Credit Arrangements (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Variable Rate [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Lines of Credit [Line Items]
Period of interest under CMA	90 days
Fixed Rate [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Lines of Credit [Line Items]
Period of interest under CMA	30 days
SoftVest L P 2018-07-22 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Issue Date	Jul. 22, 2016
Maturity Date	Jul. 22, 2018
Outstanding Principal Balance	$ 0	$ 1,450,000
SoftSearch Investment L P 2018-07-22 [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Issue Date	Jul. 22, 2016
Maturity Date	Jul. 22, 2018
Outstanding Principal Balance	$ 0	1,450,000
UTG 2013-11-20 [Member]
Lines of Credit [Line Items]
Issue Date	Nov. 20, 2013
Maturity Date	Nov. 20, 2018
Revolving Credit Limit	$ 8,000,000
Outstanding Balance	0	0
Borrowings	0
Repayments	$ 0
Interest Rate	4.00%
Frequency of payments	monthly
Assets Pledged	100% of the common voting stock of its wholly owned subsidiary, Universal Guaranty Life Insurance Company ("UG").
UTG 2013-11-20 [Member] \| UG [Member]
Lines of Credit [Line Items]
Percentage of common voting stock pledged	100.00%
UG Avalon 2015-06-02 [Member] \| UG [Member]
Lines of Credit [Line Items]
Issue Date	Jun. 02, 2015
Maturity Date	May 10, 2018
Revolving Credit Limit	$ 10,000,000
Outstanding Balance	0	$ 0
Borrowings	0
Repayments	$ 0

Date the debt instrument was issued, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

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Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

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- Definition

The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(22))
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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- Definition

Discussion of whether the borrowings under the credit facility are secured or unsecured and, if secured, a description of collateral (for example, accounts receivable less than 120 days old, finished goods inventory).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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- Definition

Date the credit facility terminates, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

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- Definition

Description of the frequency of periodic payments, which may be presented in a variety of ways (for example, monthly, quarterly, annually).

+ References

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- Definition

Date the credit facility first became available, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

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- Definition

The effective interest rate during the reporting period.

+ References

+ Details

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

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- Definition

Amount, after unamortized (discount) premium and debt issuance costs, of long-term debt. Includes, but not limited to, notes payable, bonds payable, debentures, mortgage loans and commercial paper. Excludes capital lease obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
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- Definition

Amount of cash inflow from contractual arrangement with the lender, including but not limited to, letter of credit, standby letter of credit and revolving credit arrangements.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
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- Definition

Amount of cash outflow for payment of an obligation from a lender, including but not limited to, letter of credit, standby letter of credit and revolving credit arrangements.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
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- Definition

Percentage of voting stock pledged as collateral for borrowings under the credit facility.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Period of interest allowed under Cash Management Advance Application ("CMA"), in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days..

+ References

No definition available.

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