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Commitments and Contingencies | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2017
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Commitments and Contingencies | Commitments and Contingencies White Mountains leases certain office space under non-cancellable operating leases that expire on various dates through 2021. Rental expense for all of White Mountains’s locations was $3.5 million, $3.4 million and $2.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015. White Mountains also has various other lease obligations that are immaterial in the aggregate. White Mountains’s future annual minimum rental payments required under non-cancellable leases, which are primarily for office space, are $2.7 million, $2.4 million, $2.2 million, and $9.1 million for the years 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 and thereafter. White Mountains also has future binding commitments to fund certain other long-term investments. These commitments, which total $109.3 million, do not have fixed funding dates. Legal Contingencies White Mountains is subject to litigation and arbitration in the normal course of business. White Mountains considers the requirements of ASC 450 when evaluating its exposure to litigation and arbitration. ASC 450 requires that accruals be established for litigation and arbitration if it is probable that a loss has been incurred and it can be reasonably estimated. ASC 450 also requires that litigation and arbitration be disclosed if it is probable that a loss has been incurred or if there is a reasonable possibility that a loss may have been incurred. White Mountains does not have any current litigation that may have a material adverse effect on White Mountains’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. The following description presents significant legal contingencies, ongoing non-claims related litigation or arbitration as of December 31, 2017: Esurance On October 7, 2011, the Company completed the sale of its Esurance Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries and Answer Financial Inc. and its subsidiaries (the “Transferred Subsidiaries”) to The Allstate Corporation (“Allstate”) pursuant to a Stock Purchase Agreement dated as of May 17, 2011. Subject to specified thresholds and limits, the Company remains contingently liable to Allstate for specified matters related to the pre-closing period, including (a) losses of the Transferred Subsidiaries arising from extra-contractual claims and claims in excess of policy limits, (b) certain corporate reorganizations effected to remove entities from the Transferred Subsidiaries that were not being sold in the transaction, and (c) certain tax matters, including certain net operating losses being less than stated levels. Sirius Tax Contingencies A subsidiary of Sirius Group, which was sold by White Mountains in 2016, has been denied interest deductions by the Swedish Tax Authority (“STA”) for tax years 2013-2016. The Swedish subsidiary has filed an appeal in the Swedish Administrative Court for tax year 2013 and will preserve its right to contest the STA’s decision for later years if needed. Sirius Group believes it is more likely than not that it will prevail in the court proceedings. However, if the ultimate decision in the Swedish courts is unfavorable, White Mountains would be required to indemnify Sirius Group for the tax effect of the interest deductions of approximately $19 million.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for commitments and contingencies. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2127136 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 440 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2144648 + Details
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