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SCHEDULE II - CONDENSED FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF PARENT COMPANY - BALANCE SHEETS, Footnotes (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Feb. 15, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 06, 2017	Nov. 07, 2016
Senior Notes \| 2010 AXIS Specialty Finance LLC Senior Notes
Condensed Financial Information of Parent Company [Line Items]
Interest rate		5.875%
Senior Notes \| Senior Notes Due 2019 Axis Specialty Finance PLC 2014
Condensed Financial Information of Parent Company [Line Items]
Interest rate		2.65%
Senior Notes \| Senior Notes Due 2045 Axis Specialty Finance PLC 2014
Condensed Financial Information of Parent Company [Line Items]
Interest rate		5.15%
Senior Notes \| Senior Notes Axis Specialty Finance PLC 2017
Condensed Financial Information of Parent Company [Line Items]
Interest rate		4.00%
AXIS Capital Holdings Limited \| Senior Notes \| 2010 AXIS Specialty Finance LLC Senior Notes \| Full and Unconditional Guarantee of Debt
Condensed Financial Information of Parent Company [Line Items]
Principal amount guaranteed		$ 500
Interest rate		5.875%
AXIS Capital Holdings Limited \| Senior Notes \| Senior Notes Due 2019 Axis Specialty Finance PLC 2014 \| Full and Unconditional Guarantee of Debt
Condensed Financial Information of Parent Company [Line Items]
Principal amount guaranteed		$ 250
Interest rate		2.65%
AXIS Capital Holdings Limited \| Senior Notes \| Senior Notes Due 2045 Axis Specialty Finance PLC 2014 \| Full and Unconditional Guarantee of Debt
Condensed Financial Information of Parent Company [Line Items]
Principal amount guaranteed		$ 250
Interest rate		5.15%
AXIS Capital Holdings Limited \| Senior Notes \| Senior Notes Axis Specialty Finance PLC 2017 \| Full and Unconditional Guarantee of Debt
Condensed Financial Information of Parent Company [Line Items]
Principal amount guaranteed		$ 350
Interest rate		4.00%
AXIS Specialty Global Holdings [Member]
Condensed Financial Information of Parent Company [Line Items]
Capital contributions to subsidiary	$ 105
AXIS Specialty Finance LLC
Condensed Financial Information of Parent Company [Line Items]
Percentage ownership in subsidiary		100.00%
AXIS Specialty Finance LLC \| Senior Notes \| Full and Unconditional Guarantee of Debt
Condensed Financial Information of Parent Company [Line Items]
Percentage ownership in subsidiary		100.00%
AXIS Specialty Finance PLC
Condensed Financial Information of Parent Company [Line Items]
Percentage ownership in subsidiary				100.00%
AXIS Specialty Finance PLC \| Senior Notes \| Full and Unconditional Guarantee of Debt
Condensed Financial Information of Parent Company [Line Items]
Percentage ownership in subsidiary		100.00%
Promissory Note \| AXIS Capital Holdings Limited
Condensed Financial Information of Parent Company [Line Items]
Interest rate			1.132%
Promissory note receivable from subsidiary					$ 368