Total Equity - Changes in Equity (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
EQUITY, JANUARY 1			$ 1,603.2	$ 1,749.0
Total comprehensive income	$ 100.2	$ 88.0	267.4	221.0
Stock-based compensation			11.9	13.1
Income tax windfall from stock-based awards, net			0.0	2.2
Repurchase/surrender of shares of common stock			(96.0)	(242.9)
Issuance of shares related to directors’ deferred compensation, net			0.4	0.4
Dividends to noncontrolling interest			(3.5)	(2.8)
Cash dividends declared			(115.7)	(105.4)
EQUITY, SEPTEMBER 30	1,667.7	1,634.6	1,667.7	1,634.6
Hubbell Shareholders’ Equity
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
EQUITY, JANUARY 1			1,592.8	1,740.6
Total comprehensive income			262.6	217.5
Stock-based compensation			11.9	13.1
Income tax windfall from stock-based awards, net			0.0	2.2
Repurchase/surrender of shares of common stock			(96.0)	(242.9)
Issuance of shares related to directors’ deferred compensation, net			0.4	0.4
Cash dividends declared			(115.7)	(105.4)
EQUITY, SEPTEMBER 30	1,656.0	1,625.5	1,656.0	1,625.5
Noncontrolling interest
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
EQUITY, JANUARY 1			10.4	8.4
Total comprehensive income			4.8	3.5
Dividends to noncontrolling interest			(3.5)	(2.8)
EQUITY, SEPTEMBER 30	$ 11.7	$ 9.1	$ 11.7	$ 9.1

Acquisition and Surrender of Common Shares

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Amount of increase (decrease) in additional paid in capital (APIC) resulting from a tax benefit (deficiency) associated with an share-based compensation plan other than an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP).

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Amount of increase to additional paid-in capital (APIC) from recognition of equity-based compensation for stock options.

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Amount after tax of increase (decrease) in equity from transactions and other events and circumstances from net income and other comprehensive income. Excludes changes in equity resulting from investments by owners and distributions to owners.

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Amount of paid and unpaid common stock dividends declared with the form of settlement in cash, stock and payment-in-kind (PIK).

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A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

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Decrease in noncontrolling interest balance from payment of dividends or other distributions by the non-wholly owned subsidiary or partially owned entity, included in the consolidation of the parent entity, to the noncontrolling interest holders.

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The amount by which stockholders' equity was increased by the transaction in which equity securities were issued to pay for goods or nonemployee services.

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Amount of stockholders' equity (deficit), net of receivables from officers, directors, owners, and affiliates of the entity, attributable to both the parent and noncontrolling interests. Amount excludes temporary equity. Alternate caption for the concept is permanent equity.

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