Fair Value of Financial Instruments (Details 1) (Recurring [Member], Level 3 [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
Jul. 01, 2012
Assets
Assets	$ 953,170
Liabilities
Total	1,685,825
Contingent purchase price reduction receivable [Member]
Assets
Assets	41,000
Liabilities
Discount Rate	0.92%
Non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Assets
Assets	615
Maximum [Member]
Liabilities
Quoted Prices	101.07%
Maximum [Member] \| Contingent purchase price reduction receivable [Member]
Liabilities
Probability of collection	96.00%
Maximum [Member] \| Non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Liabilities
Offered quotes	34.34%
Minimum [Member]
Liabilities
Quoted Prices	150.08%
Minimum [Member] \| Contingent purchase price reduction receivable [Member]
Liabilities
Probability of collection	88.00%
Expected term	1 year
Credit insurance risk premium	11.70%
Minimum [Member] \| Non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Liabilities
Offered quotes	34.34%
Weighted Average [Member]
Liabilities
Quoted Prices	105.15%
Weighted Average [Member] \| Contingent purchase price reduction receivable [Member]
Liabilities
Probability of collection	92.00%
Weighted Average [Member] \| Non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Liabilities
Offered quotes	34.34%
FIA [Member]
Liabilities
Total	1,486,465
FIA [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Liabilities
Market value of option	35.40%
SWAP rates	1.79%
Mortality multiplier	70.00%
Surrender rates	50.00%
Non-performance spread	0.25%
FIA [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Liabilities
Market value of option	0.00%
SWAP rates	0.97%
Mortality multiplier	70.00%
Surrender rates	2.00%
Non-performance spread	0.25%
FIA [Member] \| Weighted Average [Member]
Liabilities
Market value of option	2.91%
SWAP rates	1.37%
Mortality multiplier	70.00%
Surrender rates	7.00%
Non-performance spread	0.25%
Equity conversion feature of preferred stock [Member]
Liabilities
Total	199,360
Annualized volatility of equity	40.00%
Equity conversion feature of preferred stock [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Liabilities
Discount yield	12.70%
Non-cash accretion rate	2.00%
Calibration adjustment	17.00%
Equity conversion feature of preferred stock [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Liabilities
Discount yield	12.00%
Non-cash accretion rate	0.00%
Calibration adjustment	15.00%
Equity conversion feature of preferred stock [Member] \| Weighted Average [Member]
Liabilities
Discount yield	12.20%
Calibration adjustment	15.50%
Asset-backed Securities [Member]
Assets
Assets	759,076
Asset-backed Securities [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Liabilities
Offered quotes	100.53%
Asset-backed Securities [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Liabilities
Offered quotes	76.77%
Asset-backed Securities [Member] \| Weighted Average [Member]
Liabilities
Offered quotes	94.39%
Corporates [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Liabilities
Offered quotes	121.15%
Corporates [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Liabilities
Offered quotes	0.00%
Corporates [Member] \| Weighted Average [Member]
Liabilities
Offered quotes	78.73%
Hybrids [Member]
Assets
Assets	5,181
Liabilities
Quoted Prices	103.63%
Municipals [Member]
Assets
Assets	55
Municipals [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Liabilities
Offered quotes	121.36%
Municipals [Member] \| Minimum [Member]
Liabilities
Offered quotes	121.36%
Municipals [Member] \| Weighted Average [Member]
Liabilities
Offered quotes	121.36%
Discounted cash flow [Member] \| Contingent purchase price reduction receivable [Member]
Liabilities
Valuation technique	Discounted cash flow
Discounted cash flow [Member] \| FIA [Member]
Liabilities
Valuation technique	Discounted cash flow
Broker-quoted [Member] \| Non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities [Member]
Liabilities
Valuation technique	Broker-quoted
Broker-quoted [Member] \| Asset-backed Securities [Member]
Liabilities
Valuation technique	Broker-quoted
Broker-quoted [Member] \| Corporates [Member]
Assets
Assets	127,572
Liabilities
Valuation technique	Broker-quoted
Broker-quoted [Member] \| Municipals [Member]
Liabilities
Valuation technique	Broker-quoted
Market pricing [Member] \| Corporates [Member]
Assets
Assets	$ 19,671
Liabilities
Valuation technique	Market pricing
Market pricing [Member] \| Hybrids [Member]
Liabilities
Valuation technique	Market pricing
Monte Carlo simulation [Member] \| Equity conversion feature of preferred stock [Member]
Liabilities
Valuation technique	Monte Carlo simulation
Option model [Member] \| Equity conversion feature of preferred stock [Member]
Liabilities
Valuation technique	Option model

Fair value inputs market value of option.

No definition available.

Name:	hrg_FairValueInputsMarketValueOfOption
Namespace Prefix:	hrg_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value measurements annualized volatility of equity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hrg_FairValueMeasurementsAnnualizedVolatilityOfEquity
Namespace Prefix:	hrg_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value measurements calibration adjustment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hrg_FairValueMeasurementsCalibrationAdjustment
Namespace Prefix:	hrg_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Credit insurance risk premium.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hrg_FairValueMeasurementsCreditInsuranceRiskPremium
Namespace Prefix:	hrg_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Discount yield.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hrg_FairValueMeasurementsDiscountYield
Namespace Prefix:	hrg_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Mortality multiplier.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hrg_FairValueMeasurementsMortalityMultiplier
Namespace Prefix:	hrg_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Non-cash accretion rate.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hrg_FairValueMeasurementsNonCashAccretionRate
Namespace Prefix:	hrg_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Non-performance spread.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hrg_FairValueMeasurementsNonPerformanceSpread
Namespace Prefix:	hrg_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Offered quotes.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hrg_FairValueMeasurementsOfferedQuotes
Namespace Prefix:	hrg_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value measurements probability of collection.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hrg_FairValueMeasurementsProbabilityOfCollection
Namespace Prefix:	hrg_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value measurements quoted prices.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hrg_FairValueMeasurementsQuotedPrices
Namespace Prefix:	hrg_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Surrender rates.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hrg_FairValueMeasurementsSurrenderRates
Namespace Prefix:	hrg_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Fair value measurements swap rates.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	hrg_FairValueMeasurementsSwapRates
Namespace Prefix:	hrg_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the aggregate of the assets reported on the balance sheet at period end measured at fair value by the entity. This element is intended to be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7578670&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AssetsFairValueDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Period the instrument, asset or liability is expected to be outstanding, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (e)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7578670&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueAssumptionsExpectedTerm
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Interest rate used to find the present value of an amount to be paid or received in the future as an input to measure fair value. For example, but not limited to, weighted average cost of capital (WACC), cost of capital, cost of equity and cost of debt.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (bbb)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7578670&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueInputsDiscountRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Description of the inputs and valuation technique(s) used to measure fair value.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (bbb)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7578670&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the aggregate of the liabilities reported on the balance sheet at period end measured at fair value by the entity. This element is intended to be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration