Name:	us-gaap_AssetManagementFees1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

The carrying amount of assets an investment adviser manages on behalf of investors.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_AssetsUnderManagementCarryingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount of expenses related to the managing member or general partner for management of the day-to-day business functions of the limited liability company (LLC) or limited partnership (LP).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 850

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39549-107864

Name:	us-gaap_ManagementFeeExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Amount paid to managing member or general partner for management of the day-to-day business functions of the limited liability company (LLC) or limited partnership (LP).

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentForManagementFee
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

The cash outflow associated with the purchase of all investments (debt, security, other) during the period.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Investing Activities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 13

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3213-108585

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Amount of revenue, fees and commissions earned from transactions between (a) a parent company and its subsidiaries; (b) subsidiaries of a common parent; (c) an entity and trusts for the benefit of employees, for example, but not limited to, pension and profit-sharing trusts that are managed by or under the trusteeship of the entity's management; (d) an entity and its principal, owners, management, or members of their immediate families; and (e) affiliates.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1(e))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 1

-Article 5

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Related Parties

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=16382449

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 946

-SubTopic 225

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.6-07.1(c))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6488393&loc=d3e606610-122999

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 07

-Paragraph b

-Subparagraph 1

-Article 6

Name:	us-gaap_RevenueFromRelatedParties
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

The number of grants made during the period on other than stock (or unit) option plans (for example, phantom stock or unit plan, stock or unit appreciation rights plan, performance target plan).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)(2)(iii)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Price of a single share of a number of saleable stocks of a company.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 820

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (e)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25499696&loc=d3e19207-110258

Name:	us-gaap_SharePrice
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Amount of other investments classified as trading.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6871852&loc=d3e26610-111562

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 320

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6871852&loc=d3e26626-111562

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.4)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Trading Securities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6526789

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.(a),1(c),(d),(e),(f),(g))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph c, d, e, f, g

-Article 7

Name:	us-gaap_TradingSecuritiesOther
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Number of shares that have been repurchased during the period and are being held in treasury.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 04

-Article 3

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 505

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6928386&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 29, 30

-Article 5

Name:	us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Represents the amount of revenue over which the specified percentage of fees is chargeable pursuant to revenue sharing agreement with the related party.

No definition available.

Name:	wtm_AmountOfRevenueOverWhichSpecifiedPercentageOfFeesChargeablePursuantToRevenueSharingAgreementWithRelatedParty
Namespace Prefix:	wtm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

Assets under Management Related to Defined Benefit and Defined Contribution Plans

No definition available.

Name:	wtm_AssetsunderManagementRelatedtoDefinedBenefitandDefinedContributionPlans
Namespace Prefix:	wtm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

The carrying amount of limited partnership investments an investment adviser manages on behalf of investors.

No definition available.

Name:	wtm_LimitedPartnershipInvestmentsUnderManagementCarryingAmount
Namespace Prefix:	wtm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Number of years to receive portion of revenue

No definition available.

Name:	wtm_Numberofyearstoreceiveportionofrevenue
Namespace Prefix:	wtm_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Ownerhsip Percentage of Common Equity

No definition available.

Name:	wtm_OwnerhsipPercentageOfCommonEquity
Namespace Prefix:	wtm_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Represents the percentage of fees in excess of the specified amount of revenue is chargeable pursuant to revenue sharing agreement with the related party.

No definition available.

Name:	wtm_PercentageOfFeesInExcessOfSpecifiedAmountOfRevenueChargeablePursuantToRevenueSharingAgreementWithRelatedParty
Namespace Prefix:	wtm_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

The cash inflow associated with the sale of equity securities classified as trading.

No definition available.

Name:	wtm_ProceedsFromSaleOfTradingCommonEquitySecurities
Namespace Prefix:	wtm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Related Party Ownerhship Percentage

No definition available.

Name:	wtm_RelatedPartyOwnerhshipPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	wtm_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Incentive fees recognized during the period resulting from transactions (excluding transactions that are eliminated in consolidated or combined financial statements) with related party during the period.

No definition available.

Name:	wtm_RelatedPartyTransactionIncentiveFeesFromTransactionsWithRelatedParty
Namespace Prefix:	wtm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Represents the value of performance shares granted at the beginning of each performance cycle to the related party by the entity.

No definition available.

Name:	wtm_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantedAtBeginningOfPerformanceCycleToRelatedParty
Namespace Prefix:	wtm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Represents the payment made with respect to performance shares granted to the related party.

No definition available.

Name:	wtm_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsGrantsInPeriodPaymentMade
Namespace Prefix:	wtm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

Represents the percentage of performance shares that are actually awarded as a percentage of the target grant.

No definition available.

Name:	wtm_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardSharesActuallyAwardedAsPercentageOfTargetAwardsGranted
Namespace Prefix:	wtm_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award Targeted Performance Goal Percentage of Payout for Growth Target Percentage

No definition available.

Name:	wtm_SharebasedCompensationArrangementbySharebasedPaymentAwardTargetedPerformanceGoalPercentageofPayoutforGrowthTargetPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	wtm_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Investment Advisory Fees

No definition available.

Name:	wtm_WTM_InvestmentAdvisoryFees
Namespace Prefix:	wtm_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=wtm_OakumBayCapitalMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=wtm_OnebeaconMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	dei_LegalEntityAxis=wtm_WhiteMountainsAdvisorsLLCMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	invest_InvestmentAxis=wtm_TrimarcCapitalFundMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=wtm_PreferredEquitySecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionAxis=wtm_RevenuesharingagreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=us-gaap_BeneficialOwnerMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=wtm_ProspectorFundsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	wtm_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByPerformanceSharesAwardPerformanceCycleAxis=wtm_FirstThresholdLimitMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	wtm_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByPerformanceSharesAwardPerformanceCycleAxis=wtm_RangeOfPerformanceCycleFrom2011To2013Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	wtm_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByPerformanceSharesAwardPerformanceCycleAxis=wtm_RangeOfPerformanceCycleFrom2013To2015Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	wtm_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByPerformanceSharesAwardPerformanceCycleAxis=wtm_RangeOfPerformanceCycleFrom20142016Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	wtm_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByPerformanceSharesAwardPerformanceCycleAxis=wtm_RangeOfPerformanceCycleFrom2015to2017Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	wtm_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByPerformanceSharesAwardPerformanceCycleAxis=wtm_SecondThresholdLimitMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: