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Reserves For Losses And Loss Expenses (Schedule of Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense) (Details) (USD $)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense [Roll Forward]      
Net reserves at beginning of year $ 8,683,797,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseNet $ 8,411,851,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseNet $ 8,172,112,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseNet
Net provision for losses and loss expenses:      
Claims occuring during the current year 3,495,825,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseIncurredClaimsCurrentYear 3,221,393,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseIncurredClaimsCurrentYear [1] 2,997,995,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseIncurredClaimsCurrentYear [1]
Decrease in estimates for claims occurring in prior years (75,764,000)wrb_LiabilityforUnpaidClaimsandClaimsAdjustmentExpenseIncurredClaimsAdjustment (78,810,000)wrb_LiabilityforUnpaidClaimsandClaimsAdjustmentExpenseIncurredClaimsAdjustment [2],[3] (102,571,000)wrb_LiabilityforUnpaidClaimsandClaimsAdjustmentExpenseIncurredClaimsAdjustment [2],[3]
Loss reserve discount accretion(4) 70,506,000wrb_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseIncurredLossReserveDiscountAccretion 54,441,000wrb_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseIncurredLossReserveDiscountAccretion 53,055,000wrb_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseIncurredLossReserveDiscountAccretion
Total 3,490,567,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseIncurredClaims 3,197,024,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseIncurredClaims 2,948,479,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseIncurredClaims
Net payments for claims:      
Current year 898,944,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseClaimsPaidCurrentYear 822,787,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseClaimsPaidCurrentYear 698,834,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseClaimsPaidCurrentYear
Prior year 2,216,283,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseClaimsPaidPriorYears 2,055,284,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseClaimsPaidPriorYears 2,010,101,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseClaimsPaidPriorYears
Total 3,115,227,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseClaimsPaid 2,878,071,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseClaimsPaid 2,708,935,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseClaimsPaid
Foreign currency translation (88,496,000)wrb_LiabilityforUnpaidClaimsandClaimsAdjustmentExpenseForeignExchangeTranslation (47,007,000)wrb_LiabilityforUnpaidClaimsandClaimsAdjustmentExpenseForeignExchangeTranslation 195,000wrb_LiabilityforUnpaidClaimsandClaimsAdjustmentExpenseForeignExchangeTranslation
Net reserves at end of year 8,970,641,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseNet 8,683,797,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseNet 8,411,851,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseNet
Ceded reserve at end of year 1,399,060,000us-gaap_ReinsuranceRecoverablesGross 1,397,144,000us-gaap_ReinsuranceRecoverablesGross 1,339,235,000us-gaap_ReinsuranceRecoverablesGross
Gross reserves at end of year 10,369,701,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseGross 10,080,941,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseGross 9,751,086,000us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseGross
Workers' Compensation Discount, Current Year Amount 21,306,000us-gaap_WorkersCompensationDiscountAmount 22,680,000us-gaap_WorkersCompensationDiscountAmount 26,078,000us-gaap_WorkersCompensationDiscountAmount
Decrease in estimates for claims occurring in prior years, undiscounted basis 116,866,000wrb_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseIncurredClaimsUndiscountedBasisPriorYearsIncreaseDecrease 77,430,000wrb_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseIncurredClaimsUndiscountedBasisPriorYearsIncreaseDecrease 100,667,000wrb_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseIncurredClaimsUndiscountedBasisPriorYearsIncreaseDecrease
Favorable reserve development and return premiums $ 85,000,000wrb_LiabilityforUnpaidClaimsandClaimsAdjustmentExpenseIncurredClaimsPriorYearsReserveDevelopmentNetofPremiumsFavorableUnfavorable $ 98,000,000wrb_LiabilityforUnpaidClaimsandClaimsAdjustmentExpenseIncurredClaimsPriorYearsReserveDevelopmentNetofPremiumsFavorableUnfavorable $ 103,000,000wrb_LiabilityforUnpaidClaimsandClaimsAdjustmentExpenseIncurredClaimsPriorYearsReserveDevelopmentNetofPremiumsFavorableUnfavorable
[1] Claims occurring during the current year are net of loss reserve discounts of $21,306,000, $22,680,000, and $26,078,000 in 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.
[2] The decrease in estimates for claims occurring in prior years is net of loss reserve discount. On an undiscounted basis, the estimates for claims occurring in prior years decreased by $116,866,000, $77,430,000 and $100,667,000 in 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.
[3] For certain retrospectively rated insurance polices and reinsurance agreements, reserve development is offset by additional or return premiums. Favorable reserve development, net of additional and return premiums, was $85 million, $98 million and $103 million in 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.