XML 87 R103.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9
Compensation Plans (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Deferred Compensation Arrangement with Individual, Excluding Share-based Payments and Postretirement Benefits [Line Items]      
LTIP Expense $ 23,011,000us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualCompensationExpense $ 14,170,000us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualCompensationExpense $ 11,105,000us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualCompensationExpense
Deferred Profit Sharing      
Deferred Compensation Arrangement with Individual, Excluding Share-based Payments and Postretirement Benefits [Line Items]      
Profit Sharing Plan Minimum Contribution, Percent   5.00%wrb_DefinedContributionPlanMinimumAnnualContributionsPercent
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= us-gaap_DeferredProfitSharingMember
 
Profit Sharing Plan, Contributions Vesting Immediately, Percent   40.00%wrb_DefinedContributionPlanImmediateVestingPercent
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= us-gaap_DeferredProfitSharingMember
 
Profit Sharing Plan, Contributions Vesting Based on Years of Service, Percent   60.00%wrb_DefinedContributionPlanPeriodicVestingPercent
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= us-gaap_DeferredProfitSharingMember
 
Profit sharing expense 38,000,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= us-gaap_DeferredProfitSharingMember
34,000,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= us-gaap_DeferredProfitSharingMember
31,000,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= us-gaap_DeferredProfitSharingMember
2011 grant      
Deferred Compensation Arrangement with Individual, Excluding Share-based Payments and Postretirement Benefits [Line Items]      
Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan, Number of Units Oustanding 175,100wrb_DeferredCompensationArrangementwithIndividualUnitAwardsGrantedUnitsOutstanding
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= wrb_LongTermIncentiveCompensationPlan2011Member
   
Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan, Maximum Value 43,800,000wrb_DeferredCompensationArrangementwithIndividualUnitAwardsGrantedValue
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= wrb_LongTermIncentiveCompensationPlan2011Member
   
Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan, Earned 27,300,000wrb_DeferredCompensationArrangementwithIndividualUnitAwardsEarnedInPeriodValue
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= wrb_LongTermIncentiveCompensationPlan2011Member
   
LTIP Expense 9,855,000us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= wrb_LongTermIncentiveCompensationPlan2011Member
6,939,000us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= wrb_LongTermIncentiveCompensationPlan2011Member
6,822,000us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= wrb_LongTermIncentiveCompensationPlan2011Member
2008 grant      
Deferred Compensation Arrangement with Individual, Excluding Share-based Payments and Postretirement Benefits [Line Items]      
Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan, Earned   23,000,000wrb_DeferredCompensationArrangementwithIndividualUnitAwardsEarnedInPeriodValue
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= wrb_LongTermIncentiveCompensationPlan2008Member
 
LTIP Expense 0us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= wrb_LongTermIncentiveCompensationPlan2008Member
0us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= wrb_LongTermIncentiveCompensationPlan2008Member
4,283,000us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= wrb_LongTermIncentiveCompensationPlan2008Member
2013 grant      
Deferred Compensation Arrangement with Individual, Excluding Share-based Payments and Postretirement Benefits [Line Items]      
Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan, Number of Units Oustanding 208,000wrb_DeferredCompensationArrangementwithIndividualUnitAwardsGrantedUnitsOutstanding
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= wrb_LongTermIncentiveCompensationPlan2013Member
   
Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan, Maximum Value 52,000,000wrb_DeferredCompensationArrangementwithIndividualUnitAwardsGrantedValue
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= wrb_LongTermIncentiveCompensationPlan2013Member
   
Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan, Earned 16,700,000wrb_DeferredCompensationArrangementwithIndividualUnitAwardsEarnedInPeriodValue
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= wrb_LongTermIncentiveCompensationPlan2013Member
   
LTIP Expense 9,493,000us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= wrb_LongTermIncentiveCompensationPlan2013Member
7,231,000us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= wrb_LongTermIncentiveCompensationPlan2013Member
0us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= wrb_LongTermIncentiveCompensationPlan2013Member
Long-term Incentive Compensation Plan, 2014 [Member]      
Deferred Compensation Arrangement with Individual, Excluding Share-based Payments and Postretirement Benefits [Line Items]      
Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan, Number of Units Oustanding 220,000wrb_DeferredCompensationArrangementwithIndividualUnitAwardsGrantedUnitsOutstanding
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= wrb_LongtermIncentiveCompensationPlan2014Member
   
Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan, Maximum Value 22,000,000wrb_DeferredCompensationArrangementwithIndividualUnitAwardsGrantedValue
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= wrb_LongtermIncentiveCompensationPlan2014Member
   
Long-Term Incentive Compensation Plan, Earned 3,700,000wrb_DeferredCompensationArrangementwithIndividualUnitAwardsEarnedInPeriodValue
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= wrb_LongtermIncentiveCompensationPlan2014Member
   
LTIP Expense $ 3,663,000us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= wrb_LongtermIncentiveCompensationPlan2014Member
$ 0us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= wrb_LongtermIncentiveCompensationPlan2014Member
$ 0us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualCompensationExpense
/ us-gaap_DeferredCompensationArrangementWithIndividualExcludingShareBasedPaymentsAndPostretirementBenefitsByTypeOfDeferredCompensationAxis
= wrb_LongtermIncentiveCompensationPlan2014Member