v3.8.0.1

Investments - Net Investment Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2017 | Sep. 30, 2016 | Sep. 30, 2017 | Sep. 30, 2016
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Investment income | $ 42,750 | $ 37,446 | $ 129,078 | $ 112,413
Investment expenses | (1,927) | (1,780) | (5,586) | (5,122)
Net investment income | 40,823 | 35,666 | 123,492 | 107,291
Fixed maturities [Member] |  |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Investment income | 40,369 | 35,769 | 123,849 | 108,018
Cash and cash equivalents [Member] |  |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Investment income | 899 | 506 | 1,328 | 1,147
Loans to related party [Member] |  |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Investment income | 913 | 599 | 2,441 | 1,729
Other [Member] |  |  |  |
Schedule of Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Investment income | $ 569 | $ 572 | $ 1,460 | $ 1,519

X
- Definition Amount before accretion (amortization) of purchase discount (premium) of interest income and dividend income on nonoperating securities. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.7(a),(b)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeInterestAndDividend
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of expenses related to the generation of investment income. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.9) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 225 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879464&loc=d3e573970-122913 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeInvestmentExpense
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount after accretion (amortization) of discount (premium), and investment expense, of interest income and dividend income on nonoperating securities. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.8) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.7(a),(b)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.9) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeNet
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ScheduleOfInvestmentsLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_FixedIncomeSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=mhld_NotesReceivableRelatedPartyMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=mhld_OtherMiscellaneousInvestmentsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |