Taxation (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Disclosure - Taxation [Abstract]

Components of income tax expense

		2011		2010		2009
Current income tax expense
U.S.	$	82,065	$	28,180	$	43,020
Non U.S.		72,268		36,706		47,980
Total current income tax expense	$	154,333	$	64,886	$	91,000
Deferred income tax (benefit) expense
U.S.	$	(36,780)	$	46,988	$	83,583
Non U.S.		(8,112)		4,738		86,837
Total deferred income tax (benefit) expense	$	(44,892)	$	51,726	$	170,420
Unrecognized tax (benefit) expense
U.S.	$	81	$	—	$	(461)
Non U.S.		(40,550)		12,172		1,131
Total unrecognized tax (benefit) expense	$	(40,469)	$	12,172	$	670
Total income tax expense
U.S.	$	45,366	$	75,168	$	126,142
Non U.S.		23,606		53,616		135,948
Total income tax expense	$	68,972	$	128,784	$	262,090

Schedule of Income before Income Tax, Domestic and Foreign [Table Text Block]

		2011		2010		2009
Domestic (Bermuda)	$	(634,310)	$	441,074	$	895,663
Foreign		182,991		540,262		903,281
(Loss) income before taxes	$	(451,319)	$	981,336	$	1,798,944

Reconciliation of effective tax rate

Reconciliation of effective tax rate (% of (loss) income before taxes)
Expected tax rate	0.0	%	0.0	%	0.0	%
Foreign taxes at local expected tax rates	(7.2)		14.9		14.2
Impact of foreign exchange gains	0.4		(3.4)		(0.4)
Unrecognized tax benefit	9.0		1.2		—
Tax-exempt income and expenses not deductible	(11.6)		(0.7)		(1.2)
Impact of enacted changes in tax laws	—		(1.9)		(0.1)
Foreign branch tax	(5.7)		(0.2)		1.8
Valuation allowance	(1.9)		2.0		—
Other	1.7		1.2		0.3
Actual tax rate	(15.3)	%	13.1	%	14.6	%

Significant components of net deferred tax assets and liabilities

		2011		2010
Deferred tax assets
Discounting of loss reserves and adjustment to life policy reserves	$	84,977	$	62,591
Foreign tax credit carryforwards		15,005		17,845
Tax loss carryforwards		31,823		4,723
Unearned premiums		19,152		20,191
Other deferred tax assets		35,040		9,319
		185,997		114,669
Valuation allowance		(29,201)		(19,642)
Deferred tax assets		156,796		95,027
Deferred tax liabilities
Deferred acquisition costs		42,913		47,152
Goodwill and other intangibles		71,000		73,174
Equalization reserves		104,884		113,293
Unrealized appreciation and timing differences on investments		105,817		82,226
Other deferred tax liabilities		32,397		32,877
Deferred tax liabilities		357,011		348,722
Net deferred tax liabilities	$	(200,215)	$	(253,695)

Schedule Of Net Tax Assets And Liabilities Table [Text Block]

		2011		2010
Net tax assets	$	66,574	$	14,960
Net tax liabilities		(297,153)		(316,325)
Net tax liabilities	$	(230,579)	$	(301,365)
		2011		2010
Net current tax (liabilities) assets	$	(18,074)	$	3,859
Net deferred tax liabilities		(200,215)		(253,695)
Net unrecognized tax benefit		(12,290)		(51,529)
Net tax liabilities	$	(230,579)	$	(301,365)

Total amount of unrecognized tax benefits

				Changes in tax		Tax positions		Change as a		Impact of the
				positions taken		taken		result of a lapse		change in
		January 1,		during a prior		during the		of the statute		foreign currency		December 31,
		2011		period		current period		of limitations		exchange rates		2011
Unrecognized tax benefits
	that, if recognized, would
	impact the effective tax rate	$	51,529	$	3,194	$	3,788	$	(47,886)	$	1,254	$	11,879
Interest and penalties
	recognized on the above		—		435		—		—		(24)		411
Total unrecognized tax benefits,
	including interest and penalties	$	51,529	$	3,629	$	3,788	$	(47,886)	$	1,230	$	12,290

				Changes in tax		Tax positions		Change as a		Impact of the
				positions taken		taken		result of a lapse		change in
		January 1,		during a prior		during the		of the statute		foreign currency		December 31,
		2010		period		current period		of limitations		exchange rates		2010
Unrecognized tax benefits
	that, if recognized, would
	impact the effective tax rate	$	41,935	$	13,215	$	2,578	$	(3,254)	$	(2,945)	$	51,529
Interest and penalties
	recognized on the above		544		104		—		(471)		(177)		—
Total unrecognized tax benefits,
	including interest and penalties	$	42,479	$	13,319	$	2,578	$	(3,725)	$	(3,122)	$	51,529

								Change as a		Impact of the
				Changes in		Tax positions		result of		change in
				tax positions		taken		a lapse of		foreign		Unrecognized
		January 1,		taken during a		during the		the statute of		currency		tax benefits		December 31,
		2009		prior period		current period		limitations		exchange rates		of Paris Re		2009
Unrecognized tax benefits
	that, if recognized, would
	impact the effective tax rate	$	39,208	$	2,053	$	21	$	(1,428)	$	623	$	1,458	$	41,935
Interest and penalties
	recognized on the above		559		347		—		(362)		—		—		544
Total unrecognized tax benefits,
	including interest and penalties	$	39,767	$	2,400	$	21	$	(1,790)	$	623	$	1,458	$	42,479