Business Combinations, Acquisitions, and Deconsolidations (Details) Calculation of Gain (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Sep. 10, 2013
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Gain on deconsolidation	$ (1,078)	[1]	$ 21,181	[1]
Mindjet
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Fair value of total investment in Mindjet					28,679
Spigit
Noncontrolling Interest [Line Items]
Less: carrying amount of the investment in Spigit					$ (7,498)

[1] 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.