Related Party Transactions (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended				0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended				0 Months Ended		1 Months Ended						12 Months Ended								0 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	48 Months Ended		12 Months Ended					0 Months Ended		0 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 10, 2012 extension sqft	May 22, 2013 Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services [Member]	Nov. 04, 2011 Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services [Member]	May 11, 2009 Executive Vice President [Member]	Nov. 04, 2011 Executive Vice President [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Castle Brands [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Castle Brands [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Castle Brands [Member]	Oct. 14, 2011 Castle Brands [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Castle Brands [Member]	Dec. 30, 2010 Castle Brands [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Frost Real Estate Holdings, LLC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Management Fees [Member] Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Management Fees [Member] Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Management Fees [Member] Castle Brands [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Management Fees [Member] Castle Brands [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Management Fees [Member] Castle Brands [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Management Fee Increase [Member] Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Management Fee Increase [Member] Castle Brands [Member]	Nov. 04, 2011 Aggregate Funding Fee [Member] Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Insurance Commissions [Member] President [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Insurance Commissions [Member] President [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Insurance Commissions [Member] President [Member]	Jan. 31, 2013 Investment [Member] OPKO Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Investment [Member] OPKO Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Investment [Member] OPKO Inc. [Member] investments	Dec. 31, 2008 Investment [Member] Cardo Medical Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2008 Investment [Member] Cocrystal Discovery Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Minimum [Member] Executive Vice President [Member]	May 11, 2009 6.75% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Note Due 2014	May 11, 2009 6.75% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Note Due 2014 Executive Vice President [Member]	May 11, 2009 6.75% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Note Due 2014 Private Placement Purchase Price [Member] Executive Vice President [Member]	May 11, 2009 5% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Notes due November 15, 2011 [Member] Executive Vice President [Member]	May 11, 2009 5% Variable Interest Senior Convertible Notes due November 15, 2011 [Member] Private Placement Tender Offer [Member] Executive Vice President [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Warrant [Member] New Valley LLC [Member] Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Warrant [Member] New Valley LLC [Member] Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services [Member]	Nov. 04, 2011 Warrant [Member] New Valley LLC [Member] Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Warrant [Member] New Valley LLC [Member] Castle Brands [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Warrant [Member] New Valley LLC [Member] Castle Brands [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Preferred Stock [Member] New Valley LLC [Member] Castle Brands [Member]	Feb. 28, 2014 Subsequent Event [Member] Castle Brands [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Related Party Transaction, Other Revenues from Transactions with Related Party																			$ 750,000	$ 750,000	$ 100,000	$ 100,000	$ 100,000	$ 850,000	$ 100,000	$ 75,000	$ 245,000	$ 200,000	$ 205,000
Investment in equity securities, shares held					240,000								11,428,576																														1,000,000
Related Party Transaction, Warrant Issued															357,796
Related Party Transaction, Warrants Convertible to Common Stock													222,222		357,796																																884,787
Related Party Transaction, Warrant Exercisable Price						$ 1.68							$ 0.38
Investment owned at cost																																									1,758,000	717,000		177,000	52,000	156,000
Related Party Transaction, Number of investments																																3
Related Party Transaction, Other Revenues from Transactions with Related Party, President Compensation						1,250,000	600,000	500,000
Stock Ownership In Company Percentage											16.70%
Related Party Transaction, Management Loan Agreement														1,000,000		2,500,000																					50,000,000
Related Party Transaction, Principal and Interest Exchanged For Preferred Stock															217,000
Related Party Transaction, Management Loan Agreement Portion Attributable to Company									15,000,000					900,000			200,000
Related Party Transaction, Debt Interest Rate					8.00%	11.00%							5.00%			11.00%														3.00%							6.75%		5.00%
Preferred Stock, Liquidation Preference Per Share					$ 25.00
Face amount													200,000																							50,000,000
Investment Income, Dividend					287,000
Payments to acquire investments					6,000,000
Related Party Transactions, Principal Premium Percentage										107.00%
Related Party Transactions, Line of Credit, Commitment Fee Percentage												1.00%
Related Party Transaction, Interest Income From Management Loan						1,810,000	1,650,000	0
Related Party Transaction, Credit Facility Term												3 years
Related Party Transaction, Amounts of Transaction						11,257,000																								5,000,000	12,788,000		500,000	250,000				38,225,000		11,005,000
Related Party Transactions, Percentage Ownership Of Investments By Management																																			10.00%
Square Footage of Real Estate				12,390
Initial Term of Lease				5 years
Number of Lease Extensions				2
Term of Lease Extensions				5 years
Related Party Transactions, Lease Payments Per Month in Year One				31,000
Related Party Transactions, Lease Payments Per Month in Year Five				35,000
Related Party Transaction, Tenant Improvement Allowance				220,000
Interest Expense	$ 132,147,000	$ 110,102,000	$ 100,706,000															$ 335,000