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DEBT AND FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS (DETAILS) (USD $)	12 Months Ended			0 Months Ended		1 Months Ended	0 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 01, 2014	Nov. 15, 2004	Mar. 23, 2010	Mar. 13, 2014
Senior notes [Line Items]
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes	$ 494,344,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfSeniorLongTermDebt	$ 0us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfSeniorLongTermDebt	$ 0us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfSeniorLongTermDebt
Redemption of senior notes	500,000,000us-gaap_MaturitiesOfSeniorDebt	0us-gaap_MaturitiesOfSeniorDebt	0us-gaap_MaturitiesOfSeniorDebt
Senior Notes [Member]
Senior notes [Line Items]
Interest Expense	72,000,000us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember	59,000,000us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember	59,000,000us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Senior Notes [Member] | 2004 AXIS Capital Holdings Limited Senior Notes [Member]
Senior notes [Line Items]
Face amount				500,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = axs_SeniorNotesAxisCapitalHoldingsLimited2004Member / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Interest rate				5.75%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = axs_SeniorNotesAxisCapitalHoldingsLimited2004Member / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Issue price (percentage of face amount)					99.785%axs_DebtInstrumentFaceAmountIssuePercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = axs_SeniorNotesAxisCapitalHoldingsLimited2004Member / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes					496,000,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfSeniorLongTermDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = axs_SeniorNotesAxisCapitalHoldingsLimited2004Member / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Redemption of senior notes				500,000,000us-gaap_MaturitiesOfSeniorDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = axs_SeniorNotesAxisCapitalHoldingsLimited2004Member / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Senior Notes [Member] | 2010 AXIS Capital Finance LLC Senior Notes [Member]
Senior notes [Line Items]
Face amount	500,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = axs_SeniorNotesAxisSpecialtyFinanceLlc2010Member / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Interest rate	5.875%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = axs_SeniorNotesAxisSpecialtyFinanceLlc2010Member / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Issue price (percentage of face amount)						99.624%axs_DebtInstrumentFaceAmountIssuePercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = axs_SeniorNotesAxisSpecialtyFinanceLlc2010Member / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes						495,000,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfSeniorLongTermDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = axs_SeniorNotesAxisSpecialtyFinanceLlc2010Member / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes Due 2019 Axis Specialty Finance PLC 2014 [Member]
Senior notes [Line Items]
Face amount	250,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = axs_SeniorNotesDue2019AxisSpecialtyFinancePLC2014Member / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Interest rate	2.65%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = axs_SeniorNotesDue2019AxisSpecialtyFinancePLC2014Member / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Issue price (percentage of face amount)							99.896%axs_DebtInstrumentFaceAmountIssuePercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = axs_SeniorNotesDue2019AxisSpecialtyFinancePLC2014Member / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes							248,000,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfSeniorLongTermDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = axs_SeniorNotesDue2019AxisSpecialtyFinancePLC2014Member / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Senior Notes [Member] | Senior Notes Due 2045 Axis Specialty Finance PLC 2014 [Member]
Senior notes [Line Items]
Face amount	250,000,000us-gaap_DebtInstrumentFaceAmount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = axs_SeniorNotesDue2045AxisSpecialtyFinancePLC2014Member / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Interest rate	5.15%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = axs_SeniorNotesDue2045AxisSpecialtyFinancePLC2014Member / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Issue price (percentage of face amount)							99.474%axs_DebtInstrumentFaceAmountIssuePercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = axs_SeniorNotesDue2045AxisSpecialtyFinancePLC2014Member / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
Net proceeds from issuance of senior notes							$ 246,000,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfSeniorLongTermDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = axs_SeniorNotesDue2045AxisSpecialtyFinancePLC2014Member / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
AXIS Specialty Finance LLC [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Senior notes [Line Items]
Percentage ownership in subsidiary	100.00%axs_OwnershipPercentageByParent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = axs_AXISSpecialtyFinanceLLCMember / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember
AXIS Specialty Finance PLC [Member] | Senior Notes [Member]
Senior notes [Line Items]
Percentage ownership in subsidiary	100.00%axs_OwnershipPercentageByParent / dei_LegalEntityAxis = axs_AXISSpecialtyFinancePLCMember / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_SeniorNotesMember

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Gross proceeds received on issue of the debt instrument, expressed as a percentage of the stated principal amount of the debt instrument.

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Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

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