Condensed Consolidated Statement of Stockholders' Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Retained Earnings	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss	Noncontrolling interest
Beginning balance, issued shares (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2018		30,567,725
Beginning balance, value at Dec. 31, 2018		$ 3,057	$ 3,397	$ 535,118	$ (63,377)	$ 66,242
Beginning balance, total value at Dec. 31, 2018	$ 544,437
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income attributable to Ebix, Inc.	75,070			75,070
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	(6,617)					(6,617)
Cumulative translation adjustment	(10,859)				(10,859)
Repurchase and retirement of common stock (in shares)		(95,000)
Repurchase and retirement of commons stock	(4,152)	$ (10)	0	(4,142)
Vesting of restricted stock (in shares)		19,144
Vesting of restricted stock	0	$ 2	(2)
Share based compensation	2,451		2,451
Forfeiture of certain shares to satisfy exercise costs and the recipients' income tax obligations related to stock options exercised and restricted stock vested (in shares)		(662)
Forfeiture of certain shares to satisfy exercise costs and the recipients' income tax obligations related to stock options exercised and restricted stock vested	(36)		(36)
Noncontrolling interest	(10,080)		398			(10,478)
Common stock dividends paid	(6,898)			(6,898)
Ending balance, issued shares (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019		30,491,207
Ending balance, value at Sep. 30, 2019		$ 3,049	6,208	599,148	(74,236)	49,147
Ending balance, total value at Sep. 30, 2019	$ 583,316
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Common stock dividends paid (in dollars per share)	$ 0.225
Beginning balance, issued shares (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2019		30,529,840
Beginning balance, value at Jun. 30, 2019		$ 3,053	5,189	582,913	(55,484)	51,882
Beginning balance, total value at Jun. 30, 2019	$ 587,553
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income attributable to Ebix, Inc.	20,509			20,509
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	(5,445)					(5,445)
Cumulative translation adjustment	(18,752)				(18,752)
Repurchase and retirement of common stock (in shares)		(45,000)
Repurchase and retirement of commons stock	(1,980)	$ (5)		(1,975)
Vesting of restricted stock (in shares)		6,558
Vesting of restricted stock	0	$ 1	(1)
Share based compensation	1,029		1,029
Forfeiture of certain shares to satisfy exercise costs and the recipients' income tax obligations related to stock options exercised and restricted stock vested (in shares)		(191)
Forfeiture of certain shares to satisfy exercise costs and the recipients' income tax obligations related to stock options exercised and restricted stock vested	(9)		(9)
Noncontrolling interest	2,710		0			2,710
Common stock dividends paid	(2,299)			(2,299)
Ending balance, issued shares (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2019		30,491,207
Ending balance, value at Sep. 30, 2019		$ 3,049	6,208	599,148	(74,236)	49,147
Ending balance, total value at Sep. 30, 2019	$ 583,316
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Common stock dividends paid (in dollars per share)	$ 0.075
Beginning balance, issued shares (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2019	30,492,044	30,492,044
Beginning balance, value at Dec. 31, 2019	$ 550,114	$ 3,049	6,960	618,503	(78,398)	49,331
Beginning balance, total value at Dec. 31, 2019	599,445
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income attributable to Ebix, Inc.	72,880			72,880
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	(1,187)					(1,187)
Cumulative translation adjustment	(35,897)				(35,897)
Vesting of restricted stock (in shares)		60,275
Vesting of restricted stock	0	$ 6	(6)
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		30,000
Exercise of stock options	636	$ 3	633
Share based compensation	3,457		3,457
Forfeiture of certain shares to satisfy exercise costs and the recipients' income tax obligations related to stock options exercised and restricted stock vested (in shares)		(55,526)
Forfeiture of certain shares to satisfy exercise costs and the recipients' income tax obligations related to stock options exercised and restricted stock vested	(1,841)	$ (5)	(507)	(1,329)
Common stock dividends paid	$ (6,923)			(6,923)
Ending balance, issued shares (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2020	30,526,793	30,526,793
Ending balance, value at Sep. 30, 2020	$ 582,426	$ 3,053	10,537	683,131	(114,295)	48,144
Ending balance, total value at Sep. 30, 2020	$ 630,570
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Common stock dividends paid (in dollars per share)	$ 0.225
Beginning balance, issued shares (in shares) at Jun. 30, 2020		30,507,903
Beginning balance, value at Jun. 30, 2020		$ 3,051	9,335	660,767	(132,469)	48,842
Beginning balance, total value at Jun. 30, 2020	$ 589,526
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net income attributable to Ebix, Inc.	24,682			24,682
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	(698)					(698)
Cumulative translation adjustment	18,174				18,174
Vesting of restricted stock (in shares)		18,890
Vesting of restricted stock	0	$ 2	(2)
Share based compensation	1,204		1,204
Common stock dividends paid	$ (2,318)			(2,318)
Ending balance, issued shares (in shares) at Sep. 30, 2020	30,526,793	30,526,793
Ending balance, value at Sep. 30, 2020	$ 582,426	$ 3,053	$ 10,537	$ 683,131	$ (114,295)	$ 48,144
Ending balance, total value at Sep. 30, 2020	$ 630,570
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Common stock dividends paid (in dollars per share)	$ 0.075