Capital Maintenance Agreement (Details)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)
Essent Guaranty \| Capital maintenance agreement \| Essent PA
Capital Maintenance Agreement
Amounts outstanding	$ 0
Essent Guaranty \| Capital maintenance agreement \| Essent PA \| Maximum
Capital Maintenance Agreement
Risk to capital ratio	25.0
Essent PA
Capital Maintenance Agreement
Risk to capital ratio	6.8

For an unclassified balance sheet, amounts due from parties associated with the reporting entity as evidenced by a written promise to pay.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 235
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(k)(1))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 850
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39549-107864

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Related Parties
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=16382449

Name:	us-gaap_NotesReceivableRelatedParties
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant