Investments in Unconsolidated Affiliates	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]
Investments in Unconsolidated Affiliates	Investments in Unconsolidated Affiliates At December 31, 2017, we had no remaining balances in our medical-related investments. We currently do not have any plans to pursue additional medical-related investments. Bencap In December 2015, we formed a new wholly owned subsidiary, Adams Resources Medical Management, Inc. (“ARMM”), and in January 2016, ARMM acquired a 30 percent member interest in Bencap LLC (“Bencap”) for a $2.2 million cash payment. Bencap provides medical insurance brokerage and medical claims auditing services to employers utilizing ERISA governed employee benefit plans. We accounted for this investment under the equity method of accounting. Under the terms of the investment agreement, Bencap had the option to request borrowings from us of up to $1.5 million (on or after December 5, 2016 but before October 31, 2018) that we were required to provide or forfeit our 30 percent member interest. During 2016, our management determined that we were unlikely to provide additional funding due to Bencap’s lower than projected revenue growth and operating losses since investment inception. We completed a review of our equity method investment in Bencap during 2016 and determined that there was an other than temporary impairment. During the third quarter of 2016, we recognized an after-tax net loss of $1.4 million to write-off our investment in Bencap, which consisted of a pre-tax impairment charge of approximately $1.7 million, pre-tax losses from the equity method investment of $0.5 million and an income tax benefit of $0.8 million. In February 2017, in accordance with the terms of the investment agreement, Bencap requested additional funding of approximately $0.5 million from us. We declined the additional funding request and as a result, forfeited our 30 percent member interest in Bencap. At December 31, 2017, we had no further ownership interest in Bencap. VestaCare In April 2016, ARMM acquired an approximate 15 percent equity interest (less than 3 percent voting interest) in VestaCare, Inc., a California corporation (“VestaCare”), for a $2.5 million cash payment. VestaCare provides an array of software as a service (SaaS) electronic payment technologies to medical providers, payers and patients including VestaCare’s most recent product offering, VestaPay™. VestaPay™ allows medical care providers to structure fully automated and dynamically updating electronic payment plans for their patients. We account for this investment under the cost method of accounting. During the third quarter of 2017, we reviewed our investment in VestaCare and determined that the current projected operating results did not support the carrying value of the investment. As such, during the third quarter of 2017, we recognized an impairment charge of $2.5 million to write-off our investment in VestaCare. At December 31, 2017, we continue to own an approximate 15 percent equity interest in VestaCare. AREC As a result of AREC’s voluntary bankruptcy filing in April 2017 and our loss of control of AREC, we deconsolidated AREC in April 2017, and we recorded our investment in this subsidiary under the cost method of accounting. We recorded a non-cash charge during the second quarter of 2017 of approximately $1.6 million associated with the deconsolidation of AREC, which reflected the excess of the net assets of AREC over its estimated fair value based on the expected sales transaction price, net of estimated transaction costs. As a result of the sale of substantially all of AREC’s assets during the third quarter of 2017, we recognized an additional loss of $1.9 million, which represents the difference between the net proceeds we expect to be paid upon settlement of the bankruptcy, net of anticipated remaining closing costs identified as part of the liquidation plan, and the book value of our cost method investment. In December 2017, we received proceeds of approximately $2.8 million from AREC related to the settlement of a portion of the bankruptcy process. At December 31, 2017, our remaining investment in AREC was $0.4 million (see Note 3 for further information). The remaining investment will be removed upon settlement of the bankruptcy, which is anticipated during the first half of 2018.

Investments in Unconsolidated Affiliates

At December 31, 2017, we had no remaining balances in our medical-related investments. We currently do not have any plans to pursue additional medical-related investments.

Bencap

In December 2015, we formed a new wholly owned subsidiary, Adams Resources Medical Management, Inc. (“ARMM”), and in January 2016, ARMM acquired a 30 percent member interest in Bencap LLC (“Bencap”) for a $2.2 million cash payment. Bencap provides medical insurance brokerage and medical claims auditing services to employers utilizing ERISA governed employee benefit plans. We accounted for this investment under the equity method of accounting.

Under the terms of the investment agreement, Bencap had the option to request borrowings from us of up to $1.5 million (on or after December 5, 2016 but before October 31, 2018) that we were required to provide or forfeit our 30 percent member interest. During 2016, our management determined that we were unlikely to provide additional funding due to Bencap’s lower than projected revenue growth and operating losses since investment inception. We completed a review of our equity method investment in Bencap during 2016 and determined that there was an other than temporary impairment. During the third quarter of 2016, we recognized an after-tax net loss of $1.4 million to write-off our investment in Bencap, which consisted of a pre-tax impairment charge of approximately $1.7 million, pre-tax losses from the equity method investment of $0.5 million and an income tax benefit of $0.8 million. In February 2017, in accordance with the terms of the investment agreement, Bencap requested additional funding of approximately $0.5 million from us. We declined the additional funding request and as a result, forfeited our 30 percent member interest in Bencap. At December 31, 2017, we had no further ownership interest in Bencap.

VestaCare

In April 2016, ARMM acquired an approximate 15 percent equity interest (less than 3 percent voting interest) in VestaCare, Inc., a California corporation (“VestaCare”), for a $2.5 million cash payment. VestaCare provides an array of software as a service (SaaS) electronic payment technologies to medical providers, payers and patients including VestaCare’s most recent product offering, VestaPay™. VestaPay™ allows medical care providers to structure fully automated and dynamically updating electronic payment plans for their patients. We account for this investment under the cost method of accounting. During the third quarter of 2017, we reviewed our investment in VestaCare and determined that the current projected operating results did not support the carrying value of the investment. As such, during the third quarter of 2017, we recognized an impairment charge of $2.5 million to write-off our investment in VestaCare. At December 31, 2017, we continue to own an approximate 15 percent equity interest in VestaCare.

AREC

As a result of AREC’s voluntary bankruptcy filing in April 2017 and our loss of control of AREC, we deconsolidated AREC in April 2017, and we recorded our investment in this subsidiary under the cost method of accounting. We recorded a non-cash charge during the second quarter of 2017 of approximately $1.6 million associated with the deconsolidation of AREC, which reflected the excess of the net assets of AREC over its estimated fair value based on the expected sales transaction price, net of estimated transaction costs. As a result of the sale of substantially all of AREC’s assets during the third quarter of 2017, we recognized an additional loss of $1.9 million, which represents the difference between the net proceeds we expect to be paid upon settlement of the bankruptcy, net of anticipated remaining closing costs identified as part of the liquidation plan, and the book value of our cost method investment. In December 2017, we received proceeds of approximately $2.8 million from AREC related to the settlement of a portion of the bankruptcy process. At December 31, 2017, our remaining investment in AREC was $0.4 million (see Note 3 for further information). The remaining investment will be removed upon settlement of the bankruptcy, which is anticipated during the first half of 2018.