Bank segment (HEI only) - Carrying Amount of Impaired Loans (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Recorded investment:
With no related allowance recorded	$ 18,811	$ 19,806
With an allowance recorded	32,948	33,879
Recorded investment	51,759	53,685
Unpaid principal balance:
With no related allowance recorded	23,200	22,934
With an allowance recorded	33,205	34,696
Unpaid principal balance	56,405	57,630
Related Allowance	4,083	6,320
Average recorded investment:
With no related allowance recorded	22,579	19,651
With an allowance recorded	36,398	31,732
Average recorded investment	58,977	51,383
Interest income recognized:
With no related allowance recorded	783	704
With an allowance recorded	1,271	1,140
Interest income recognized	2,054	1,844
Residential 1-4 family
Recorded investment:
With no related allowance recorded	9,571	10,596
With an allowance recorded	10,283	11,861
Recorded investment	19,854	22,457
Unpaid principal balance:
With no related allowance recorded	10,400	11,805
With an allowance recorded	10,486	11,914
Unpaid principal balance	20,886	23,719
Related Allowance	1,352	1,453
Average recorded investment:
With no related allowance recorded	10,136	11,215
With an allowance recorded	11,589	11,578
Average recorded investment	21,725	22,793
Interest income recognized:
With no related allowance recorded	324	332
With an allowance recorded	457	562
Interest income recognized	781	894
Commercial real estate
Recorded investment:
With no related allowance recorded	223	1,188
With an allowance recorded	1,346	0
Recorded investment	1,569	1,188
Unpaid principal balance:
With no related allowance recorded	228	1,436
With an allowance recorded	1,346	0
Unpaid principal balance	1,574	1,436
Related Allowance	80	0
Average recorded investment:
With no related allowance recorded	1,124	370
With an allowance recorded	1,962	1,699
Average recorded investment	3,086	2,069
Interest income recognized:
With no related allowance recorded	0	74
With an allowance recorded	15	0
Interest income recognized	15	74
Home equity line of credit
Recorded investment:
With no related allowance recorded	1,500	707
With an allowance recorded	4,658	2,518
Recorded investment	6,158	3,225
Unpaid principal balance:
With no related allowance recorded	1,900	948
With an allowance recorded	4,712	2,579
Unpaid principal balance	6,612	3,527
Related Allowance	215	442
Average recorded investment:
With no related allowance recorded	1,105	484
With an allowance recorded	3,765	1,597
Average recorded investment	4,870	2,081
Interest income recognized:
With no related allowance recorded	23	4
With an allowance recorded	137	49
Interest income recognized	160	53
Residential land
Recorded investment:
With no related allowance recorded	1,218	1,644
With an allowance recorded	2,411	4,039
Recorded investment	3,629	5,683
Unpaid principal balance:
With no related allowance recorded	1,803	2,412
With an allowance recorded	2,411	4,117
Unpaid principal balance	4,214	6,529
Related Allowance	789	891
Average recorded investment:
With no related allowance recorded	1,518	2,397
With an allowance recorded	2,964	4,337
Average recorded investment	4,482	6,734
Interest income recognized:
With no related allowance recorded	66	137
With an allowance recorded	206	318
Interest income recognized	272	455
Commercial construction
Recorded investment:
With no related allowance recorded	0	0
With an allowance recorded	0	0
Recorded investment	0	0
Unpaid principal balance:
With no related allowance recorded	0	0
With an allowance recorded	0	0
Unpaid principal balance	0	0
Related Allowance	0	0
Average recorded investment:
With no related allowance recorded	0	0
With an allowance recorded	0	0
Average recorded investment	0	0
Interest income recognized:
With no related allowance recorded	0	0
With an allowance recorded	0	0
Interest income recognized	0	0
Residential construction
Recorded investment:
With no related allowance recorded	0	0
With an allowance recorded	0	0
Recorded investment	0	0
Unpaid principal balance:
With no related allowance recorded	0	0
With an allowance recorded	0	0
Unpaid principal balance	0	0
Related Allowance	0	0
Average recorded investment:
With no related allowance recorded	0	0
With an allowance recorded	0	0
Average recorded investment	0	0
Interest income recognized:
With no related allowance recorded	0	0
With an allowance recorded	0	0
Interest income recognized	0	0
Commercial loans
Recorded investment:
With no related allowance recorded	6,299	5,671
With an allowance recorded	14,240	15,448
Recorded investment	20,539	21,119
Unpaid principal balance:
With no related allowance recorded	8,869	6,333
With an allowance recorded	14,240	16,073
Unpaid principal balance	23,109	22,406
Related Allowance	1,641	3,527
Average recorded investment:
With no related allowance recorded	8,694	5,185
With an allowance recorded	16,106	12,507
Average recorded investment	24,800	17,692
Interest income recognized:
With no related allowance recorded	370	157
With an allowance recorded	456	211
Interest income recognized	826	368
Consumer loans
Recorded investment:
With no related allowance recorded	0	0
With an allowance recorded	10	13
Recorded investment	10	13
Unpaid principal balance:
With no related allowance recorded	0	0
With an allowance recorded	10	13
Unpaid principal balance	10	13
Related Allowance	6	7
Average recorded investment:
With no related allowance recorded	2	0
With an allowance recorded	12	14
Average recorded investment	14	14
Interest income recognized:
With no related allowance recorded	0	0
With an allowance recorded	0	0
Interest income recognized	$ 0	$ 0