Supplemental guarantor information - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Cash Flows (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	Dec. 31, 2016
Operating activities
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
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									0	0	0
Share compensation expense									7,061	4,956	3,599
Net interest expense (income) on deposit liabilities									5,879	(1,273)	2,800
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments											480,045
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Trading Securities									(2,522)	(34,145)	(480,045)
Net realized and unrealized (gain) loss on investment in related party investment fund									(249,626)	280,847	0
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)
Amortization of premium and accretion of discount, net									(1,382)	4,134	473
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Reinsurance balances receivable									30,039	(120,620)	(86,606)
Deferred acquisition costs, net									49,125	54,951	(37,175)
Increase (Decrease) in Prepaid Reinsurance Premiums									607	(16,503)	(354)
Increase (Decrease) in Reinsurance Recoverable									(3,489)	(918)	(1,112)
Other assets									(172)	(13,486)	9,137
Interest and dividends receivable, net									(862)	(2,716)	3,563
Unearned premium reserves									(78,168)	(46,582)	92,442
Loss and loss adjustment expense reserves									(157,849)	(225,670)	(97,922)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses									10,555	(24,684)	24,212
Reinsurance balances payable									11,964	28,728	(1,463)
Amounts due from (to) affiliates											0
Amounts due to affiliates									0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities									141,112	13,387	(78,536)
Proceeds from redemptions from related party investment fund									760,000	142,968	0
Investing activities
Contributions to related party investment fund									(87,000)	(136,626)	0
Purchases of investments									(331,463)	(3,483,319)	(3,099,525)
Change in participation agreement with related party investment fund									(2,297)	(20,852)	0
Proceeds from sales and maturities of investments									446,206	3,475,515	3,228,251
Purchases of investments to cover short sales									0	(853,798)	(791,753)
Proceeds from short sales of investments									0	800,508	1,048,552
Change in due to/from brokers, net									1,411	482,778	(149,898)
Increase (decrease) in securities sold under an agreement to repurchase									0	(29,618)	29,618
Contributed capital to subsidiaries									0	0
Proceeds from Contributed Capital									0	0
Net cash provided by investing activities									786,857	377,556	265,245
Financing activities
Proceeds from issuance of Third Point Re common shares, net of costs									1,888	0	1,505
Payments Related to Tax Withholding for Share-based Compensation									(68)	(74)	0
Purchases of Third Point Re common shares under share repurchase program									0	(138,705)	(40,864)
Net proceeds from deposit liability contracts									10,832	9,790	19,113
Change in total noncontrolling interests in related party, net									0	(97,950)	73,979
Dividend received by (paid to) parent									0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities									12,652	(226,939)	53,733
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Including Exchange Rate Effect									940,621	164,004	240,442
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents	1,653,958				713,337				1,653,958	713,337	549,333	$ 308,891
Reportable Legal Entities | Parent Guarantor
Operating activities
Net income (loss)									200,619	(317,692)	277,798
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									(216,877)	310,552	(283,088)
Share compensation expense									2,653	610	298
Net interest expense (income) on deposit liabilities									0	0	0
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments											0
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Trading Securities									0	0
Net realized and unrealized (gain) loss on investment in related party investment fund									0	0
Foreign exchange (gains) losses									0	0	0
Amortization of premium and accretion of discount, net									0	0	0
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Reinsurance balances receivable									0	0	0
Deferred acquisition costs, net									0	0	0
Increase (Decrease) in Prepaid Reinsurance Premiums									0	0	0
Increase (Decrease) in Reinsurance Recoverable									0	0	0
Other assets									909	(1,009)	(27)
Interest and dividends receivable, net									0	0	0
Unearned premium reserves									0	0	0
Loss and loss adjustment expense reserves									0	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued expenses									3,437	(25)	(388)
Reinsurance balances payable									0	0	0
Amounts due from (to) affiliates											1,146
Amounts due to affiliates									2,200	2,234
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities									(7,059)	(5,330)	(4,261)
Proceeds from redemptions from related party investment fund									0	0
Investing activities
Contributions to related party investment fund									0	0
Purchases of investments									(4,000)	0	0
Change in participation agreement with related party investment fund									0	0
