Fair Values of Financial Instruments - Additional Information (Detail)	Mar. 31, 2013
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]
Percentage of fair value amounts for fixed maturities provided by a pricing service	99.00%

Percentage of fair value amounts for fixed maturities provided by pricing service.

No definition available.

Name:	cb_PercentageOfFairValueAmountsForFixedMaturitiesProvidedByPricingService
Namespace Prefix:	cb_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant