XML 38 R73.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9

DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS (DETAILS 4) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Unrealized and Realized Gains (Losses) Recognized in Earnings for Derivatives Not Designated As Hedges [Line Items]
Unrealized and realized gains (losses) recognized in earnings for derivatives not designated as hedges	$ (17,011)us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet	$ 11,408us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet	$ 17,442us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet
Investment Portfolio [Member] | Foreign Exchange Forward Contracts [Member] | Net Realized Investment Gains (Losses) [Member]
Unrealized and Realized Gains (Losses) Recognized in Earnings for Derivatives Not Designated As Hedges [Line Items]
Unrealized and realized gains (losses) recognized in earnings for derivatives not designated as hedges	10,333us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_ForeignExchangeForwardMember / us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis = us-gaap_GainLossOnInvestmentsMember1 / axs_RelatedPortfolioAxis = axs_InvestmentPortfolioMember	10,843us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_ForeignExchangeForwardMember / us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis = us-gaap_GainLossOnInvestmentsMember1 / axs_RelatedPortfolioAxis = axs_InvestmentPortfolioMember	(9,170)us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_ForeignExchangeForwardMember / us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis = us-gaap_GainLossOnInvestmentsMember1 / axs_RelatedPortfolioAxis = axs_InvestmentPortfolioMember
Investment Portfolio [Member] | Interest Rate Swap [Member] | Net Realized Investment Gains (Losses) [Member]
Unrealized and Realized Gains (Losses) Recognized in Earnings for Derivatives Not Designated As Hedges [Line Items]
Unrealized and realized gains (losses) recognized in earnings for derivatives not designated as hedges	(19,936)us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember / us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis = us-gaap_GainLossOnInvestmentsMember1 / axs_RelatedPortfolioAxis = axs_InvestmentPortfolioMember	(3,112)us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember / us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis = us-gaap_GainLossOnInvestmentsMember1 / axs_RelatedPortfolioAxis = axs_InvestmentPortfolioMember	0us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember / us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis = us-gaap_GainLossOnInvestmentsMember1 / axs_RelatedPortfolioAxis = axs_InvestmentPortfolioMember
Underwriting Portfolio [Member] | Foreign Exchange Forward Contracts [Member] | Foreign Exchange Gains (Losses) [Member]
Unrealized and Realized Gains (Losses) Recognized in Earnings for Derivatives Not Designated As Hedges [Line Items]
Unrealized and realized gains (losses) recognized in earnings for derivatives not designated as hedges	(10,363)us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_ForeignExchangeForwardMember / us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis = us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyGainLossMember / axs_RelatedPortfolioAxis = axs_UnderwritingPortfolioMember	1,690us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_ForeignExchangeForwardMember / us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis = us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyGainLossMember / axs_RelatedPortfolioAxis = axs_UnderwritingPortfolioMember	26,612us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_ForeignExchangeForwardMember / us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis = us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyGainLossMember / axs_RelatedPortfolioAxis = axs_UnderwritingPortfolioMember
Underwriting Portfolio [Member] | Weather Related Derivative [Member] | Other Insurance Related Income [Member]
Unrealized and Realized Gains (Losses) Recognized in Earnings for Derivatives Not Designated As Hedges [Line Items]
Unrealized and realized gains (losses) recognized in earnings for derivatives not designated as hedges	(5,373)us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = axs_WeatherRelatedDerivativeMember / us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherOperatingIncomeExpenseMember / axs_RelatedPortfolioAxis = axs_UnderwritingPortfolioMember	1,987us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = axs_WeatherRelatedDerivativeMember / us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherOperatingIncomeExpenseMember / axs_RelatedPortfolioAxis = axs_UnderwritingPortfolioMember	0us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = axs_WeatherRelatedDerivativeMember / us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherOperatingIncomeExpenseMember / axs_RelatedPortfolioAxis = axs_UnderwritingPortfolioMember
Underwriting Portfolio [Member] | Commodity Contract [Member] | Other Insurance Related Income [Member]
Unrealized and Realized Gains (Losses) Recognized in Earnings for Derivatives Not Designated As Hedges [Line Items]
Unrealized and realized gains (losses) recognized in earnings for derivatives not designated as hedges	$ 8,328us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember / us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherOperatingIncomeExpenseMember / axs_RelatedPortfolioAxis = axs_UnderwritingPortfolioMember	$ 0us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember / us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherOperatingIncomeExpenseMember / axs_RelatedPortfolioAxis = axs_UnderwritingPortfolioMember	$ 0us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsNotDesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentsGainLossNet / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_CommodityContractMember / us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis = us-gaap_OtherOperatingIncomeExpenseMember / axs_RelatedPortfolioAxis = axs_UnderwritingPortfolioMember

X

- Details

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

X

- Definition

Amount of realized and unrealized gain (loss) of derivative instruments not designated or qualifying as hedging instruments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 815

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4C

-Subparagraph (e)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35706170&loc=SL5624171-113959

+ Details

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

X

- Details

Name:	axs_RelatedPortfolioAxis=axs_InvestmentPortfolioMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	axs_RelatedPortfolioAxis=axs_UnderwritingPortfolioMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: