Label	Element	Value
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	Ivy Funds Variable Insurance Portfolios
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Apr. 30, 2012
Ivy Funds VIP Science and Technology
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	Ivy Funds VIP Science and Technology
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	To seek to provide growth of capital.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Portfolio. The table below does not reflect any fees and expenses imposed under the variable life insurance policies and variable annuity contracts (collectively, Policies) through which this Portfolio is offered. See the Policy prospectus for a description of those fees and expenses.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a % of the value of your investment)
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Portfolio pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in annual portfolio operating expenses or in the example, affect the Portfolio’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Portfolio’s portfolio turnover rate was 50% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	50.00%
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the shares of the Portfolio with the cost of investing in other portfolios. This example does not reflect any fees and expenses imposed under the Policies. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the shares of the Portfolio for the time periods indicated. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Portfolio’s operating expenses remain the same. The costs are the same for each time period if you continue to hold your shares or if you redeem all your shares at the end of those periods. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions, your costs would be:
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	Ivy Funds VIP Science and Technology seeks to achieve its objective by investing primarily in the equity securities of science and technology companies around the globe. Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its net assets in securities of science or technology companies. Such companies may include companies that, in the opinion of Waddell & Reed Investment Management Company (WRIMCO), the Portfolio’s investment manager, derive a competitive advantage by the application of scientific or technological developments or discoveries to grow their business or increase their competitive advantage. Science and technology companies are companies whose products, processes or services, in the opinion of WRIMCO, are being or are expected to be significantly benefited by the use or commercial application of scientific or technological developments or discoveries. The Portfolio may also invest in companies that utilize science and/or technology as an agent of change to significantly enhance their business opportunities. The Portfolio may invest in securities issued by companies of any size, and may invest without limitation in foreign securities, including securities of issuers within emerging markets. WRIMCO typically emphasizes growth potential in selecting stocks; that is, WRIMCO seeks companies in which earnings are likely to grow faster than the economy. WRIMCO aims to identify strong secular trends within industries and then applies a largely bottom-up stock selection process by considering a number of factors in selecting securities for the Portfolio. These may include but are not limited to a company’s growth potential, earnings potential, quality of management, industry position/market size potential and applicable economic and market conditions. The Portfolio typically holds a small number (generally 45 to 60) of stocks. Many companies have diverse operations, with products or services in foreign markets. Therefore, the Portfolio will have an indirect exposure to additional foreign markets through investments in these companies. Generally, in determining whether to sell a security, WRIMCO uses the same type of analysis that it uses in buying securities in order to determine whether the security has ceased to offer significant growth potential, has become overvalued and/or whether the company prospects of the issuer have deteriorated due to a change in management, change in strategy and/or a change in its financial characteristics. WRIMCO may also sell a security to reduce the Portfolio’s holding in that security, to take advantage of more attractive investment opportunities or to raise cash.
Strategy Portfolio Concentration [Text]	rr_StrategyPortfolioConcentration	Ivy Funds VIP Science and Technology seeks to achieve its objective by investing primarily in the equity securities of science and technology companies around the globe. Under normal market conditions, the Portfolio invests at least 80% of its net assets in securities of science or technology companies. Such companies may include companies that, in the opinion of Waddell & Reed Investment Management Company (WRIMCO), the Portfolio’s investment manager, derive a competitive advantage by the application of scientific or technological developments or discoveries to grow their business or increase their competitive advantage. Science and technology companies are companies whose products, processes or services, in the opinion of WRIMCO, are being or are expected to be significantly benefited by the use or commercial application of scientific or technological developments or discoveries.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	Principal Investment Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	As with any mutual fund, the value of the Portfolio’s shares will change, and you could lose money on your investment. A variety of factors can affect the investment performance of the Portfolio and prevent it from achieving its objective. These include: Company Risk. A company may perform worse than the overall market due to specific factors, such as adverse changes to its business or investor perceptions about the company. Concentration Risk. Because the Portfolio invests more than 25% of its total assets in the science and technology industry, the Portfolio’s performance may be more susceptible to a single economic, regulatory or technological occurrence than a fund that does not concentrate its investments in this industry. Securities of companies within specific industries or sectors of the economy may periodically perform differently than the overall market. In addition, the Portfolio’s performance may be more volatile than an investment in a portfolio of broad market securities and may underperform the market as a whole, due to the limited number of issuers of science and technology related securities. Emerging Market Risk. Investments in countries with emerging economies or securities markets may carry greater risk than investments in more developed countries. Political and economic structures in many such countries may be undergoing significant evolution and rapid development, and such countries may lack the social, political and economic stability characteristic of more developed countries. Foreign Market Risk. The securities of many companies may have significant exposure to foreign markets as a result of the company’s products or services in foreign markets so that its domicile and/or the markets in which its securities trade may not be reflective of its sources of revenue. Such securities would be subject to some of the same risks as an investment in foreign securities, including the risk that political and economic events unique to a country or region will adversely affect those markets in which the company’s products or services are sold. Foreign Securities Risk. Investing in foreign securities involves a number of economic, financial and political considerations that may not be associated with the U.S. markets and that could affect the Portfolio’s performance unfavorably, depending upon the prevailing conditions at any given time. Among these potential risks are: greater price volatility; comparatively weak supervision and regulation of securities exchanges, brokers and issuers; higher brokerage costs; fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates and related conversion costs; adverse foreign tax consequences; and settlement delays. Growth Stock Risk. Prices of growth stocks may be more sensitive to changes in current or expected earnings than the prices of other stocks. Growth stocks may not perform as well as value stocks or the stock market in general. Holdings Risk. The Portfolio tends to be invested in a small number (generally 45 to 60) of stocks, and the Portfolio’s manager also tends to invest a significant portion of the Portfolio’s total assets in a limited number of stocks. As a result, the appreciation or depreciation of any one security held by the Portfolio will have a greater impact on the Portfolio’s net asset value than it would if the Portfolio invested in a larger number of securities or if the Portfolio’s manager invested a greater portion of the Portfolio’s total assets in a larger number of stocks. Large Company Risk. Large capitalization companies may be unable to respond quickly to new competitive challenges, such as changes in technology, and also may not be able to attain the high growth rate of successful smaller companies, especially during extended periods of economic expansion. Liquidity Risk. Generally, a security is liquid if the Portfolio is able to sell the security at a fair price within a reasonable time. Liquidity is generally related to the market trading volume for a particular security. Management Risk. Portfolio performance is primarily dependent on WRIMCO’s skill in evaluating and managing the Portfolio’s holdings and the Portfolio may not perform as well as other similar mutual funds. Market Risk. Adverse market conditions, sometimes in response to general economic or industry news, may cause the prices of the Portfolio’s holdings to fall as part of a broad market decline. The financial crisis in the U.S. and foreign economies over the past several years, including the European sovereign debt crisis, has resulted, and may continue to result, in an unusually high degree of volatility in the financial markets, both U.S. and foreign, and in the net asset values (NAVs) of many mutual funds, including to some extent the Portfolio. Global economies and financial markets are becoming increasingly interconnected, which increases the possibilities that conditions in one country or region may adversely affect issuers in another country or region, which may adversely affect securities held by the Portfolio. These circumstances have also decreased liquidity in some markets and may continue to do so. In addition, certain unanticipated events, such as natural disasters, terrorist attacks, war, and other geopolitical events, can have a dramatic adverse effect on securities held by the Portfolio. Mid Size Company Risk. Securities of mid capitalization companies may be more vulnerable to adverse developments than those of large companies due to such companies’ limited product lines, limited markets and financial resources and dependence upon a relatively small management group. Science and Technology Industry Risk. Investment risks associated with investing in science and technology securities, in addition to other risks, include: operating in rapidly changing fields, abrupt or erratic market movements, limited product lines, markets or financial resources, management that is dependent on a limited number of people, short product cycles, aggressive pricing of products and services, new market entrants and obsolescence of existing technology. Small Company Risk. Equity securities of small capitalization companies are subject to greater price volatility, lower trading volume and less liquidity due to, among other things, such companies’ small size, limited product lines, limited access to financing sources and limited management depth. In addition, the frequency and volume of trading of such securities may be less than is typical of larger companies, making them subject to wider price fluctuations. In some cases, there could be difficulties in selling securities of small capitalization companies at the desired time.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	As with any mutual fund, the value of the Portfolio’s shares will change, and you could lose money on your investment.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio. The chart shows how performance has varied from year to year for the Portfolio. The table shows the average annual total returns for the Portfolio and also compares the performance with those of an index and a Lipper peer group (a universe of mutual funds with investment objectives similar to that of the Portfolio). The performance results do not reflect any Policy-related fees and expenses, which would reduce the performance results. Performance results include the effect of expense reduction arrangements for some or all of the periods shown. If those arrangements had not been in place, the performance results for those periods would have been lower. During the periods for which performance is shown, the Portfolio’s investment objective was to seek long-term capital growth. Effective as of the date of this Prospectus, the Portfolio changed its investment objective to seeking to provide growth of capital. The Portfolio’s past performance does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future. Current performance may be lower or higher. Please call 888.WADDELL for the Portfolio’s updated performance.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	The chart and table below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Portfolio. The chart shows how performance has varied from year to year for the Portfolio. The table shows the average annual total returns for the Portfolio and also compares the performance with those of an index and a Lipper peer group (a universe of mutual funds with investment objectives similar to that of the Portfolio).
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	888.WADDELL
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	The Portfolio’s past performance does not necessarily indicate how it will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	Chart of Year-by-Year Returns as of December 31 each year
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	In the period shown in the chart, the highest quarterly return was 14.75% (the second quarter of 2009) and the lowest quarterly return was -18.81% (the fourth quarter of 2008).
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	Average Annual Total Returns as of December 31, 2011
Ivy Funds VIP Science and Technology | Ivy Funds VIP Science and Technology
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)	rr_MaximumAccountFee
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.85%
Distribution and Service (12b-1) Fees	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	0.25%
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.08%
Total Annual Portfolio Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	1.18%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	120
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	375
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	649
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	1,432
2002	rr_AnnualReturn2002	(23.99%)
2003	rr_AnnualReturn2003	30.46%
2004	rr_AnnualReturn2004	16.25%
2005	rr_AnnualReturn2005	17.25%
2006	rr_AnnualReturn2006	7.87%
2007	rr_AnnualReturn2007	24.37%
2008	rr_AnnualReturn2008	(33.89%)
2009	rr_AnnualReturn2009	43.84%
2010	rr_AnnualReturn2010	12.75%
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	(5.77%)
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	highest quarterly return
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	14.75%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	lowest quarterly return
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(18.81%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(5.77%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	4.67%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	6.24%
S&P North American Technology Sector Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes) | Ivy Funds VIP Science and Technology
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(0.88%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	3.84%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	2.44%
Lipper Variable Annuity Science & Technology Funds Universe Average (net of fees and expenses) | Ivy Funds VIP Science and Technology
Risk/Return:	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	(6.50%)
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	2.77%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	1.58%