Proceeds from sales and maturities of investments									0	0	0
Purchases of investments to cover short sales										0	0
Proceeds from short sales of investments										0	0
Change in due to/from brokers, net									0	0	0
Increase (decrease) in securities sold under an agreement to repurchase										0	0
Contributed capital to subsidiaries									(15,000)	(10,000)
Proceeds from Contributed Capital									0	0
Net cash provided by investing activities									(19,000)	(10,000)	0
Financing activities
Proceeds from issuance of Third Point Re common shares, net of costs									1,888		1,505
Payments Related to Tax Withholding for Share-based Compensation									(68)	(74)
Purchases of Third Point Re common shares under share repurchase program										(138,705)	(40,864)
Net proceeds from deposit liability contracts									0	0	0
Change in total noncontrolling interests in related party, net										0	0
Dividend received by (paid to) parent									24,249	154,100	42,000
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities									26,069	15,321	2,641
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Including Exchange Rate Effect									10	(9)	(1,620)
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents	10				0				10	0	9	1,629
Reportable Legal Entities | TPRUSA
Operating activities
Net income (loss)									2,564	(38,186)	17,097
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									(9,017)	29,492	(22,309)
Share compensation expense									0	0	0
Net interest expense (income) on deposit liabilities									0	0	0
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments											0
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Trading Securities									0	0
Net realized and unrealized (gain) loss on investment in related party investment fund									0	0
Foreign exchange (gains) losses									0	0	0
Amortization of premium and accretion of discount, net									178	178	178
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Reinsurance balances receivable									0	0	0
Deferred acquisition costs, net									0	0	0
Increase (Decrease) in Prepaid Reinsurance Premiums									0	0	0
Increase (Decrease) in Reinsurance Recoverable									0	0	0
Other assets									(1,715)	(5,069)	5,507
Interest and dividends receivable, net									0	0	(2)
Unearned premium reserves									0	0	0
Loss and loss adjustment expense reserves									0	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued expenses									(71)	5,513	(8,845)
Reinsurance balances payable									0	0	0
Amounts due from (to) affiliates											(8,806)
Amounts due to affiliates									3,950	360
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities									(4,111)	(7,712)	(17,180)
Proceeds from redemptions from related party investment fund									0	0
Investing activities
Contributions to related party investment fund									0	0
Purchases of investments									0	0	0
Change in participation agreement with related party investment fund									0	0
Proceeds from sales and maturities of investments									0	0	0
Purchases of investments to cover short sales										0	0
Proceeds from short sales of investments										0	0
Change in due to/from brokers, net									0	0	0
Increase (decrease) in securities sold under an agreement to repurchase										0	0
Contributed capital to subsidiaries									15,000	10,000
Proceeds from Contributed Capital									(15,000)	(10,000)
Net cash provided by investing activities									0	0	0
Financing activities
Proceeds from issuance of Third Point Re common shares, net of costs									0		0
Payments Related to Tax Withholding for Share-based Compensation									0	0
Purchases of Third Point Re common shares under share repurchase program										0	0
Net proceeds from deposit liability contracts									0	0	0
Change in total noncontrolling interests in related party, net										0	0
Dividend received by (paid to) parent									4,100	7,700	17,300
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities									4,100	7,700	17,300
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Including Exchange Rate Effect									(11)	(12)	120
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents	176				187				176	187	199	79
Reportable Legal Entities | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Operating activities
Net income (loss)									223,290	(301,692)	292,216
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									40	57	57
Share compensation expense									4,408	4,346	3,301
Net interest expense (income) on deposit liabilities									5,879	(1,273)	2,800
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments											480,045
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Trading Securities									(2,522)	(34,145)
Net realized and unrealized (gain) loss on investment in related party investment fund									(249,626)	280,847
Foreign exchange (gains) losses									(3,635)	7,503	(12,300)
Amortization of premium and accretion of discount, net									(1,560)	3,956	295
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Reinsurance balances receivable									30,039	(120,620)	(86,606)
Deferred acquisition costs, net									49,125	54,951	(37,175)
Increase (Decrease) in Prepaid Reinsurance Premiums									607	(16,503)	(354)
