The Company and its Subsidiaries - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014 Operations	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Mar. 19, 2012	Sep. 25, 2008
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Assets sold of WMB in exchange for payment					$ 1,880,000,000
Debtors field plan	Dec. 12, 2011
Plan Effective Date	Mar. 19, 2012
Claims distributed to parties-in-interest	6,500,000,000
Cash received from creditors	75,000,000
Senior credit facility	125,000,000
Senior credit facility for working capital	25,000,000
Senior credit facility for acquisitions and originations	100,000,000
Common stock, shares issued	202,343,245	201,842,351
Abandoned stock			8,370,000,000	8,370,000,000
Available and utilizable NOL		5,960,000,000
Number of operations	1
Common stock, shares authorized	500,000,000	500,000,000
Preferred stock, shares authorized	5,000,000	5,000,000
Common stock, par value	$ 0.00001	$ 0.00001
Preferred stock, par value	$ 0.00001	$ 0.00001
Common stock shares issued to new shareholders	194,670,501
Disputed equity escrow shares	5,329,499
Shares remained in disputed equity escrow	2,921,555
Preferred stock, shares issued	1,000,000	0
Common stock, shares outstanding	202,343,245	201,842,351
Preferred stock, shares outstanding	1,000,000	0
WMMRC [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Number of primary mortgage insurers	7
2012 Restricted Stock Unit Plan [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Common stock shares issued on effective date	200,000,000
New WMI Shareholders [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Common stock, shares issued	194,670,501
Escrow Deposit [Member}
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Common stock, shares issued	5,329,499
WMI Holdings Corp [Member}
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Common stock, shares issued	200,000,000
13% Senior First Lien Notes [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Issued aggregate principal amount	110,000,000
Debt amount percentage	13.00%
13% Senior Second Lien Notes [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Issued aggregate principal amount	$ 20,000,000
Debt amount percentage	13.00%