Earnings per Common Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017
Numerator:
Net income (loss) attributable to Maiden	$ 2,633	$ (16,326)	$ 24,905	$ 10,197
Dividends on preference shares	(8,546)	(6,033)	(17,091)	(12,066)
Amount allocated to participating common shareholders	(4)	9	(9)	(1)
Numerator for basic EPS - net income allocated to Maiden common shareholders	(5,917)	(22,350)	7,805	(1,870)
Numerator for diluted EPS - net income allocated to Maiden common shareholders	$ (5,917)	$ (22,350)	$ 7,805	$ (1,870)
Denominator:
Weighted average number of common shares - basic (in shares)	83,126,204	86,564,794	83,083,545	86,458,413
Potentially dilutive securities:
Share options and restricted share units (in shares)	0	0	289,740	0
Adjusted weighted average number of common shares and assumed conversions – diluted (in shares)	83,126,204	86,564,794	83,373,285	86,458,413
Basic earnings (loss) per share attributable to Maiden common shareholders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.07)	$ (0.26)	$ 0.09	$ (0.02)
Diluted earnings (loss) per share attributable to Maiden common shareholders (in dollars per share)	$ (0.07)	$ (0.26)	$ 0.09	$ (0.02)
Preference shares - Series A, C and D
Numerator:
Dividends on preference shares	$ (8,546)	$ (6,033)	$ (17,091)	$ (12,066)
Share options
Potentially dilutive securities:
Anti-dilutive share options excluded from diluted earnings per share (in shares)			571,143	24,000