Increase (Decrease) in Reinsurance Recoverable									(3,489)	(918)	(1,112)
Other assets									634	(7,408)	3,657
Interest and dividends receivable, net									(862)	(2,716)	3,565
Unearned premium reserves									(78,168)	(46,582)	92,442
Loss and loss adjustment expense reserves									(157,849)	(225,670)	(97,922)
Accounts payable and accrued expenses									7,189	(30,172)	33,445
Reinsurance balances payable									11,964	28,728	(1,463)
Amounts due from (to) affiliates											7,660
Amounts due to affiliates									(6,150)	(2,594)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities									152,282	26,429	(57,095)
Proceeds from redemptions from related party investment fund									760,000	142,968
Investing activities
Contributions to related party investment fund									(87,000)	(136,626)
Purchases of investments									(327,463)	(3,483,319)	(3,099,525)
Change in participation agreement with related party investment fund									(2,297)	(20,852)
Proceeds from sales and maturities of investments									446,206	3,475,515	3,228,251
Purchases of investments to cover short sales										(853,798)	(791,753)
Proceeds from short sales of investments										800,508	1,048,552
Change in due to/from brokers, net									1,411	482,778	(149,898)
Increase (decrease) in securities sold under an agreement to repurchase										(29,618)	29,618
Contributed capital to subsidiaries									0	0
Proceeds from Contributed Capital									15,000	10,000
Net cash provided by investing activities									805,857	387,556	265,245
Financing activities
Proceeds from issuance of Third Point Re common shares, net of costs									0		0
Payments Related to Tax Withholding for Share-based Compensation									0	0
Purchases of Third Point Re common shares under share repurchase program										0	0
Net proceeds from deposit liability contracts									10,832	9,790	19,113
Change in total noncontrolling interests in related party, net										(97,950)	73,979
Dividend received by (paid to) parent									(28,349)	(161,800)	(59,300)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities									(17,517)	(249,960)	33,792
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Including Exchange Rate Effect									940,622	164,025	241,942
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents	1,653,772				713,150				1,653,772	713,150	549,125	307,183
Eliminations
Operating activities
Net income (loss)									(225,854)	340,101	(305,340)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Equity in earnings of subsidiaries									225,854	(340,101)	305,340
Share compensation expense									0	0	0
Net interest expense (income) on deposit liabilities									0	0	0
Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments											0
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Trading Securities									0	0
Net realized and unrealized (gain) loss on investment in related party investment fund									0	0
Foreign exchange (gains) losses									0	0	0
Amortization of premium and accretion of discount, net									0	0	0
Changes in assets and liabilities:
Reinsurance balances receivable									0	0	0
Deferred acquisition costs, net									0	0	0
Increase (Decrease) in Prepaid Reinsurance Premiums									0	0	0
Increase (Decrease) in Reinsurance Recoverable									0	0	0
Other assets									0	0	0
Interest and dividends receivable, net									0	0	0
Unearned premium reserves									0	0	0
Loss and loss adjustment expense reserves									0	0	0
Accounts payable and accrued expenses									0	0	0
Reinsurance balances payable									0	0	0
Amounts due from (to) affiliates											0
Amounts due to affiliates									0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities									0	0	0
Proceeds from redemptions from related party investment fund									0	0
Investing activities
Contributions to related party investment fund									0	0
Purchases of investments									0	0	0
Change in participation agreement with related party investment fund									0	0
Proceeds from sales and maturities of investments									0	0	0
Purchases of investments to cover short sales										0	0
Proceeds from short sales of investments										0	0
Change in due to/from brokers, net									0	0	0
Increase (decrease) in securities sold under an agreement to repurchase										0	0
Contributed capital to subsidiaries									0	0
Proceeds from Contributed Capital									0	0
Net cash provided by investing activities									0	0	0
Financing activities
Proceeds from issuance of Third Point Re common shares, net of costs									0		0
Payments Related to Tax Withholding for Share-based Compensation									0	0
Purchases of Third Point Re common shares under share repurchase program										0	0
Net proceeds from deposit liability contracts									0	0	0
Change in total noncontrolling interests in related party, net										0	0
Dividend received by (paid to) parent									0	0	0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities									0	0	0
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents, Period Increase (Decrease), Including Exchange Rate Effect									0	0	0
Cash, Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Restricted Cash Equivalents	$ 0				$ 0				$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0