Earnings per Common Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Sep. 15, 2016	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Net (loss) income from continuing operations		$ (216,692)	$ (240,413)	$ (5,535)	$ 12,348	$ (116,466)	$ (43,983)	$ (1,927)	$ 14,727	$ (450,292)	$ (147,649)	$ 79,060
Add: net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests										(219)	(151)	842
Net (loss) income attributable to Maiden from continuing operations										(450,511)	(147,800)	79,902
Dividends on preference shares										(25,636)	(29,156)	(33,756)
Amount allocated to participating common shareholders										(17)	(23)	(7)
(Loss) income attributable to Maiden common shareholders, before discontinued operations										(476,164)	(176,979)	46,139
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income tax		$ (52,504)	$ (59,819)	$ 8,215	$ 9,995	$ (8,391)	$ (11,071)	$ (14,408)	$ 11,774	(94,113)	(22,096)	(30,922)
Numerator for basic and diluted EPS - net (loss) income allocated to Maiden common shareholders after assumed conversion(2)										$ (570,277)	$ (199,075)	$ 15,217
Weighted average number of common shares – basic (in shares)										83,050,362	85,678,232	77,534,860
Potentially dilutive securities:
Share options and restricted share units (in shares)										0	0	1,152,083
Adjusted weighted average number of common shares and assumed conversions - diluted (in shares)										83,050,362	85,678,232	78,686,943
Basic (loss) earnings from continuing operations per share attributable to Maiden common shareholders (in dollars per share)		$ (2.61)	$ (3.00)	$ (0.17)	$ 0.05	$ (1.49)	$ (0.61)	$ (0.09)	$ 0.10	$ (5.74)	$ (2.06)	$ 0.60
Basic loss from discontinued operations per share attributable to Maiden common shareholders (in dollars per share)		(0.64)	(0.72)	0.10	0.12	(0.10)	(0.13)	(0.17)	0.14	(1.13)	(0.26)	(0.40)
Basic (loss) earnings per share attributable to Maiden common shareholders (in dollars per share)		(3.25)	(3.72)	(0.07)	0.17	(1.59)	(0.74)	(0.26)	0.24	(6.87)	(2.32)	0.20
Diluted (loss) earnings per share attributable to Maiden common shareholders (in dollars per share)		(2.61)	(3.00)	(0.17)	0.04	(1.49)	(0.61)	(0.09)	0.10	(5.74)	(2.06)	0.58
Diluted loss from discontinued operations per share attributable to Maiden common shareholders (in dollars per share)		(0.64)	(0.72)	0.10	0.12	(0.10)	(0.13)	(0.17)	0.13	(1.13)	(0.26)	(0.39)
Diluted (loss) earnings per share attributable to Maiden common shareholders (in dollars per share)		$ (3.25)	$ (3.72)	$ (0.07)	$ 0.16	$ (1.59)	$ (0.74)	$ (0.26)	$ 0.23	$ (6.87)	$ (2.32)	$ 0.19
Series A, C and D preferred stock
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Dividends on preference shares										$ (25,636)	$ (29,156)	$ (24,785)
Series B Convertible Preference Shares
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Dividends on preference shares										$ 0	$ 0	$ (8,971)
Potentially dilutive securities:
Mandatory conversion of Preference Shares - Series B	$ 165,000
Number of shares converted (in shares)	12,069,090									0	0	12,069,090
Common shares issued per convertible preference share (in shares)	3.6573