The date when the equity-based award expires as specified in the award agreement, which may be presented in a variety of ways (for example, year, month and year, day, month and year, quarter of a year).

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 123R

-Paragraph A240

-Subparagraph a

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.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 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)(2)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardExpirationDating
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	us-types:dateStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Description of the period of time over which an employee's right to exercise an award is no longer contingent on satisfaction of either a service condition, market condition or a performance condition, which may be expressed in a variety of ways (for example, in years, month and year).

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 123R

-Paragraph A240

-Subparagraph a

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009.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 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	us-types:durationStringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Equity-based compensation cost during the period with respect to the award, which will be recognized in income (as well as the total recognized tax benefit) or capitalized as part of the cost of an asset.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 505

-SubTopic 50

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6406099&loc=d3e25284-112666

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (h)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 123R

-Paragraph 64, 65

-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 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 123R

-Paragraph A240

-Subparagraph g(1)

-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 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5047-113901

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

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

- Definition

Net number of share options (or share units) granted during the period.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 123R

-Paragraph A240

-Subparagraph b(1)(d)

-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 718

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (c)(1)(iv)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsGrantsInPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Percentage used to determine annual increase in exercise price of options.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wtm_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsAnnualPercentageIncreaseInExercisePrice
Namespace Prefix:	wtm_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the extension (in number of years) to exercise the options.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wtm_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExtensionOfExerciseTerm
Namespace Prefix:	wtm_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the number of non-qualified options that were extinguished as part of the option award amendment.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wtm_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsExtinguishedInPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	wtm_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents the initial exercise price per option to purchase common shares.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wtm_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsInitialExercisePrice
Namespace Prefix:	wtm_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The percentage limit of in-the-money potential value above $100 million.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wtm_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsInTheMoneyLimitValueOver100Million
Namespace Prefix:	wtm_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of in-the-money potential above which a 50% limit is imposed.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wtm_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsIntheMoneyThreshold
Namespace Prefix:	wtm_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

This element represents the amended exercise price (which is frozen at $742) for the non-qualified options.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	wtm_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardOptionsOutstandingAmendedExercisePrice
Namespace Prefix:	wtm_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Employee Share-Based Incentive Compensation Plans (Details 4) (Non-Qualified Options, USD $)	3 Months Ended	1 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2011	Jan. 31, 2007 Before amendments	May 31, 2010 Amended Grant Y	May 26, 2010 Amended Grant
Share-based compensation arrangement by share-based payment award
Stock-based awards, contractual term (in years)		P7Y
Vesting period (in years)		5 years
Initial exercise price (in dollars per share)		$ 650
Annual percentage increase in exercise price		5.00%
Extension of contractual term (in years)			3
Exercise price (in dollar per share)				$ 742
Number of shares extinguished				75,000
Threshold for in-the-money potential			$ 100,000,000
Limit on value of in-the-money options over $100 million (as a percent)			50.00%
Expense recognized	$ 100,000
Granted (in shares)		200,000