Organization and Business	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Organization and Business	1. Organization and Business HC2 Holdings, Inc. (“HC2” and, together with its subsidiaries, the “Company”, “we” and “our”) is a diversified holding company which seeks to acquire and grow attractive businesses that we believe can generate long-term sustainable free cash flow and attractive returns. While the Company generally intends to acquire controlling equity interests in its operating subsidiaries, the Company may invest to a limited extent in a variety of debt instruments or noncontrolling equity interest positions. The Company’s shares of common stock trade on the NYSE MKT LLC under the symbol “HCHC”. The Company currently has seven reportable segments based on management’s organization of the enterprise - Construction, Marine Services, Insurance, Energy, Telecommunications, Life Sciences, and Other which includes operations that do not meet the separately reportable segment thresholds. 1.Our Construction segment (f/k/a Manufacturing) includes DBM Global Inc. (“DBMG” f/k/a Schuff International, Inc.) and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. DBMG is a fully integrated detailer, BIM modeler, fabricator and erector of structural steel and heavy steel plate. DBMG details, models, fabricates and erects structural steel for commercial and industrial construction projects such as high- and low-rise buildings and office complexes, hotels and casinos, convention centers, sports arenas, shopping malls, hospitals, dams, bridges, mines and power plants. DBMG also fabricates trusses and girders and specializes in the fabrication and erection of large-diameter water pipe and water storage tanks. Through Aitken, DBMG manufactures pollution control scrubbers, tunnel liners, pressure vessels, strainers, filters, separators and a variety of customized products. The Company maintains a 92% controlling interest in DBMG. 2.Our Marine Services segment includes Global Marine Systems Limited ("GMSL"). GMSL is a leading provider of engineering and underwater services on submarine cables. The Company maintains a 95% equity interest in GMSL. 3.Our Energy segment (f/k/a Utilities) includes American Natural Gas ("ANG"). Headquartered in the Northeast, ANG is a premier distributor of natural gas motor fuel. ANG designs, builds, owns, acquires, operates and maintains compressed natural gas fueling stations for transportation vehicles. The Company maintains effective control of, and a 49.99% ownership interest in ANG. 4.Our Telecommunications segment includes PTGi International Carrier Services, ("ICS"). ICS operates a telecommunications business including a network of direct routes and provides premium voice communication services for national telecommunications operators, mobile operators, wholesale carriers, prepaid operators, Voice over Internet Protocol ("VOIP") service operators and Internet service providers from our International Carrier Services business unit. ICS provides a quality service via direct routes and by forming strong relationships with carefully selected partners. The Company owns 100% of ICS. 5.Our Insurance segment includes Continental General Insurance Company ("CGI" or the "Insurance Company"). CGI provides long-term care, life and annuity coverage that help protect policy and certificate holders from the financial hardships associated with illness, injury, loss of life, or income continuation. The Company owns 100% of the Insurance Company. 6.Our Life Sciences segment includes Pansend Life Sciences, LLC (“Pansend”). Pansend owns a (i) 77% interest in Genovel Orthopedics, Inc. ("Genovel"), which seeks to develop products to treat early osteoarthritis of the knee, (ii) 67% interest in R2 Dermatology Inc. ("R2", f/k/a GemDerm Aesthetics, Inc.), which develops skin lightening technology, and (iii) 80% interest in BeneVir Biopharm, Inc. ("BeneVir"), which focuses on immunotherapy for the treatment of solid tumors. Pansend also invests in other early stage or developmental stage healthcare companies including Medibeacon Inc. and Triple Ring Technologies, Inc. 7.In our Other segment, we invest in and grow developmental stage companies that we believe have significant growth potential. Among the businesses included in this segment are the Company's 56% ownership interest in DMi, Inc. ("DMi"), which owns licenses to create and distribute NASCAR® video games, and the Company's 72% interest in NerVve, which provides analytics on broadcast TV, digital and social media online platforms.

