Segment information (Details 1) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2010
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	$ 605,387	$ 516,861	$ 1,455,283	$ 1,387,795
Percent of gross premiums written	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%
Validus Re [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	341,651	284,328	952,889	924,623
Validus Re [Member] | United States [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	261,364	186,653	453,729	420,220
Validus Re [Member] | Worldwide excluding United States [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	2,580	4,830	29,558	44,594
Validus Re [Member] | Europe [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	10,729	10,757	69,695	91,233
Validus Re [Member] | Latin America and Caribbean [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	11,432	15,036	36,551	43,775
Validus Re [Member] | Japan [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	23,871	19,250	34,069	19,900
Validus Re [Member] | Canada [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	10	72	110	137
Validus Re [Member] | Rest of the world [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	8,939	25,168	44,996	25,168
Validus Re [Member] | Subtotal Non United States [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	57,561	75,113	214,979	224,807
Validus Re [Member] | Worldwide including United States [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	12,584	2,032	80,780	78,267
Validus Re [Member] | Marine and Aerospace [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	10,142	20,530	203,401	201,329
Talbot [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	276,886	253,710	539,943	524,251
Talbot [Member] | United States [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	34,181	29,691	62,012	54,974
Talbot [Member] | Worldwide excluding United States [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	57,204	58,806	125,171	134,824
Talbot [Member] | Europe [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	18,935	12,832	34,944	28,370
Talbot [Member] | Latin America and Caribbean [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	22,265	29,368	40,533	46,595
Talbot [Member] | Japan [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	2,216	2,901	2,756	3,609
Talbot [Member] | Canada [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	2,443	3,367	6,251	7,003
Talbot [Member] | Subtotal Non United States [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	103,063	107,274	209,655	220,401
Talbot [Member] | Worldwide including United States [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	15,506	15,911	26,036	28,687
Talbot [Member] | Marine and Aerospace [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	124,136	100,834	242,240	220,189
Eliminations [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	(13,150)	(21,177)	(37,549)	(61,079)
Eliminations [Member] | United States [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	(2,307)	(2,020)	(4,204)	(5,491)
Eliminations [Member] | Worldwide excluding United States [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	(257)	(2,086)	(2,969)	(5,918)
Eliminations [Member] | Europe [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	(59)	(504)	(561)	(961)
Eliminations [Member] | Latin America and Caribbean [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	(8,942)	(12,766)	(22,571)	(28,553)
Eliminations [Member] | Japan [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written		(72)	(100)	(137)
Eliminations [Member] | Canada [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	(10)	(72)	(110)	(137)
Eliminations [Member] | Subtotal Non United States [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	(9,268)	(15,500)	(26,311)	(35,706)
Eliminations [Member] | Worldwide including United States [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	(40)	(504)	(542)	(2,234)
Eliminations [Member] | Marine and Aerospace [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	(1,535)	(3,153)	(6,492)	(17,648)
United States [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	293,238	214,324	511,537	469,703
Percent of gross premiums written	48.50%	41.50%	35.20%	33.80%
Worldwide excluding United States [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	59,527	61,550	151,760	173,500
Percent of gross premiums written	9.80%	11.90%	10.40%	12.50%
Europe [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	29,605	23,085	104,078	118,642
Percent of gross premiums written	4.90%	4.40%	7.20%	8.50%
Latin America and Caribbean [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	24,755	31,638	54,513	61,817
Percent of gross premiums written	4.10%	6.10%	3.70%	4.50%
Japan [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	26,087	22,079	36,725	23,372
Percent of gross premiums written	4.30%	4.30%	2.50%	1.70%
Canada [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	2,443	3,367	6,251	7,003
Percent of gross premiums written	0.40%	0.70%	0.40%	0.50%
Rest of the world [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	8,939	25,168	44,996	25,168
Percent of gross premiums written	1.50%	4.90%	3.10%	1.80%
Subtotal Non United States [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	151,356	166,887	398,323	409,502
Percent of gross premiums written	25.00%	32.30%	27.30%	29.50%
Worldwide including United States [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	28,050	17,439	106,274	104,720
Percent of gross premiums written	4.60%	3.30%	7.30%	7.60%
Marine and Aerospace [Member]
Gross premiums written allocated to the territory of coverage exposure
Gross premiums written	$ 132,743	$ 118,211	$ 439,149	$ 403,870
Percent of gross premiums written	21.90%	22.90%	30.20%	29.10%