XML 93 R83.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9
Investment Securities (Fair Value Measurement by Level) (Details) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
9 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2013
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2011
Investment securities          
Percentage of investments recorded at fair value   93.00%wtm_PercentageOfInvestmentsRecordedAtFairValue 95.00%wtm_PercentageOfInvestmentsRecordedAtFairValue    
Maximum percentage of price difference provided by pricing services   5.00%wtm_MaximumPercentageDifferencesBetweenPricesProvidedByPricingServicesConsideredOutliers      
Maximum price difference provided by pricing services $ 1.3wtm_MaximumDifferencesBetweenPricesProvidedByPricingServicesConsideredOutliers $ 1.0wtm_MaximumDifferencesBetweenPricesProvidedByPricingServicesConsideredOutliers      
Fair value investments   5,991.4us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure 6,766.5us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure 6,950.7us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure  
Fair value, investment-related liabilities   38.0us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentsSoldNotYetPurchasedAtFairValue 86.3us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentsSoldNotYetPurchasedAtFairValue    
Debt securities issued by corporations          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   2,311.2us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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2,347.2us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   1,840.9us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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2,014.5us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Other long-term investments          
Investment securities          
Carrying value of investment accounted for using the equity method   23.2us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Discontinued Operations          
Investment securities          
Investments reclassified to assets held for sale     236.3wtm_TradingSecuritiesDebtReclassifiedToAssetsHeldForSale
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338.1wtm_TradingSecuritiesDebtReclassifiedToAssetsHeldForSale
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Level 1          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   843.3us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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1,376.7us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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1,355.1us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Level 2          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   4,638.0us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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4,982.2us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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5,206.1us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Level 2 | Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   1,840.9us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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1,992.5us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Level 3 | Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   0us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Level 3 | Fixed maturity investments          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   76.7us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Level 3 | Common equity securities          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   40.2us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Level 3 | Convertible fixed maturity and preferred investments          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   8.2us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Level 3 | Other long-term investments          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   385.0us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Fair value measured on a recurring basis          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   6,863.1us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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7,402.4us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Fair value measured on a recurring basis | US Government and agency obligations          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   188.1us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Fair value measured on a recurring basis | Debt securities issued by corporations          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   2,311.2us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Fair value measured on a recurring basis | Debt securities issued by corporations | Financials          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   456.6us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Fair value measured on a recurring basis | Debt securities issued by corporations | Consumer          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   777.6us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Fair value measured on a recurring basis | Debt securities issued by corporations | Industrial          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   285.0us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Fair value measured on a recurring basis | Debt securities issued by corporations | Communications          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   237.5us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Fair value measured on a recurring basis | Debt securities issued by corporations | Utilities          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   169.8us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Fair value measured on a recurring basis | Debt securities issued by corporations | Energy          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   181.8us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Fair value measured on a recurring basis | Debt securities issued by corporations | Basic Materials          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   108.6us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Fair value measured on a recurring basis | Debt securities issued by corporations | Technology          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   87.9us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Fair value measured on a recurring basis | Debt securities issued by corporations | Other          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   6.4us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Fair value measured on a recurring basis | Mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   1,840.9us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Fair value measured on a recurring basis | Foreign government, agency and provincial obligations          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   275.1us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Fair value measured on a recurring basis | Preferred stocks          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   85.8us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Fair value measured on a recurring basis | Municipal obligations          
Investment securities          
Fair value investments   83.2us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Investment securities          
Fair value investments   4,784.3us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Investment securities          
Fair value investments   871.7us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Investment securities          
Fair value investments   45.1us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Investment securities          
Fair value investments   9.5us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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Investment securities          
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Investment securities          
Fair value investments   21.5us-gaap_InvestmentsFairValueDisclosure
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