Disclosures About Fair Value (Details) Fair Value of Assets on a Nonrecurring Basis (USD $)	12 Months Ended				1 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Nov. 30, 2014
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Intangible asset (exclusive right to use infrastructure and associated water credits) Gain (Loss)	$ (2,282,000)	[1]	$ (993,000)	[2]
Real estate held for sale	0
Real estate, Gain (Loss)	(2,865,000)	[3]	(417,000)	[3]
Deconsolidation gain (loss)	(1,078,000)	[4]	21,181,000	[4]
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring | Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Intangible asset (exclusive right to use infrastructure and associated water credits), Significant Unobservable Inputs	3,638,000	[1]	83,897,000	[2]
Real estate held for sale	0	[5]
Oil and gas wells, fair value	1,730,000	[6]
Real Estate, Fair Value	1,357,000	[3]	3,674,000	[3]
Investment in unconsolidated affiliate, Significant Unobservable Inputs	15,858,000	[4]	28,679,000	[4]
Real Estate Operations
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Tangible water asset and other assets	(3,509,000)	[5]
Real estate, Gain (Loss)	2,900,000				(3,500,000)
Corporate
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis
Oil and gas wells	$ (4,428,000)	[6]

[1] The Company had a non-recurring fair value measurement for intangible assets that resulted in an impairment loss discussed in Note 3 “Goodwill and Intangible Assets.”

[2] The Company had a non-recurring fair value measurement for an intangible asset that resulted in an impairment loss discussed in Note 3 “Goodwill and Intangible Assets.”

[3] The Company had a non-recurring fair value measurement of a real estate asset discussed in Note 2 “Real Estate and Tangible Water Assets, Net.”

[4] The Company had a non-recurring fair value measurement as a result of the merger transaction between Spigit and Mindjet. The fair value of the investment in Mindjet was based on analysis of the financial and operational aspects of the company, including consideration of a discounted cash flow analysis which incorporated a contemporary forecast of the merged Mindjet/Spigit entity going forward. Also considered was a guideline public company analysis which compared business enterprise value-to-revenue ratios for comparable public companies to current revenue metrics for the company. Determination of the business enterprise value based on the foregoing was then considered in an analysis of the distribution of equity value to the various classes of equity held by PICO in order to reflect differences in value due to differing liquidation, dividend and voting rights. The fair value approach relied primarily on Level 3 unobservable inputs, whereby expected future cash flows were discounted using a rate that includes assumptions regarding an entity’s average cost of debt and equity, incorporated expected future cash flows based on internal business plans, and applied certain assumptions about risk and uncertainties. The estimates were based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable, but which by nature are uncertain and unpredictable.

[5] The Company had a non-recurring fair value measurement for a tangible water asset that resulted in an impairment loss discussed in Note 2 “Real Estate and Tangible Water Assets.”

[6] The Company had a non-recurring fair value measurement for oil and gas wells that resulted in an impairment loss discussed in Note 6 “Property, Plant, and Equipment, Net.”