XML 16 R70.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9
Debt (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2014
Aug. 14, 2013
Oct. 10, 2014
Nov. 25, 2014
Debt Instrument            
Total debt $ 749,800,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt   $ 746,600,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt      
Repayments of Debt 1,300,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfDebt 0us-gaap_RepaymentsOfDebt        
Draw down of debt and revolving line of credit 4,500,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromLinesOfCredit 0us-gaap_ProceedsFromLinesOfCredit        
2012 OBH Senior Notes            
Debt Instrument            
Total debt 291,500,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_A2012ObhSeniorNotesMember
  286,000,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_A2012ObhSeniorNotesMember
     
WTM Bank Facility            
Debt Instrument            
Total commitment under revolving credit facility       425,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_WtmBankFacilityMember
   
Other Debt [Member]            
Debt Instrument            
Total debt 4,800,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_OtherDebtMember
  4,800,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_OtherDebtMember
     
OneBeacon | 2012 OBH Senior Notes            
Debt Instrument            
Debt instrument at face value 275,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_A2012ObhSeniorNotesMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_OnebeaconMember
  275,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_A2012ObhSeniorNotesMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_OnebeaconMember
     
Unamortized original issue discount (300,000)us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_A2012ObhSeniorNotesMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_OnebeaconMember
  (300,000)us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_A2012ObhSeniorNotesMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_OnebeaconMember
     
Total debt 274,700,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_A2012ObhSeniorNotesMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_OnebeaconMember
  274,700,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_A2012ObhSeniorNotesMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_OnebeaconMember
     
Sirius Group | SIG Senior Notes            
Debt Instrument            
Debt instrument at face value 400,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_SiriusGroupSeniorNotesMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_SiriusGroupMember
  400,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_SiriusGroupSeniorNotesMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_SiriusGroupMember
     
Unamortized original issue discount (300,000)us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_SiriusGroupSeniorNotesMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_SiriusGroupMember
  (300,000)us-gaap_DebtInstrumentUnamortizedDiscount
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_SiriusGroupSeniorNotesMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_SiriusGroupMember
     
Total debt 399,700,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_SiriusGroupSeniorNotesMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_SiriusGroupMember
  399,700,000us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_SiriusGroupSeniorNotesMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_SiriusGroupMember
     
White Mountains | WTM Bank Facility            
Debt Instrument            
Total debt 0us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_WtmBankFacilityMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_WhiteMountainsMember
  0us-gaap_LongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_WtmBankFacilityMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_WhiteMountainsMember
     
Tranzact [Member] | Tranzact Bank Facility [Member]            
Debt Instrument            
Line of Credit Facility, Amount Outstanding 71,900,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityAmountOutstanding
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_TranzactBankFacilityMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_TranzactMember
  68,700,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityAmountOutstanding
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_TranzactBankFacilityMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_TranzactMember
     
Unamortized Debt Issuance Expense (1,300,000)us-gaap_UnamortizedDebtIssuanceExpense
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_TranzactBankFacilityMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_TranzactMember
  (1,300,000)us-gaap_UnamortizedDebtIssuanceExpense
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_TranzactBankFacilityMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_TranzactMember
     
Line of Credit Facility, Fair Value of Amount Outstanding 70,600,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityFairValueOfAmountOutstanding
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_TranzactBankFacilityMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_TranzactMember
  67,400,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityFairValueOfAmountOutstanding
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_TranzactBankFacilityMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_TranzactMember
  70,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityFairValueOfAmountOutstanding
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_TranzactBankFacilityMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_TranzactMember
 
Total commitment under revolving credit facility         74,500,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_TranzactBankFacilityMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_TranzactMember
 
Line of Credit Facility, Remaining Borrowing Capacity         4,500,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityRemainingBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_TranzactBankFacilityMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_TranzactMember
 
Repayments of Debt 1,300,000us-gaap_RepaymentsOfDebt
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_TranzactBankFacilityMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_TranzactMember
         
Draw down of debt and revolving line of credit 4,500,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromLinesOfCredit
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= wtm_TranzactBankFacilityMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_TranzactMember
         
Sirius International [Member] | Letter of Credit [Member]            
Debt Instrument            
number of Credit Lines           2wtm_NumberofCreditLines
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_LetterOfCreditMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_SiriusInternationalMember
Line of Credit Facility, Fair Value of Amount Outstanding           200,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityFairValueOfAmountOutstanding
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= us-gaap_LetterOfCreditMember
/ dei_LegalEntityAxis
= wtm_SiriusInternationalMember
Nordea Bank Finland            
Debt Instrument            
Total commitment under revolving credit facility           125,000,000.0us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= wtm_NordeaBankFinlandMember
Lloyds Bank plc [Member]            
Debt Instrument            
Total commitment under revolving credit facility           75,000,000.0us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= wtm_LloydsBankplcMember
Unsecured Debt [Member] | Nordea Bank Finland            
Debt Instrument            
Total commitment under revolving credit facility           100,000,000.0us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= wtm_NordeaBankFinlandMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_UnsecuredDebtMember
Unsecured Debt [Member] | Lloyds Bank plc [Member]            
Debt Instrument            
Total commitment under revolving credit facility           $ 25,000,000.0us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= wtm_LloydsBankplcMember
/ us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis
= us-gaap_UnsecuredDebtMember