CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME OR LOSS - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Revenues and other income:
Sale of real estate and water assets	$ 282,681	$ 192,368	$ 116,776
Sale of software			$ 13,649
Impairment loss on investment in unconsolidated affiliate	$ (20,696)	$ (1,078)
Other income, net	4,678	1,198	$ 29,756
Total revenues and other income	266,663	192,488	160,181
Cost of sales and expenses:
Cost of real estate and water assets sold	$ 227,715	$ 158,200	87,457
Cost of software sold			3,033
General, administrative, and other	$ 45,780	$ 51,229	58,101
Sales and marketing	18,824	13,662	8,594
Impairment loss on intangible and long-lived assets	$ 3,282	13,084	1,410
Interest		228	1,135
Depreciation and amortization	$ 2,212	3,054	2,618
Total costs and expenses	297,813	239,457	162,348
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes and equity in loss of unconsolidated affiliates	(31,150)	(46,969)	(2,167)
Benefit (provision) for federal and state income taxes	2,961	3,514	(3,197)
Equity in loss of unconsolidated affiliate	(3,422)	(2,076)	(565)
Loss from continuing operations	(31,611)	(45,531)	(5,929)
Loss from discontinued agribusiness operations, net of tax	(30,539)	$ (14,074)	$ (23,265)
Loss on sale of discontinued agribusiness operations, net of tax	(18,729)
Net loss from discontinued agribusiness operations, net of tax	(49,268)	$ (14,074)	$ (23,265)
Net loss	(80,879)	(59,605)	(29,194)
Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(979)	7,180	6,896
Net loss attributable to PICO Holdings, Inc.	(81,858)	(52,425)	(22,298)
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax:
Unrealized gain (loss) on securities, net of deferred income tax and reclassification adjustments	292	(2,093)	2,411
Foreign currency translation	(48)	6,578	(165)
Total other comprehensive loss, net of tax	244	4,485	2,246
Comprehensive loss	(80,635)	(55,120)	(26,948)
Comprehensive (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	(979)	7,180	6,896
Comprehensive loss attributable to PICO Holdings, Inc.	$ (81,614)	$ (47,940)	$ (20,052)
Net loss per common share – basic and diluted:
Loss from continuing operations (USD per share)	$ (1.49)	$ (1.76)	$ (0.09)
Income (loss) from discontinued operations (USD per share)	(2.07)	(0.54)	(0.89)
Net loss per common share (in dollars per share)	$ (3.56)	$ (2.30)	$ (0.98)
Weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)	23,014	22,802	22,742