v2.4.0.6
Fair Value Measurements Fair Value Measurements (Quantitative Information Used As Level 3 Inputs) (Details) (USD $)
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Mar. 31, 2011
Dec. 31, 2011
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Net premiums written $ 492,575,000 $ 452,575,000  
Net reserve for claims and claim expenses 1,858,203,000   1,992,354,000
Senior secured bank loan funds [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Investment in closed end fund 21,000,000    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Assets, fair value 494,520,000    
Other assets and (liabilities). fair value 48,145,000    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Corporate [Member] | Discounted Cash Flow Valuation Technique [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Assets, fair value 17,584,000    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Corporate [Member] | Discounted Cash Flow Valuation Technique [Member] | Weighted Average or Actual [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Credit spread 4.10%    
Illiquidity premium 1.00%    
Risk-free rate 0.20%    
Dividend rate 5.90%    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Corporate [Member] | Internal Valuation Model Valuation Technique [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Assets, fair value 10,254,000    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Fixed Maturity Investments [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Assets, fair value 27,838,000    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Private Equity Funds [Member] | Net Asset Valuation Technique [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Assets, fair value 389,451,000    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Private Equity Funds [Member] | Net Asset Valuation Technique [Member] | Minimum [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Estimated performance (6.00%)    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Private Equity Funds [Member] | Net Asset Valuation Technique [Member] | Maximum [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Estimated performance 64.40%    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Private Equity Funds [Member] | Net Asset Valuation Technique [Member] | Weighted Average or Actual [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Estimated performance 8.40%    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Senior secured bank loan funds [Member] | Net Asset Valuation Technique [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Assets, fair value 21,000,000    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Senior secured bank loan funds [Member] | Net Asset Valuation Technique [Member] | Weighted Average or Actual [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Estimated performance 2.10%    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Hedge funds [Member] | Net Asset Valuation Technique [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Assets, fair value 6,746,000    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Hedge funds [Member] | Net Asset Valuation Technique [Member] | Minimum [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Estimated performance 0.00%    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Hedge funds [Member] | Net Asset Valuation Technique [Member] | Maximum [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Estimated performance 0.70%    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Hedge funds [Member] | Net Asset Valuation Technique [Member] | Weighted Average or Actual [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Estimated performance 0.20%    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Miscellaneous other investments [Member] | Discounted Cash Flow Valuation Technique [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Assets, fair value 1,340,000    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Miscellaneous other investments [Member] | Discounted Cash Flow Valuation Technique [Member] | Weighted Average or Actual [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Credit spread 7.50%    
Illiquidity premium 1.00%    
Risk-free rate 0.50%    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Other Investments [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Assets, fair value 418,537,000    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Assumed And Ceded Re Insurance Contracts Member | Internal Valuation Model Valuation Technique [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Other assets and (liabilities). fair value 6,163,000    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Assumed And Ceded Re Insurance Contracts Member | Internal Valuation Model Valuation Technique [Member] | Minimum [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Net premiums written 0    
Contract period 183 days    
Net reserve for claims and claim expenses 0    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Assumed And Ceded Re Insurance Contracts Member | Internal Valuation Model Valuation Technique [Member] | Maximum [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Net premiums written 6,000,000    
Contract period 365 days    
Net reserve for claims and claim expenses 0    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Energy And Weather Contracts [Member] | Spread Option, Quanto, Black Scholes and Simulation Valuation Techniques [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Other assets and (liabilities). fair value 26,565,000    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Energy And Weather Contracts [Member] | Spread Option, Quanto, Black Scholes and Simulation Valuation Techniques [Member] | Minimum [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Correlation 0.00%    
Volatility 7.00%    
Commodity curve 1.77    
Weather curve 19,000    
Counterparty default risk 0.00%    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Energy And Weather Contracts [Member] | Spread Option, Quanto, Black Scholes and Simulation Valuation Techniques [Member] | Maximum [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Correlation 100.00%    
Volatility 350.00%    
Commodity curve 66    
Weather curve 5,000,000    
Counterparty default risk 22.50%    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Other [Member] | Internal Valuation Model Valuation Technique [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Other assets and (liabilities). fair value 1,250,000    
Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3) [Member] | Other [Member] | Net Asset Valuation Technique [Member]
     
Fair Value Inputs, Assets and Liabilities, Quantitative Information [Line Items]      
Other assets and (liabilities). fair value $ 14,167,000