Third-Party Reinsurance - Effects of Reinsurance (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2021	Jun. 30, 2022	Jun. 30, 2021
Earned premiums:
Net earned premiums	$ 227.8	$ 124.3	$ 430.6	$ 235.3
Ark
Written premiums:
Gross	403.9	328.1	1,037.0	732.6
Ceded	(133.7)	(65.9)	(223.0)	(128.0)
Net written premiums	270.2	262.2	814.0	604.6
Earned premiums:
Gross	266.4	174.9	511.7	337.5
Ceded	(49.1)	(57.1)	(100.0)	(115.1)
Net earned premiums	217.3	117.8	411.7	222.4
Losses and loss adjustment expenses:
Gross	138.4	63.6	321.5	179.2
Ceded	(17.9)	(11.0)	(79.0)	(60.6)
Net losses and loss adjustment expenses	$ 120.5	$ 52.6	$ 242.5	$ 118.6

Amount of earned premiums ceded to other entities.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 235
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-17(Column C))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120401096&loc=d3e574992-122915

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 220
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04(1))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120400993&loc=SL114874131-224263

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 605
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6486672&loc=d3e27261-158547

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 605
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84167274&loc=d3e27175-158546

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 605
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (a)(2)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6486672&loc=d3e27261-158547

Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 605
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)(3)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6486672&loc=d3e27261-158547

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of written premiums ceded to other entities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 605
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)(3)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6486672&loc=d3e27261-158547

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 605
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)(2)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6486672&loc=d3e27261-158547

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount, before premiums ceded to other entities and premiums assumed by the entity, of premiums earned.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 220
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04(1))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120400993&loc=SL114874131-224263

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 235
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-17(Column B))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120401096&loc=d3e574992-122915

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 605
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)(1)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6486672&loc=d3e27261-158547

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 605
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6486672&loc=d3e27261-158547

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount, after effects of policies assumed or ceded, of expense related to the provision for policy benefits and costs incurred.

+ References

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount, after premiums ceded to other entities and premiums assumed by the entity, of premiums earned.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 220
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04(1))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120400993&loc=SL114874131-224263

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 235
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-17(Column E))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120401096&loc=d3e574992-122915

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 220
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04(13)(c))
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120399700&loc=SL114874048-224260

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 605
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)(3)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6486672&loc=d3e27261-158547

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of direct and assumed premiums written.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 605
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6486672&loc=d3e27261-158547

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount, after premiums ceded to other entities and premiums assumed by the entity, of premiums written.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 605
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)(1)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6486672&loc=d3e27261-158547

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 605
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6486672&loc=d3e27261-158547

+ Details

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

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of policy benefits and costs incurred for policies assumed.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99397103&loc=d3e6811-158387

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of reduction of provision for policy benefits and costs incurred for policies ceded.

+ References

+ Details

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

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Losses and Loss Adjustment Expense

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wtm_LossesAndLossAdjustmentExpenseAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	wtm_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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