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SCHEDULE II - CONDENSED PARENT COMPANY BALANCE SHEET NOTES (DETAILS 3) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended |  | 1 Months Ended |  | 1 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2011 | Dec. 31, 2010 | Dec. 31, 2009 | Nov. 30, 2004 Senior Notes 2004 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Notes 2004 [Member] | Mar. 31, 2010 Senior Notes 2010 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Notes 2010 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 AXIS Capital Holdings Limited [Member] Financial Guarantee [Member] | Nov. 30, 2004 AXIS Capital Holdings Limited [Member] Senior Notes 2004 [Member] | Dec. 31, 2011 AXIS Capital Holdings Limited [Member] Senior Notes 2004 [Member]
Condensed Parent Company Financial Statements [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Principal amount |  |  |  |  | $ 500,000,000 |  | $ 500,000,000 |  |  | $ 500,000,000
Interest rate |  |  |  |  | 5.75% |  | 5.875% | 5.875% |  | 5.75%
Issue price (percentage of principal) |  |  |  | 99.785% |  | 99.624% |  |  | 99.785% |
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes | 0 | 494,870,000 | 0 | 496,000,000 |  | 495,000,000 |  |  | 496,000,000 |
Principal amount guaranteed |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 500,000,000 |  |

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- Definition The stated principal amount of the debt instrument at time of issuance, which may vary from the carrying amount because of unamortized premium or discount. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Accounting Principles Board Opinion (APB) -Number 21 -Paragraph 16, 20 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 835 -SubTopic 30 -Section 45 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6451184&loc=d3e28551-108399 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 835 -SubTopic 30 -Section 55 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584090&loc=d3e28878-108400 + Details
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