Net Investment Income Net Investment Income (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Net Investment Income [Line Items]
Investment income	$ 147,659	$ 135,968	$ 412,485	$ 393,186
Investment expense	(1,991)	(2,754)	(7,635)	(8,150)
Net investment income	145,668	133,214	404,850	385,036
Fixed maturity securities, including cash and cash equivalents and loans receivable
Net Investment Income [Line Items]
Investment income	114,271	104,936	331,448	318,095
Investment funds
Net Investment Income [Line Items]
Investment income	25,293	22,926	60,385	50,838
Arbitrage trading account
Net Investment Income [Line Items]
Investment income	6,441	2,608	12,883	11,470
Equity securities available for sale
Net Investment Income [Line Items]
Investment income	1,069	1,109	3,217	3,513
Real estate
Net Investment Income [Line Items]
Investment income	$ 585	$ 4,389	$ 4,552	$ 9,270

Amount before accretion (amortization) of purchase discount (premium) of interest income and dividend income on nonoperating securities.

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeInterestAndDividend
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- 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=26872669&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

- Definition

Amount, after investment expense, of income earned from investments in securities and real estate. Includes, but is not limited to, real estate investment, policy loans, dividends, and interest. Excludes realized gain (loss) on investments.

+ References

Reference 1: 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

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 16
-Article 12

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_NetInvestmentIncome
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- 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_ScheduleOfInvestmentIncomeReportedAmountsByCategoryLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=wrb_FixedMaturitySecuritiesCashCashEquivalentsandLoansReceivableMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=wrb_ArbitrageTradingAccountMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_RealEstateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: