Pension Plans	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2012
Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]
Pension Plans	Pension Plans: As of June 30, 2012, the Company has four pension plans covering a portion of its work force. The four plans are the Old Republic International Salaried Employees Restated Retirement Plan (the Old Republic Plan), the Bituminous Casualty Corporation Retirement Income Plan (the Bituminous Plan), the Old Republic National Title Group Pension Plan (the Title Plan), and the PMA Capital Corporation Pension Plan (the PMA Plan). The plans are defined benefit plans pursuant to which pension payments are based primarily on years of service and employee compensation near retirement. It is the Company's policy to fund the plans' costs as they accrue. With the exception of the PMA Plan, these plans have been closed to new participants since December 31, 2004. The PMA Plan was frozen as of December 31, 2005. Under the terms of the freeze, the plan is closed to new participants and eligible employees retained all of their rights under the plan that they had vested as of December 31, 2005 but do not accrue any additional benefits thereafter. Plan assets are comprised principally of bonds, common stocks and short-term investments. Cash contributions of $13.9 were made to the pension plans in the first half of 2012, and additional cash contributions of $15.6 are expected to be made in the remaining portion of calendar year 2012.

Pension Plans

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2012

Compensation and Retirement Disclosure [Abstract]

Pension Plans:

As of June 30, 2012, the Company has four pension plans covering a portion of its work force. The four plans are the Old Republic International Salaried Employees Restated Retirement Plan (the Old Republic Plan), the Bituminous Casualty Corporation Retirement Income Plan (the Bituminous Plan), the Old Republic National Title Group Pension Plan (the Title Plan), and the PMA Capital Corporation Pension Plan (the PMA Plan). The plans are defined benefit plans pursuant to which pension payments are based primarily on years of service and employee compensation near retirement. It is the Company's policy to fund the plans' costs as they accrue. With the exception of the PMA Plan, these plans have been closed to new participants since December 31, 2004. The PMA Plan was frozen as of December 31, 2005. Under the terms of the freeze, the plan is closed to new participants and eligible employees retained all of their rights under the plan that they had vested as of December 31, 2005 but do not accrue any additional benefits thereafter. Plan assets are comprised principally of bonds, common stocks and short-term investments. Cash contributions of $13.9 were made to the pension plans in the first half of 2012, and additional cash contributions of $15.6 are expected to be made in the remaining portion of calendar year 2012.