CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Preference shares [Member]	Common shares [Member]	Additional paid-in capital [Member]	Accumulated other comprehensive income [Member]	Retained earnings [Member]	Treasury shares [Member]	Noncontrolling interest in subsidiaries [Member]	Preference shares - Series D [Member] Preference shares [Member]	Preference shares - Series D [Member] Additional paid-in capital [Member]	Preference shares - Series B [Member] Preference shares [Member]	Preference shares - Series B [Member] Common shares [Member]	Preference shares - Series B [Member] Additional paid-in capital [Member]
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2015		$ 480,000	$ 747	$ 579,178	$ (23,767)	$ 316,184	$ (4,521)	$ 1,278
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of Preference Shares – Series D									$ 0
Mandatory conversion of Preference Shares - Series B											$ (165,000)	$ 121	$ 164,879
Exercise of options and issuance of shares			4	662
Share-based compensation expense				2,625
Issuance costs of Preference Shares - Series D										$ 0
Others				(141)
Change in net unrealized gains on investment					155,602
Foreign currency translation adjustment					(7,959)			32
Net (loss) income attributable to Maiden	$ 117,678					117,678
Dividends on preference shares						(27,723)
Dividends on common shares						(32,799)
Shares repurchased							(470)
Change in minority interest								(54)
Dividend paid to noncontrolling interest								(31)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	166							(166)
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2016	1,556,359	315,000	872	747,203	123,876	373,340	(4,991)	1,059
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (loss) income attributable to Maiden	40,852
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	56
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2016	1,556,359	315,000	872	747,203	123,876	373,340	(4,991)	1,059
Beginning balance at Dec. 31, 2016	1,361,152	315,000	873	749,256	14,997	285,662	(4,991)	355
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Issuance of Preference Shares – Series D									$ 150,000
Mandatory conversion of Preference Shares - Series B											$ 0	$ 0	$ 0
Exercise of options and issuance of shares			4	1,072
Share-based compensation expense				2,194
Issuance costs of Preference Shares - Series D										$ (5,058)
Others				0
Change in net unrealized gains on investment					69,926
Foreign currency translation adjustment					(38,844)			41
Net (loss) income attributable to Maiden	(44,854)					(44,854)
Dividends on preference shares						(20,611)
Dividends on common shares						(38,687)
Shares repurchased							(14,912)
Change in minority interest								0
Dividend paid to noncontrolling interest								0
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	34							(34)
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2017	1,421,389	465,000	877	747,464	46,079	181,510	(19,903)	362
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Net (loss) income attributable to Maiden	(55,051)
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests	3
Ending balance at Sep. 30, 2017	$ 1,421,389	$ 465,000	$ 877	$ 747,464	$ 46,079	$ 181,510	$ (19,903)	$ 362