Other Income, Net - Schedule of Components of Other Income (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Securities earnings:
Dividends and interest	$ 26.6	$ 26.4	$ 28.4
Securities transactions, net	0.3us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfSecuritiesNet	0.2us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfSecuritiesNet	21.8us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfSecuritiesNet
Total	26.9vhi_SecuritiesEarnings	26.6vhi_SecuritiesEarnings	50.2vhi_SecuritiesEarnings
Equity in earnings		0.5	(0.2)
Insurance recoveries	10.4us-gaap_InsuranceRecoveries	9.4us-gaap_InsuranceRecoveries	3.3us-gaap_InsuranceRecoveries
Currency transactions, net	4.0	(3.8)	(1.0)
Disposal of property and equipment, net	(0.9)	(0.5)	1.5
Gain on bargain purchase and remeasurement of our existing investment in acquiree		54.6
Litigation settlement gains			14.7
Other, net	1.6us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncome	1.2us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncome	2.1us-gaap_OtherNonoperatingIncome
Total	$ 42.0us-gaap_OtherIncome	$ 88.0us-gaap_OtherIncome	$ 70.6us-gaap_OtherIncome

Amount before tax of foreign currency transaction realized and unrealized gain (loss) recognized in the income statement.

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