Supplemental guarantor information - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Revenues
Gross premiums written	$ 134,230	$ 95,388	$ 82,637	$ 319,591	$ 120,063	$ 30,064	$ 49,765	$ 378,360	$ 631,846	$ 578,252	$ 641,620
Gross premiums ceded	(5,964)	(1,116)	(1,473)	(712)	(1,770)	0	(3,479)	(14,646)	(9,265)	(19,895)	(2,475)
Net premiums written	128,266	94,272	81,164	318,879	118,293	30,064	46,286	363,714	622,581	558,357	639,145
Change in net unearned premium reserves	70,126	108,976	64,288	(165,829)	91,177	97,929	95,207	(221,228)	77,561	63,085	(92,087)
Net premiums earned	198,392	203,248	145,452	153,050	209,470	127,993	141,493	142,486	700,142	621,442	547,058
Net investment income (loss)	61,614	(3,138)	69,131	154,953	(276,810)	(3,590)	31,175	(2,208)	282,560	(251,433)	391,953
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries									0	0	0
Total revenues	260,006	200,110	214,583	308,003	(67,340)	124,403	172,668	140,278	982,702	370,009	939,011
Expenses
Loss and loss adjustment expenses incurred, net	140,394	85,703	82,334	95,068	173,088	88,706	84,000	92,620	403,499	438,414	370,058
Acquisition costs, net	61,851	118,271	58,006	57,498	56,668	40,841	57,584	51,405	295,626	206,498	188,904
General and administrative expenses	12,744	9,237	19,650	12,132	7,553	9,511	9,696	9,481	53,763	36,241	53,103
Other expenses	3,625	5,058	3,811	4,125	2,994	(1,362)	3,983	3,995	16,619	9,610	12,674
Interest expense	2,074	2,074	2,051	2,029	2,074	2,074	2,051	2,029	8,228	8,228	8,225
Foreign exchange (gains) losses	(10,298)	4,921	4,260	(2,518)	3,288	1,979	8,847	(6,611)	(3,635)	7,503	(12,300)
Total expenses	230,986	215,422	161,592	173,370	239,089	137,791	148,467	166,141	781,370	691,488	645,264
Income (loss) before income tax (expense) benefit	29,020	(15,312)	52,991	134,633	(306,429)	(13,388)	24,201	(25,863)	201,332	(321,479)	293,747
Income tax (expense) benefit	718	213	74	(1,718)	8,417	111	(4,390)	(128)	(713)	4,010	(11,976)
Net income (loss)	29,738	(15,099)	53,065	132,915	(298,012)	(13,277)	19,811	(25,991)	200,619	(317,469)	281,771
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in related party	0	0	0	0	0	(4)	(209)	(10)	0	(223)	(3,973)
Net income (loss) available to Third Point Re common shareholders	$ 29,738	$ (15,099)	$ 53,065	$ 132,915	$ (298,012)	$ (13,281)	$ 19,602	$ (26,001)	200,619	(317,692)	277,798
Reportable Legal Entities | Parent Guarantor
Revenues
Gross premiums written									0	0	0
Gross premiums ceded									0	0	0
Net premiums written									0	0	0
Change in net unearned premium reserves									0	0	0
Net premiums earned									0	0	0
Net investment income (loss)									0	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries									216,877	(310,552)	283,088
Total revenues									216,877	(310,552)	283,088
Expenses
Loss and loss adjustment expenses incurred, net									0	0	0
Acquisition costs, net									0	0	0
General and administrative expenses									16,258	7,140	5,290
Other expenses									0	0	0
Interest expense									0	0	0
Foreign exchange (gains) losses									0	0	0
Total expenses									16,258	7,140	5,290
Income (loss) before income tax (expense) benefit									200,619	(317,692)	277,798
Income tax (expense) benefit									0	0	0
Net income (loss)									200,619	(317,692)	277,798
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in related party									0	0	0
Net income (loss) available to Third Point Re common shareholders									200,619	(317,692)	277,798
Reportable Legal Entities | TPRUSA
Revenues
Gross premiums written									0	0	0
Gross premiums ceded									0	0	0
Net premiums written									0	0	0
Change in net unearned premium reserves									0	0	0
Net premiums earned									0	0	0
Net investment income (loss)									0	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries									9,017	(29,492)	22,309
Total revenues									9,017	(29,492)	22,309
Expenses
Loss and loss adjustment expenses incurred, net									0	0	0
Acquisition costs, net									0	0	0
General and administrative expenses									(59)	47	49
Other expenses									0	0	0
Interest expense									8,228	8,228	8,225
Foreign exchange (gains) losses									0	0	0
Total expenses									8,169	8,275	8,274
Income (loss) before income tax (expense) benefit									848	(37,767)	14,035
Income tax (expense) benefit									1,716	(419)	3,062
Net income (loss)									2,564	(38,186)	17,097
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in related party									0	0	0
Net income (loss) available to Third Point Re common shareholders									2,564	(38,186)	17,097
Reportable Legal Entities | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Revenues
Gross premiums written									631,846	578,252	641,620
Gross premiums ceded									(9,265)	(19,895)	(2,475)
Net premiums written									622,581	558,357	639,145
Change in net unearned premium reserves									77,561	63,085	(92,087)
Net premiums earned									700,142	621,442	547,058
Net investment income (loss)									282,560	(251,433)	391,953
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries									(40)	(57)	(57)
Total revenues									982,662	369,952	938,954
Expenses
Loss and loss adjustment expenses incurred, net									403,499	438,414	370,058
Acquisition costs, net									295,626	206,498	188,904
General and administrative expenses									37,564	29,054	47,764
Other expenses									16,619	9,610	12,674
Interest expense									0	0	0
Foreign exchange (gains) losses									(3,635)	7,503	(12,300)
Total expenses									756,943	676,073	631,700
Income (loss) before income tax (expense) benefit									225,719	(306,121)	307,254
Income tax (expense) benefit									(2,429)	4,429	(15,038)
Net income (loss)									223,290	(301,692)	292,216
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in related party									0	(223)	(3,973)
Net income (loss) available to Third Point Re common shareholders									223,290	(301,915)	288,243
Eliminations
Revenues
Gross premiums written									0	0	0
Gross premiums ceded									0	0	0
Net premiums written									0	0	0
Change in net unearned premium reserves									0	0	0
Net premiums earned									0	0	0
Net investment income (loss)									0	0	0
Equity in earnings (losses) of subsidiaries									(225,854)	340,101	(305,340)
Total revenues									(225,854)	340,101	(305,340)
Expenses
Loss and loss adjustment expenses incurred, net									0	0	0
Acquisition costs, net									0	0	0
General and administrative expenses									0	0	0
Other expenses									0	0	0
Interest expense									0	0	0
Foreign exchange (gains) losses									0	0	0
Total expenses									0	0	0
Income (loss) before income tax (expense) benefit									(225,854)	340,101	(305,340)
Income tax (expense) benefit									0	0	0
Net income (loss)									(225,854)	340,101	(305,340)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests in related party									0	0	0
Net income (loss) available to Third Point Re common shareholders									$ (225,854)	$ 340,101	$ (305,340)