1. Organization and Business

HC2 Holdings, Inc. (“HC2” and, together with its subsidiaries, the “Company”, “we” and “our”) is a diversified holding company which seeks to acquire and grow attractive businesses that we believe can generate long-term sustainable free cash flow and attractive returns. While the Company generally intends to acquire controlling equity interests in its operating subsidiaries, the Company may invest to a limited extent in a variety of debt instruments or noncontrolling equity interest positions. The Company’s shares of common stock trade on the NYSE MKT LLC under the symbol “HCHC”.

The Company currently has seven reportable segments based on management’s organization of the enterprise - Construction, Marine Services, Insurance, Energy, Telecommunications, Life Sciences, and Other which includes operations that do not meet the separately reportable segment thresholds.

1.Our Construction segment (f/k/a Manufacturing) includes DBM Global Inc. (“DBMG” f/k/a Schuff International, Inc.) and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. DBMG is a fully integrated detailer, BIM modeler, fabricator and erector of structural steel and heavy steel plate. DBMG details, models, fabricates and erects structural steel for commercial and industrial construction projects such as high- and low-rise buildings and office complexes, hotels and casinos, convention centers, sports arenas, shopping malls, hospitals, dams, bridges, mines and power plants. DBMG also fabricates trusses and girders and specializes in the fabrication and erection of large-diameter water pipe and water storage tanks. Through Aitken, DBMG manufactures pollution control scrubbers, tunnel liners, pressure vessels, strainers, filters, separators and a variety of customized products. The Company maintains a 92% controlling interest in DBMG.

2.Our Marine Services segment includes Global Marine Systems Limited ("GMSL"). GMSL is a leading provider of engineering and underwater services on submarine cables. The Company maintains a 95% equity interest in GMSL.

3.Our Energy segment (f/k/a Utilities) includes American Natural Gas ("ANG"). Headquartered in the Northeast, ANG is a premier distributor of natural gas motor fuel. ANG designs, builds, owns, acquires, operates and maintains compressed natural gas fueling stations for transportation vehicles. The Company maintains effective control of, and a 49.99% ownership interest in ANG.

4.Our Telecommunications segment includes PTGi International Carrier Services, ("ICS"). ICS operates a telecommunications business including a network of direct routes and provides premium voice communication services for national telecommunications operators, mobile operators, wholesale carriers, prepaid operators, Voice over Internet Protocol ("VOIP") service operators and Internet service providers from our International Carrier Services business unit. ICS provides a quality service via direct routes and by forming strong relationships with carefully selected partners. The Company owns 100% of ICS.

5.Our Insurance segment includes Continental General Insurance Company ("CGI" or the "Insurance Company"). CGI provides long-term care, life and annuity coverage that help protect policy and certificate holders from the financial hardships associated with illness, injury, loss of life, or income continuation. The Company owns 100% of the Insurance Company.

6.Our Life Sciences segment includes Pansend Life Sciences, LLC (“Pansend”). Pansend owns a (i) 77% interest in Genovel Orthopedics, Inc. ("Genovel"), which seeks to develop products to treat early osteoarthritis of the knee, (ii) 67% interest in R2 Dermatology Inc. ("R2", f/k/a GemDerm Aesthetics, Inc.), which develops skin lightening technology, and (iii) 80% interest in BeneVir Biopharm, Inc. ("BeneVir"), which focuses on immunotherapy for the treatment of solid tumors. Pansend also invests in other early stage or developmental stage healthcare companies including Medibeacon Inc. and Triple Ring Technologies, Inc.

7.In our Other segment, we invest in and grow developmental stage companies that we believe have significant growth potential. Among the businesses included in this segment are the Company's 56% ownership interest in DMi, Inc. ("DMi"), which owns licenses to create and distribute NASCAR® video games, and the Company's 72% interest in NerVve, which provides analytics on broadcast TV, digital and social media online platforms.