Basis of Presentation	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2013
Basis of Presentation And Accounting Pronouncements Disclosure [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation And Accounting Pronouncement [Text Block]	Note 1 — Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of Hubbell Incorporated (“Hubbell”, the “Company”, “registrant”, “we”, “our” or “us”, which references shall include its divisions and subsidiaries) have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S.”) for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments consisting only of normal recurring adjustments considered necessary for a fair statement of the results of the periods presented have been included. Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2013 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2013. The balance sheet at December 31, 2012 has been derived from the audited financial statements at that date but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. for complete financial statements. For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto included in the Hubbell Incorporated Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012. Recent Accounting Pronouncements In December 2011, the FASB amended the disclosure requirements regarding offsetting assets and liabilities of derivatives, sale and repurchase agreements, reverse sale and repurchase agreements and securities borrowing and securities lending arrangements. The enhanced disclosures will require entities to provide both gross and net information for these assets and liabilities. This amendment was adopted by the Company effective January 1, 2013 and did not have a material impact on its financial statements. In July 2012, the FASB amended its guidance related to testing indefinite-lived intangible assets other than goodwill for impairment. An entity has the option of performing a qualitative assessment before calculating the fair value of the asset. If the entity determines, on the basis of certain qualitative factors, that it is more likely than not that the asset is not impaired, the entity would not need to calculate the fair value of the asset. The Company performs the annual indefinite-lived intangible impairment analysis during the fourth quarter of the year and the adoption of the standard effective January 1, 2013 did not have an impact on the Company's financial statements. In February 2013, the FASB amended the disclosure requirements regarding the reporting of amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income. The amendment does not change the current requirement for reporting net income or other comprehensive income, but requires additional disclosures about significant amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income including the effect of the reclassification on the related net income line items. This amendment was adopted prospectively by the Company effective January 1, 2013. See also Note 8 - Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss. In March 2013, the FASB amended guidance related to a parent company's accounting for the release of the cumulative translation adjustment into net income upon derecognition of certain subsidiaries or groups of assets within a foreign entity or of an investment in a foreign entity. This guidance is effective for fiscal periods beginning after December 15, 2013, and is to be applied prospectively to derecognition events occurring after the effective date. The Company does not anticipate the adoption of this amendment will have a material impact on its financial statements.

Basis of Presentation

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2013

Basis of Presentation And Accounting Pronouncements Disclosure [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation And Accounting Pronouncement [Text Block]

Note 1 — Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of Hubbell Incorporated (“Hubbell”, the “Company”, “registrant”, “we”, “our” or “us”, which references shall include its divisions and subsidiaries) have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S.”) for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments consisting only of normal recurring adjustments considered necessary for a fair statement of the results of the periods presented have been included. Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2013 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2013.

The balance sheet at December 31, 2012 has been derived from the audited financial statements at that date but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. for complete financial statements.

For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto included in the Hubbell Incorporated Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2012.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In December 2011, the FASB amended the disclosure requirements regarding offsetting assets and liabilities of derivatives, sale and repurchase agreements, reverse sale and repurchase agreements and securities borrowing and securities lending arrangements. The enhanced disclosures will require entities to provide both gross and net information for these assets and liabilities. This amendment was adopted by the Company effective January 1, 2013 and did not have a material impact on its financial statements.

In July 2012, the FASB amended its guidance related to testing indefinite-lived intangible assets other than goodwill for impairment. An entity has the option of performing a qualitative assessment before calculating the fair value of the asset. If the entity determines, on the basis of certain qualitative factors, that it is more likely than not that the asset is not impaired, the entity would not need to calculate the fair value of the asset. The Company performs the annual indefinite-lived intangible impairment analysis during the fourth quarter of the year and the adoption of the standard effective January 1, 2013 did not have an impact on the Company's financial statements.

In February 2013, the FASB amended the disclosure requirements regarding the reporting of amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income. The amendment does not change the current requirement for reporting net income or other comprehensive income, but requires additional disclosures about significant amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income including the effect of the reclassification on the related net income line items. This amendment was adopted prospectively by the Company effective January 1, 2013. See also Note 8 - Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss.

In March 2013, the FASB amended guidance related to a parent company's accounting for the release of the cumulative translation adjustment into net income upon derecognition of certain subsidiaries or groups of assets within a foreign entity or of an investment in a foreign entity. This guidance is effective for fiscal periods beginning after December 15, 2013, and is to be applied prospectively to derecognition events occurring after the effective date. The Company does not anticipate the adoption of this amendment will have a material impact on its financial statements.