Investments - Restricted Assets (Detail) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) syndicate	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Investments, Debt and Equity Securities [Abstract]
Restricted cash and cash equivalents	$ 446,293	$ 511,339
Collateral in trust for third party agreements	2,863,608	3,053,692
Assets on deposit with regulatory authorities	955,123	915,346
Assets on deposit with regulatory authorities	195,277	212,544
Funds at Lloyd's	350,146	382,624
Restricted assets, total	$ 4,364,154	$ 4,564,206
Number of syndicates \| syndicate	3
Cash and investments	$ 312,200
Collateral for line of credit facility	$ 37,900

Funds in Syndicate

No definition available.

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- Definition

Funds in Syndicate, Cash and Investments

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Funds in Syndicate, Collateral for Line of Credit Facility

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Restricted Cash and Investments, Number of Syndicates

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

The total amount of cash and securities held by third party trustees pursuant to terms of debt instruments or other agreements as of the date of each statement of financial position presented, which can be used by the trustee only to pay the noncurrent portion of specified obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

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- Definition

The carrying amount of the asset transferred to a third party to serve as a deposit, which typically serves as security against failure by the transferor to perform under terms of an agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.8,17)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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- References

No definition available.

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- Definition

The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalent items which are restricted as to withdrawal or usage. Restrictions may include legally restricted deposits held as compensating balances against borrowing arrangements, contracts entered into with others, or entity statements of intention with regard to particular deposits; however, time deposits and short-term certificates of deposit are not generally included in legally restricted deposits. Excludes compensating balance arrangements that are not agreements which legally restrict the use of cash amounts shown on the balance sheet. This element is for unclassified presentations; for classified presentations there is a separate and distinct element.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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- Definition

Cash and investments whose use in whole or in part is restricted for the long-term, generally by contractual agreements or regulatory requirements. For use in an unclassified balance sheet.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

The fair value of trading securities that serve as collateral for borrowings.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66008989&loc=d3e5086-111524

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