Discontinued Operations and Assets and Liabilities Held-for-Sale - Income Statement and Balance Sheet disclosures (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Total income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	$ 3,887	$ (203)
Loss on sale or impairment loss on classification of assets as held-for-sale, net of tax	(7,146)	(1,849)
Net loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(3,259)	(2,052)
Real estate assets held-for-sale:
Cash and cash equivalents	34,270	30,321
Assets held-for-sale	435,567		$ 440,689
Real estate liabilities held-for-sale:
Liabilities held-for-sale	213,697		207,566
Discontinued Operations, Held-for-sale
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Revenue	94,946	68,252
Other	448	27
Cost of sales and expenses	90,594	68,415
General, administrative, and other	8,215	7,465
Sales and marketing	5,149	4,429
Impairment loss on long-lived assets	102	0
Income (loss) before income taxes	4,352	(163)
Provision for federal and state income taxes	521
Total income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	3,887	(203)
Loss on sale or impairment loss on classification of assets as held-for-sale, net of tax	(7,148)
Net loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(3,259)	(2,052)
Net (income) loss from discontinued operations attributable to noncontrolling interests	(1,391)	60
Net loss from discontinued operations attributable to PICO Holdings, Inc.	(4,650)	(1,992)
Real estate assets held-for-sale:
Assets held-for-sale	435,567		440,689
Real estate liabilities held-for-sale:
Liabilities held-for-sale	213,697		207,566
Real Estate Operations | Discontinued Operations, Held-for-sale
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Revenue	94,498	68,225
Cost of sales and expenses	77,128	56,521
Total income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	3,831	(163)
Real estate assets held-for-sale:
Cash and cash equivalents	34,270		40,931
Real estate	389,379		373,207
Accounts receivable	3,677		5,628
Other assets	15,322		14,418
Valuation allowance on assets held-for-sale	(7,148)
Assets held-for-sale	435,500		434,184
Real estate liabilities held-for-sale:
Debt, net	161,551		160,994
Account payable and accrued expenses	37,731		34,025
Other liabilities	14,415		12,271
Liabilities held-for-sale	213,697		207,290
Agribusiness Operations | Discontinued Operations, Held-for-sale
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Total income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	56	(40)
Income (loss) on sale of discontinued agribusiness operations, net of tax	2	$ (1,849)
Real estate assets held-for-sale:
Assets held-for-sale	67		6,505
Real estate liabilities held-for-sale:
Liabilities held-for-sale			$ 276