Nature of the business	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Nature Of Business [Abstract]
Nature of the business	Nature of the business Validus Holdings, Ltd. (together with its wholly and majority owned subsidiaries, the “Company” or “Validus”) was incorporated under the laws of Bermuda on October 19, 2005. The Company provides reinsurance and insurance coverage, and insurance-linked securities (“ILS”) management. Reportable Segments In accordance with authoritative accounting guidance, the Company continually monitors and reviews its segment reporting structure to determine whether any changes have occurred that would impact the composition of the Company’s reportable segments. As a result of the evolution of the Company’s operations, the global nature of the industry and synergies obtained through the acquisition and integration of Talbot Holdings Ltd. (“Talbot”), Western World Insurance Group, Inc. (“Western World”) and Crop Risk Services, Inc. (“CRS”), the Company’s previous reportable segments had integrated in such a way that during the fourth quarter of 2017, the Company changed its reportable segments to “Reinsurance,” “Insurance,” and “Asset Management.” Furthermore, to better align the Company’s disclosures with its current strategy, the Company also changed its primary lines of business to “Property,” “Specialty - Short-tail” and “Specialty - Other.” The change in reportable segments and primary lines of business had no impact on the Company’s historical consolidated financial positions, results of operations or cash flows as previously reported. Where applicable, all prior periods presented have been reclassified to conform to this new presentation. A description of each of these three reportable segments is as follows: Reinsurance The Reinsurance segment operates as a global provider of reinsurance products and primarily concentrates on property and other reinsurance risks commonly referred to as short-tail in nature due to the relatively brief period between the occurrence and payment of a claim. The segment operates primarily through Validus Reinsurance, Ltd. (“Validus Re”) and Validus Reinsurance (Switzerland) Ltd. (“Validus Re Swiss”), as well as Lloyd’s Syndicate 1183 (the “Talbot Syndicate”), which is managed by Talbot through its wholly–owned subsidiaries. The Talbot Syndicate has a short-tail treaty reinsurance portfolio that provides the Company with access to the Lloyd’s marketplace. Insurance The Insurance segment operates globally and focuses on property and specialty insurance business, as well as facultative reinsurance, which provides coverage on a single-risk basis. The segment operates primarily through two insurance companies, the Talbot Syndicate and Western World. Western World provides the company access to the U.S. commercial insurance market and primarily insures small to medium size commercial and institutional risks through three wholly–owned insurance subsidiaries: Western World Insurance Company (“WWIC”), Tudor Insurance Company (“Tudor”) and Stratford Insurance Company (“Stratford”). On May 1, 2017, Western World acquired all of the outstanding capital stock of CRS, a U.S. based primary crop insurance managing general agent. Refer to Note 5, “Business combinations,” for further details. Asset Management The Asset Management segment participates in the market for ILS, which are financial instruments, the values of which are determined by insurance losses caused primarily by natural catastrophes such as major earthquakes and hurricanes. The Asset Management segment operates primarily through AlphaCat Managers Ltd. (“AlphaCat Managers”), an asset manager primarily for third party investors. Corporate and Investments The Company also has a corporate and investments function (“Corporate and Investments”), which includes the activities of the parent company, and which carries out certain functions for the group, including investment management. Detailed financial information about each of the Company’s reportable segments and Corporate and Investments is presented in Note 25, “Segment information.”

Nature of the business

Validus Holdings, Ltd. (together with its wholly and majority owned subsidiaries, the “Company” or “Validus”) was incorporated under the laws of Bermuda on October 19, 2005. The Company provides reinsurance and insurance coverage, and insurance-linked securities (“ILS”) management.

Reportable Segments

In accordance with authoritative accounting guidance, the Company continually monitors and reviews its segment reporting structure to determine whether any changes have occurred that would impact the composition of the Company’s reportable segments. As a result of the evolution of the Company’s operations, the global nature of the industry and synergies obtained through the acquisition and integration of Talbot Holdings Ltd. (“Talbot”), Western World Insurance Group, Inc. (“Western World”) and Crop Risk Services, Inc. (“CRS”), the Company’s previous reportable segments had integrated in such a way that during the fourth quarter of 2017, the Company changed its reportable segments to “Reinsurance,” “Insurance,” and “Asset Management.” Furthermore, to better align the Company’s disclosures with its current strategy, the Company also changed its primary lines of business to “Property,” “Specialty - Short-tail” and “Specialty - Other.”

The change in reportable segments and primary lines of business had no impact on the Company’s historical consolidated financial positions, results of operations or cash flows as previously reported. Where applicable, all prior periods presented have been reclassified to conform to this new presentation.

A description of each of these three reportable segments is as follows:

Reinsurance

The Reinsurance segment operates as a global provider of reinsurance products and primarily concentrates on property and other reinsurance risks commonly referred to as short-tail in nature due to the relatively brief period between the occurrence and payment of a claim. The segment operates primarily through Validus Reinsurance, Ltd. (“Validus Re”) and Validus Reinsurance (Switzerland) Ltd. (“Validus Re Swiss”), as well as Lloyd’s Syndicate 1183 (the “Talbot Syndicate”), which is managed by Talbot through its wholly–owned subsidiaries. The Talbot Syndicate has a short-tail treaty reinsurance portfolio that provides the Company with access to the Lloyd’s marketplace.

Insurance

The Insurance segment operates globally and focuses on property and specialty insurance business, as well as facultative reinsurance, which provides coverage on a single-risk basis. The segment operates primarily through two insurance companies, the Talbot Syndicate and Western World. Western World provides the company access to the U.S. commercial insurance market and primarily insures small to medium size commercial and institutional risks through three wholly–owned insurance subsidiaries: Western World Insurance Company (“WWIC”), Tudor Insurance Company (“Tudor”) and Stratford Insurance Company (“Stratford”). On May 1, 2017, Western World acquired all of the outstanding capital stock of CRS, a U.S. based primary crop insurance managing general agent. Refer to Note 5, “Business combinations,” for further details.

Asset Management

The Asset Management segment participates in the market for ILS, which are financial instruments, the values of which are determined by insurance losses caused primarily by natural catastrophes such as major earthquakes and hurricanes. The Asset Management segment operates primarily through AlphaCat Managers Ltd. (“AlphaCat Managers”), an asset manager primarily for third party investors.

Corporate and Investments

The Company also has a corporate and investments function (“Corporate and Investments”), which includes the activities of the parent company, and which carries out certain functions for the group, including investment management. Detailed financial information about each of the Company’s reportable segments and Corporate and Investments is presented in Note 25, “Segment information.”