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Commitments and Contingencies	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]
Commitments and Contingencies	Contingencies NSM Contingent Liability In connection with White Mountains’s acquisition of NSM, White Mountains and NSM entered into an agreement with American International Group, Inc. (“AIG”) to help facilitate a sale of NSM’s U.S. collector car renewal rights owned by AIG to a third party by December 31, 2019. Under the terms of the agreement, if the renewal rights are not sold by December 31, 2019, AIG has the right to require NSM to purchase the renewal rights for $82.5 million. The Company has guaranteed NSM’s obligations under the agreement with AIG. The manner in which these obligations are ultimately discharged depends on a number of factors, including the market value of the renewal rights, the number of potential buyers and the current and prospective environment for U.S. collector car insurance. White Mountains believes that the estimated fair value of the renewal rights is equal to or greater than $82.5 million and, accordingly, no accrual of a liability is necessary as of March 31, 2019. Sirius Group Tax Contingency 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.  In October 2018, the Swedish Administrative Court ruled against Sirius Group on its appeal of the Swedish Tax Agency’s denial of certain interest deductions relating to periods prior to the sale of Sirius Group to CMI. In connection with the sale, White Mountains indemnified Sirius Group against the loss of certain tax attributes, including those related to these interest deductions. As a result, as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, White Mountains recorded a liability of $16.6 million and $17.3 million, reflecting the value of these interest deductions. For the three months ended March 31, 2019, the change in the liability, of $0.7 million, is related to foreign currency translation and is included within net gain on sale of discontinued operations. Sirius Group has appealed the decision to the Swedish Administrative Court of Appeal. Legal Contingencies White Mountains is subject to litigation and arbitration in the normal course of business. White Mountains recognizes an accrual for litigation and arbitration if it is probable that a loss has been incurred and the amount can be reasonably estimated. White Mountains discloses litigation and arbitration 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 as of March 31, 2019 that is deemed probable of having a material adverse effect on White Mountains’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows.

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- References

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- Definition

The entire disclosure for loss and gain contingencies. Describes any existing condition, situation, or set of circumstances involving uncertainty as of the balance sheet date (or prior to issuance of the financial statements) as to a probable or reasonably possible loss incurred by an entity that will ultimately be resolved when one or more future events occur or fail to occur, and typically discloses the amount of loss recorded or a range of possible loss, or an assertion that no reasonable estimate can be made.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 30
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2127197

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/subtopic&trid=2127163

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