Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of PICO Holdings, Inc. and subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company” or “PICO”) have been prepared in accordance with the interim reporting requirements of Form 10-Q, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) for complete consolidated financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments and reclassifications considered necessary for a fair and comparable presentation of the financial statements presented have been included and are of a normal recurring nature. Operating results presented are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2017. These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 filed with the SEC. Use of Estimates in Preparation of Financial Statements: The preparation of condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent liabilities at the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses for each reporting period. The significant estimates made in the preparation of the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements relate to the assessment of impairment losses, intangible assets, real estate and water assets, deferred income taxes, and stock-based compensation. It is reasonably possible that actual results could differ from the estimates upon which the carrying values were based. Discontinued Operations: On April 10, 2017, the Company’s majority owned subsidiary, UCP, Inc. (“UCP”), entered into a merger agreement with Century Communities, Inc. (“Century”) whereby each outstanding share of UCP common stock was converted into $5.32 in cash and 0.2309 of a newly issued share of Century common stock. As a result of the transaction, the Company received $55.3 million of cash and approximately 9% of Century’s common stock outstanding. The transaction closed on August 4, 2017 and as a result the Company will deconsolidate UCP as of the closing date. The assets and liabilities of UCP qualified as held-for-sale at June 30, 2017 and UCP’s results of operations have been classified as discontinued operations as of the earliest period presented. Consequently, prior periods presented have been recast from amounts previously reported to reflect UCP as discontinued operations. See Note 10 “Discontinued Operations” for additional information. Reincorporation: On May 31, 2017, the Company changed its state of incorporation from California to Delaware. The reincorporation was approved by the requisite vote of shareholders at the Company’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders on May 4, 2017. Other than the change in the state of incorporation, the reincorporation did not result in any change in the business, physical location, management, assets, liabilities or net worth of the Company, nor did it result in any change in location of the Company’s employees, including the Company’s management and board of directors. Furthermore, the Company’s common stock continues to trade on the Nasdaq Global Market. The reincorporation did not alter any shareholder’s percentage ownership interest or number of shares owned in the Company. In conjunction with the reincorporation, the Company authorized 10 million shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share. Shares of preferred stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series which may be by distinguishing number, letter or title. However, without shareholder approval, the Company’s board of directors is only authorized to designate and/or issue, out of the unissued shares of preferred stock, one or more series of preferred stock in connection with the adoption of a tax benefit preservation plan. The issuance of preferred stock could, among other things, have the effect of delaying, deferring, discouraging or preventing a change in control of the Company and may adversely affect the market price of the Company’s common stock and the voting and other rights of the holders of common stock. Tax Benefit Preservation Plan: On July 24, 2017, the Company’s board of directors adopted a tax benefit preservation plan (the “Plan”) designed to preserve the Company’s ability to utilize its net operating loss carryforwards as a result of certain stock ownership changes. Consequently, any person or group, together with its affiliates and associates (the “acquiring person”), acquiring beneficial ownership of 4.99%or more of the Company’s common stock after August 4, 2017 without the approval of the Company’s board of directors would be subjected to significant dilution in its holdings. Such dilution would occur as a consequence of each holder of a Right, other than Rights that are beneficially owned by the acquiring person, obtaining the right to purchase, upon exercise of a Right and payment of the purchase price, a number of shares of the Company’s common stock having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. Pursuant to the Plan, the Company issued one Right for each outstanding share of the Company’s common stock to shareholders of record at the close of business on August 4, 2017. Prior to exercise, a Right does not give its holder any rights as a shareholder of the Company, including any dividend, voting or liquidation rights.

Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of PICO Holdings, Inc. and subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company” or “PICO”) have been prepared in accordance with the interim reporting requirements of Form 10-Q, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) for complete consolidated financial statements.

In the opinion of management, all adjustments and reclassifications considered necessary for a fair and comparable presentation of the financial statements presented have been included and are of a normal recurring nature. Operating results presented are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2017.

These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 filed with the SEC.

Use of Estimates in Preparation of Financial Statements:

The preparation of condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent liabilities at the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses for each reporting period. The significant estimates made in the preparation of the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements relate to the assessment of impairment losses, intangible assets, real estate and water assets, deferred income taxes, and stock-based compensation. It is reasonably possible that actual results could differ from the estimates upon which the carrying values were based.

Discontinued Operations:

On April 10, 2017, the Company’s majority owned subsidiary, UCP, Inc. (“UCP”), entered into a merger agreement with Century Communities, Inc. (“Century”) whereby each outstanding share of UCP common stock was converted into $5.32 in cash and 0.2309 of a newly issued share of Century common stock. As a result of the transaction, the Company received $55.3 million of cash and approximately 9% of Century’s common stock outstanding. The transaction closed on August 4, 2017 and as a result the Company will deconsolidate UCP as of the closing date. The assets and liabilities of UCP qualified as held-for-sale at June 30, 2017 and UCP’s results of operations have been classified as discontinued operations as of the earliest period presented. Consequently, prior periods presented have been recast from amounts previously reported to reflect UCP as discontinued operations. See Note 10 “Discontinued Operations” for additional information.

Reincorporation:

On May 31, 2017, the Company changed its state of incorporation from California to Delaware. The reincorporation was approved by the requisite vote of shareholders at the Company’s Annual Meeting of Shareholders on May 4, 2017. Other than the change in the state of incorporation, the reincorporation did not result in any change in the business, physical location, management, assets, liabilities or net worth of the Company, nor did it result in any change in location of the Company’s employees, including the Company’s management and board of directors. Furthermore, the Company’s common stock continues to trade on the Nasdaq Global Market. The reincorporation did not alter any shareholder’s percentage ownership interest or number of shares owned in the Company. In conjunction with the reincorporation, the Company authorized 10 million shares of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share. Shares of preferred stock may be issued from time to time in one or more series which may be by distinguishing number, letter or title. However, without shareholder approval, the Company’s board of directors is only authorized to designate and/or issue, out of the unissued shares of preferred stock, one or more series of preferred stock in connection with the adoption of a tax benefit preservation plan. The issuance of preferred stock could, among other things, have the effect of delaying, deferring, discouraging or preventing a change in control of the Company and may adversely affect the market price of the Company’s common stock and the voting and other rights of the holders of common stock.

Tax Benefit Preservation Plan:

On July 24, 2017, the Company’s board of directors adopted a tax benefit preservation plan (the “Plan”) designed to preserve the Company’s ability to utilize its net operating loss carryforwards as a result of certain stock ownership changes. Consequently, any person or group, together with its affiliates and associates (the “acquiring person”), acquiring beneficial ownership of 4.99%or more of the Company’s common stock after August 4, 2017 without the approval of the Company’s board of directors would be subjected to significant dilution in its holdings. Such dilution would occur as a consequence of each holder of a Right, other than Rights that are beneficially owned by the acquiring person, obtaining the right to purchase, upon exercise of a Right and payment of the purchase price, a number of shares of the Company’s common stock having a market value of two times the exercise price of the Right. Pursuant to the Plan, the Company issued one Right for each outstanding share of the Company’s common stock to shareholders of record at the close of business on August 4, 2017. Prior to exercise, a Right does not give its holder any rights as a shareholder of the Company, including any dividend, voting or liquidation rights.