income tax expense (benefit)									18.9	(17.5)	1.2
Net income (loss) from continuing operations									(204.1)	(597.1)	(0.1)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest									(5.3)	(40.3)	10.2
Net loss attributable to controlling interest									(198.8)	(556.8)	(10.3)
Less: Preferred stock dividends, accretion and loss on conversion											73.6
Net loss attributable to common and participating preferred stockholders											(83.9)
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest									0.0	0.0	0.0
Discontinued Operations, Held-for-sale [Member]
Revenues:
Total revenues									0.0	0.0
Operating costs and expenses:
Operating income									0.0	0.0
Deconsolidation, Gain (Loss), Amount										0.0
Net income (loss) from continuing operations									(224.3)	(221.5)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest									19.1	22.0
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest									(224.3)	(221.5)
Intersegment Eliminations [Member]
Revenues:
Net investment income									56.6	54.8	47.4
Net investment gains (losses)									(46.9)	(6.3)	(45.7)
Insurance and investment product fees and other									6.7	6.2	6.1
Total revenues									16.4	54.7	7.8
Operating costs and expenses:
Benefits and other changes in policy reserves									50.2	(114.1)	25.9
Selling, acquisition, operating and general expenses									(0.4)	(1.7)	1.4
Asset Impairment Charges									(1.1)	5.2	(0.2)
Total operating costs and expenses									(51.7)	117.6	(24.7)
Operating income									68.1	(62.9)	32.5
Equity in net income of subsidiaries									(43.0)	232.4	(251.6)
Interest expense									(4.0)	(5.5)	(7.0)
Interest Income From Affiliates									12.2	29.6	15.6
Loss from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock											0.0
Deconsolidation, Gain (Loss), Amount										0.0
Other income (expense), net									(1.5)	(10.7)	(0.2)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes									31.8	182.9	(210.7)
Income tax expense (benefit)									(15.0)	(18.6)	13.7
Net income (loss) from continuing operations									46.8	201.5	(224.4)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest											0.0
Net loss attributable to controlling interest									46.8	201.5	(224.4)
Less: Preferred stock dividends, accretion and loss on conversion											0.0
Net loss attributable to common and participating preferred stockholders											(224.4)
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest									0.0	0.0	0.0
Consolidated Entities
Revenues:
Net consumer and other product sales									5,039.7	4,733.1	4,449.2
Net investment income									67.0	84.3	90.1
Net investment gains (losses)									101.1	(114.0)	89.3
Insurance and investment product fees and other									7.6	6.3	6.1
Total revenues									5,215.4	4,709.7	4,634.7
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of consumer products and other goods sold									3,119.8	3,050.9	2,875.6
Benefits and other changes in policy reserves									(103.0)	(70.6)	(66.9)
Selling, acquisition, operating and general expenses									1,243.6	1,301.3	1,181.0
Asset Impairment Charges									27.1	153.3	2.1
Amortization of intangibles									93.9	87.8	81.7
Total operating costs and expenses									4,587.4	4,663.9	4,207.3
Operating income									628.0	45.8	427.4
Equity in net income of subsidiaries											0.0
Interest expense									(397.1)	(401.6)	(298.8)
Interest Income From Affiliates											0.0
Loss from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock											(12.7)
Deconsolidation, Gain (Loss), Amount										38.5
Other income (expense), net									1.0	10.2	(11.9)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes									231.9	(307.1)	104.0
Income tax expense (benefit)									41.5	(16.2)	89.6
Net income (loss) from continuing operations									(33.9)	(512.4)	101.7
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest									164.9	44.4	112.0
Net loss attributable to controlling interest									(198.8)	(556.8)	(10.3)
Less: Preferred stock dividends, accretion and loss on conversion											73.6
Net loss attributable to common and participating preferred stockholders											(83.9)
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest									(224.3)	(221.5)
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest									190.4	(290.9)
HGI
Revenues:
Total revenues									0.0	0.0	0.0
Operating costs and expenses:
Operating income									(50.9)	(100.6)	(115.3)
Equity in net income of subsidiaries									(214.8)	(357.2)	207.7
Interest expense									(143.1)	(124.2)	(89.7)
Loss from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock									0.0	0.0	(12.7)
Other income (expense), net									2.0	15.2	0.1
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes									(406.8)	(558.3)	(9.4)
Income tax expense (benefit)									(208.0)	(1.5)	0.9
Net income (loss) from continuing operations									(198.8)	(556.8)	(10.3)
Less: Preferred stock dividends, accretion and loss on conversion									0.0	0.0	73.6
Net loss attributable to common and participating preferred stockholders									(198.8)	(556.8)	(83.9)
HGI | Discontinued Operations, Held-for-sale [Member]
Revenues:
Net consumer and other product sales											0.0
Net investment income											0.0
Net investment gains (losses)											0.0
Insurance and investment product fees and other											0.0
Total revenues											0.0
Operating costs and expenses:
Cost of consumer products and other goods sold											0.0
Benefits and other changes in policy reserves											0.0
Selling, acquisition, operating and general expenses											0.0
Asset Impairment Charges											0.0
Amortization of intangibles											0.0
Total operating costs and expenses											0.0
Operating income											0.0
Equity in net income of subsidiaries											0.0
Interest expense											0.0
Interest Income From Affiliates											0.0
Loss from the change in the fair value of the equity conversion feature of preferred stock											0.0
Other income (expense), net											0.0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes											0.0
Income tax expense (benefit)											0.0
Net income (loss) from continuing operations											87.3
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest											12.9
Net loss attributable to controlling interest									$ (243.4)	$ (243.5)	74.4
Less: Preferred stock dividends, accretion and loss on conversion											0.0
Net loss attributable to common and participating preferred stockholders											74.4
Income (Loss) from Discontinued Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest											87.3
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations, Net of Tax, Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest											$ 0.0