Fair Value Disclosures (Schedule Of Assets And Liabilities Measured With Level 3 Inputs) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance			$ 42,748
Transfers out of Level 3			(358)
Purchases			1,941
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance			37,637
Change in unrealized gains /(losses) for the period included in earnings			(6,653)	[1]
Principal Investing [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Transactions included in income			(6,694)
Trading Securities [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance	295		5,188
Transfers into Level 3	0		0
Transfers out of Level 3	0		(57)
Purchases	37		3,158
Sales	(441)		(8,033)
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance	186		295
Change in unrealized gains /(losses) for the period included in earnings	(111)	[1]	63	[1]
Trading Securities [Member] | Trading Revenue [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Transactions included in income	295		39
Alternative Investments [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance	37,637
Transfers out of Level 3	(2,834)		(91)
Purchases	1,273
Sales	(210)
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance	24,078		37,637
Change in unrealized gains /(losses) for the period included in earnings	(11,788)	[1]
Alternative Investments [Member] | Principal Investing [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Transactions included in income	(11,788)
Other Investments, Equity Securities [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance	37,560		42,393
Transfers out of Level 3	(2,834)		(91)
Purchases	1,273		1,941
Sales	(210)
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance	24,043		37,560
Change in unrealized gains /(losses) for the period included in earnings	(11,746)	[1]	(6,642)	[1]
Other Investments, Equity Securities [Member] | Principal Investing [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Transactions included in income	(11,746)		(6,683)
EuroDekania [Member] | Alternative Investments [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance	2,054	[2]	2,370	[2]
Purchases	971	[2]	15	[2]
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance	4,192	[2]	2,054	[2]
Change in unrealized gains /(losses) for the period included in earnings	1,167	[1],[2]	(331)	[1],[2]
EuroDekania [Member] | Alternative Investments [Member] | Principal Investing [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Transactions included in income	1,167	[2]	(331)	[2]
Star Asia [Member] | Alternative Investments [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance	30,169	[3],[4]	37,358	[3],[4]
Purchases			85	[3],[4]
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance	17,104	[3],[4]	30,169	[3],[4]
Change in unrealized gains /(losses) for the period included in earnings	(13,065)	[1],[3],[4]	(7,274)	[1],[3],[4]
Star Asia [Member] | Alternative Investments [Member] | Principal Investing [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Transactions included in income	(13,065)	[3],[4]	(7,274)	[3],[4]
Tiptree Financial Partners L.P. [Member] | Alternative Investments [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance	2,834	[5]	2,533	[5]
Transfers out of Level 3	(2,834)	[5]
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance			2,834	[5]
Change in unrealized gains /(losses) for the period included in earnings			301	[1],[5]
Tiptree Financial Partners L.P. [Member] | Alternative Investments [Member] | Principal Investing [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Transactions included in income			301	[5]
Star Asia Special Situations Fund [Member] | Alternative Investments [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance	2,503	[3],[4]
Purchases	302	[3],[4]	1,841	[3],[4]
Sales	(210)	[3],[4]
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance	2,747	[3],[4]	2,503	[3],[4]
Change in unrealized gains /(losses) for the period included in earnings	152	[1],[3],[4]	662	[1],[3],[4]
Star Asia Special Situations Fund [Member] | Alternative Investments [Member] | Principal Investing [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Transactions included in income	152	[3],[4]	662	[3],[4]
Other Equity Securities [Member] | Alternative Investments [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance			132
Transfers out of Level 3			(91)
Other Equity Securities [Member] | Alternative Investments [Member] | Principal Investing [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Transactions included in income			(41)
Interests in securitizations [Member] | Alternative Investments [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance	77	[6]	88	[6]
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance	35	[6]	77	[6]
Change in unrealized gains /(losses) for the period included in earnings	(42)	[1],[6]	(11)	[1],[6]
Interests in securitizations [Member] | Alternative Investments [Member] | Principal Investing [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Transactions included in income	(42)	[6]	(11)	[6]
Residential Mortgage [Member] | Alternative Investments [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance			267
Transfers out of Level 3			(267)
SBA loans [Member] | Trading Securities [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Purchases	37
Sales	(250)
SBA loans [Member] | Trading Securities [Member] | Trading Revenue [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Transactions included in income	213
RMBS [Member] | Trading Securities [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance			4,932
Purchases			171
Sales			(5,120)
RMBS [Member] | Trading Securities [Member] | Trading Revenue [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Transactions included in income			17
Interests in securitizations [Member] | Trading Securities [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance	295	[6]	221	[6]
Purchases			2,861	[6]
Sales	(191)	[6]	(2,913)	[6]
Level 3 inputs, Ending balance	186	[6]	295	[6]
Change in unrealized gains /(losses) for the period included in earnings	(111)	[1],[6]	63	[1],[6]
Interests in securitizations [Member] | Trading Securities [Member] | Trading Revenue [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Transactions included in income	82	[6]	126	[6]
Equity securities [Member] | Trading Securities [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Level 3 inputs, Beginning balance			35
Transfers out of Level 3			(57)
Purchases			126
Equity securities [Member] | Trading Securities [Member] | Trading Revenue [Member]
Schedule of additional information about assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis level 3 inputs
Transactions included in income			$ (104)

[1] Represents the change in unrealized gains and losses for the period included in earnings for assets held at the end of the reporting period.

[2] Hybrid Securities Fund—European.

[3] On February 20, 2014, the Company announced the completion of the sale of the Company’s ownership interests in the Star Asia Group. See note 31.

[4] Real Estate Fund—Asian.

[5] Diversified Fund.

[6] Primarily comprised of CDOs, CLOs, and ABS.