Capital Stock and Derivative Instruments - Additional Information (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands						12 Months Ended
	Jun. 01, 2016	May 15, 2015	Apr. 28, 2015	Jan. 05, 2015	Mar. 19, 2012	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	May 11, 2015	May 10, 2015	Jan. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Capital Stock Distribution [Line Items]
Common stock, shares authorized						3,500,000,000	3,500,000,000		3,500,000,000	500,000,000
Preferred stock, shares authorized						10,000,000			10,000,000	5,000,000
Common stock, par value						$ 0.00001	$ 0.00001		$ 0.00001	$ 0.00001
Preferred stock, par value						$ 0.00001			$ 0.00001	$ 0.00001
Conversion of shares									1
Warrants to purchase in aggregate, shares											61,400,000
Preferred deemed dividend								$ 9,455
Warrants expiration period						5 years
Maximum percent of the voting shares of the emerging entity immediately prior to the confirmation of reorganization						50.00%
Registration right period						180 days
Escrow deposit				$ 598,500		$ 572,900	$ 571,400
Derivative liability - embedded conversion feature							120,848
Derivative asset - embedded conversion feature						80,651
Changes in fair value						$ 201,499	(54,621)
Award vesting period						3 years
Number of additional Restricted Stock Awards Outstanding, Restricted stock awards granted						1,015,874
Unamortized value of unvested restricted share grant						$ 7,727	10,000	1,200
Equity-based compensation						$ 658	1,129	$ 807
Per share of unvested shares of common stock						$ 0.0001
Vested number of shares								190,070
Vested number of shares, outstanding								113,146
Vested number of shares, issued			76,924
Expected increase in additional paid in capital due to early vesting of equity shares							382
Expected increase in share based compensation due to early vesting of equity shares							$ 382
Common stock, shares issued						206,380,800	206,168,035	202,343,245
Common stock, shares outstanding						206,380,800	206,168,035	202,343,245
Warrants to purchase common stock, Issued						61,400,000	61,400,000	61,400,000
Warrants to purchase common stock, outstanding						61,400,000	61,400,000	61,400,000
Exec Grants [Member]
Capital Stock Distribution [Line Items]
Share price		$ 2.76
Restricted stock fair value						$ 7,100
Restricted stock price per share						$ 1.55
Chief Executive Officer [Member]
Capital Stock Distribution [Line Items]
Number of additional Restricted Stock Awards Outstanding, Restricted stock awards granted						507,937
Restricted stock award [Member]
Capital Stock Distribution [Line Items]
Amount of restricted stock grants						$ 500	$ 700	$ 1,300
Share price	$ 2.35	$ 2.76	$ 2.60
Unvested shares						6,380,800	6,168,035	2,343,245				1,842,351
Number of Restricted Stock Awards Outstanding, Restricted stock awards granted	212,765	3,555,556	269,234			212,765	3,824,790	500,894
Restricted stock award [Member] | Exec Grants [Member]
Capital Stock Distribution [Line Items]
Amount of restricted stock grants		$ 9,800
Restricted stock award [Member] | Chief Executive Officer [Member]
Capital Stock Distribution [Line Items]
Number of Restricted Stock Awards Outstanding, Restricted stock awards granted		1,777,778
Restricted stock award [Member] | Chief Operating Officer [Member]
Capital Stock Distribution [Line Items]
Number of Restricted Stock Awards Outstanding, Restricted stock awards granted		1,777,778
Restricted shares subject to repurchase [Member]
Capital Stock Distribution [Line Items]
Unvested shares						4,039,591	4,197,396	1,343,764				1,456,987
Number of Restricted Stock Awards Outstanding, Restricted stock awards granted						212,765	3,824,790	500,894
Minimum [Member]
Capital Stock Distribution [Line Items]
Preferred stock liquidation preference per share						$ 10.00
Minimum [Member] | Exec Grants [Member]
Capital Stock Distribution [Line Items]
Preferred stock additional shares conversion price						1.75
Restricted stock price per share						1.75
Maximum [Member] | Exec Grants [Member]
Capital Stock Distribution [Line Items]
Preferred stock additional shares conversion price						2.25
Convertible Series A Preferred Stock [Member]
Capital Stock Distribution [Line Items]
Preferred stock, par value						$ 0.00001	$ 0.00001
Preferred stock, shares issued						1,000,000	1,000,000	1,000,000			1,000,000
Purchase price of convertible preferred stock maximum limit											$ 11,100
Preferred stock liquidation preference						The Series A Preferred Stock has rights substantially similar to those associated with WMIH’s common stock, with the exception of a liquidation preference, conversion rights and customary anti-dilution protections. The Series A Preferred Stock has a liquidation preference equal to the greater of (i) $10.00 per one million shares of Series A Preferred Stock plus declared but unpaid dividends on such shares and (ii) the amount that the holder would be entitled to in a relevant transaction had the Series A Preferred Stock been converted to common stock of WMIH.
Convertible preferred stock conversion price						$ 1.10
Preferred deemed dividend						$ 9,500
Preferred stock, shares outstanding						1,000,000	1,000,000	1,000,000
Redeemable Convertible Series B Preferred Stock [Member]
Capital Stock Distribution [Line Items]
Issuance of common stock, Shares							600,000
Preferred stock, shares issued				600,000		600,000	600,000	0
Preferred stock dividend rate calculated on interest rate				3.00%
Preferred stock, redemption date						Jan. 05, 2018
Preferred stock, shares outstanding						600,000	600,000	0
Preferred stock, redemption amount						$ 600,000
Number of trading periods						20 days
Conversion ceiling price of common stock						$ 2.25
Conversion floor price of common stock						$ 1.75
Derivative liability - embedded conversion feature				$ 66,200			$ 120,800
Derivative asset - embedded conversion feature						$ 80,700
Changes in fair value						$ (201,500)	$ 54,600
Share price		$ 2.25
Redeemable Convertible Series B Preferred Stock [Member] | Derivative Asset [Member]
Capital Stock Distribution [Line Items]
Conversion floor price of common stock						$ 1.75
Redeemable Convertible Series B Preferred Stock [Member] | Derivative Liability [Member]
Capital Stock Distribution [Line Items]
Conversion ceiling price of common stock						$ 2.25
Common Stock [Member]
Capital Stock Distribution [Line Items]
Issuance of common stock, Shares					200,000,000
Warrant One [Member]
Capital Stock Distribution [Line Items]
Warrants to purchase common stock											30,700,000
Warrants to purchase common stock, exercise price											$ 1.32
Warrant Two [Member]
Capital Stock Distribution [Line Items]
Warrants to purchase common stock											30,700,000
Warrants to purchase common stock, exercise price											$ 1.43