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Variable Interest Entities - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) | 9 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2012 | Aug. 31, 2012 Amerisafe Capital Trust II [Member] | May 31, 2012 Amerisafe Capital Trust II [Member] | Dec. 31, 2004 Amerisafe Capital Trust II [Member]
Marketable Securities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Proceeds from issuance of trust preferred securities |  |  |  | $ 25,000,000
Purchase of subordinated debt securities |  |  |  | 25,800,000
Redemption of debt securities | 25,780,000 | 12,900,000 | 12,900,000 |
Subordinated debt securities |  |  | $ 12,900,000 | $ 25,800,000

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- Definition Purchase Of Subordinated Debt + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The cash inflow from issuance of preferred stocks by a business trust or other special purpose entity, mainly established by a bank holding entity, to third party investors. The trust's assets are deeply subordinated debentures of the bank holding entity. Most trust preferred securities are subject to a mandatory redemption upon the repayment of the debentures. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Financing Activities -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6513228 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 14 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3255-108585 + Details
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- Definition The cash outflow from the repayment of long-term borrowing where a lender is placed in a lien position behind debt having a higher priority of repayment (senior) in case of liquidation of the entity's assets or underlying collateral. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 15 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3291-108585 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Financing Activities -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6513228 + Details
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- Definition Including the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of subordinated debt (with initial maturities beyond one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer). Subordinated debt places a lender in a lien position behind debt having a higher priority of repayment in liquidation of the entity's assets. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 16 -Article 9 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) -Number Topic 10 -Section F Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Article 5 -Subsection 19, 20, 22 + Details
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