XML 30 R47.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9
Acquistions Acquisitions (Details) (USD $)
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Business Acquisition [Line Items]    
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals, Acquisition Costs or Sale Proceeds   $ 16,000,000us-gaap_SignificantAcquisitionsAndDisposalsAcquisitionCostsOrSaleProceeds
Assets of Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation   15,000,000us-gaap_AssetsOfDisposalGroupIncludingDiscontinuedOperation
Goodwill 150,551,000us-gaap_Goodwill 150,944,000us-gaap_Goodwill
Premiums and fees receivable 1,706,823,000us-gaap_PremiumsAndOtherReceivablesNet 1,651,088,000us-gaap_PremiumsAndOtherReceivablesNet
After Market Original Equipment Manufacturer    
Business Acquisition [Line Items]    
Business Acquisition, Transaction Costs   83,000,000us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionCostOfAcquiredEntityTransactionCosts
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= wrb_AfterMarketOriginalEquipmentManufacturerMember
Cash and cash equivalents   17,457,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedCashAndEquivalents
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= wrb_AfterMarketOriginalEquipmentManufacturerMember
Real estate, furniture and equipment   669,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedPropertyPlantAndEquipment
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= wrb_AfterMarketOriginalEquipmentManufacturerMember
Goodwill and other intangibles assets   79,646,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedIntangibleAssetsOtherThanGoodwill
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= wrb_AfterMarketOriginalEquipmentManufacturerMember
Premiums and fees receivable   24,432,000us-gaap_PremiumsAndOtherReceivablesNet
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= wrb_AfterMarketOriginalEquipmentManufacturerMember
Other assets   2,590,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedOtherNoncurrentAssets
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= wrb_AfterMarketOriginalEquipmentManufacturerMember
Total assets acquired   124,794,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedAssets
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= wrb_AfterMarketOriginalEquipmentManufacturerMember
Debt   0us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedNoncurrentLiabilitiesLongTermDebt
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= wrb_AfterMarketOriginalEquipmentManufacturerMember
Other liabilities assumed   (34,809,000)us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredAndLiabilitiesAssumedNoncurrentLiabilitiesOther
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= wrb_AfterMarketOriginalEquipmentManufacturerMember
Net assets acquired   82,878,000us-gaap_BusinessCombinationRecognizedIdentifiableAssetsAcquiredGoodwillAndLiabilitiesAssumedNet
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= wrb_AfterMarketOriginalEquipmentManufacturerMember
London Acquisition, Inactive insurance Company, and Worldwide Supplier of After-market (OEM) Parts [Member]    
Business Acquisition [Line Items]    
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Net   $ (7,107,000)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities
/ us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionAxis
= wrb_LondonAcquisitionInactiveinsuranceCompanyandWorldwideSupplierofAftermarketOEMPartsMember