Fair value measurements - Fair Value Measurements by Level (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | Sep. 30, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Sep. 30, 2018 |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | $ 1,771.4 | $ 1,949.2 | |
Equity securities | 384.3 | 380 | |
Short-term investments, at fair value | 989.3 | 715.5 | |
Other long-term investments | 80.7 | 63.6 | |
Total investments | 3,225.7 | 3,108.3 | |
Derivative instruments | 6.3 | 4.1 | |
Total assets measured at fair value | 3,232 | 3,112.4 | |
Liabilities measured at fair value | | | |
Contingent consideration liabilities | 26 | 28.8 | |
Derivative instruments | 6.9 | 5.1 | |
Total liabilities measured at fair value | 32.9 | 33.9 | |
Corporate debt securities | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 547.7 | 695.8 | |
Residential mortgage-backed securities | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 391.5 | 413.5 | |
U.S. government and government agency | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 162.3 | 167.9 | |
Asset-backed securities | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 507.2 | 494.5 | |
Commercial mortgage-backed securities | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 104.6 | 115.9 | |
Non-U.S. government and government agency | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 38.4 | 50.3 | |
Preferred stocks | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 17.9 | 8.5 | |
U.S. States, municipalities, and political subdivision | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 1.8 | 2.8 | |
Investment grade fixed income mutual funds | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Equity securities | 150.9 | 157.7 | |
Common shares | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Equity securities | 231.8 | 222.3 | |
Other | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Equity securities | 1.6 | | |
Hedge funds and private equity funds | | | |
Liabilities measured at fair value | | | |
Fair value of hedges | 287.7 | 301.4 | $ 281.5 |
Level 1 | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 182.2 | 207.6 | |
Equity securities | 382.7 | 380 | |
Short-term investments, at fair value | 978.8 | 679.3 | |
Other long-term investments | 0 | 0 | |
Total investments | 1,543.7 | 1,266.9 | |
Derivative instruments | 1.6 | 0 | |
Total assets measured at fair value | 1,545.3 | 1,266.9 | |
Liabilities measured at fair value | | | |
Contingent consideration liabilities | 0 | 0 | |
Derivative instruments | 0 | 0.5 | |
Total liabilities measured at fair value | 0 | 0.5 | |
Level 1 | Corporate debt securities | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 0 | 0 | |
Level 1 | Residential mortgage-backed securities | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 0 | 0 | |
Level 1 | U.S. government and government agency | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 160.9 | 164.7 | |
Level 1 | Asset-backed securities | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 0 | 0 | |
Level 1 | Commercial mortgage-backed securities | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 0 | 0 | |
Level 1 | Non-U.S. government and government agency | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 21.3 | 42.9 | |
Level 1 | Preferred stocks | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 0 | 0 | |
Level 1 | U.S. States, municipalities, and political subdivision | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 0 | 0 | |
Level 1 | Investment grade fixed income mutual funds | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Equity securities | 150.9 | 157.7 | |
Level 1 | Common shares | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Equity securities | 231.8 | 222.3 | |
Level 1 | Other | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Equity securities | 0 | | |
Level 2 | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 1,572.2 | 1,736.2 | |
Equity securities | 1.6 | 0 | |
Short-term investments, at fair value | 10.5 | 36.2 | |
Other long-term investments | 0 | 0 | |
Total investments | 1,584.3 | 1,772.4 | |
Derivative instruments | 0 | 0 | |
Total assets measured at fair value | 1,584.3 | 1,772.4 | |
Liabilities measured at fair value | | | |
Contingent consideration liabilities | 0 | 0 | |
Derivative instruments | 0 | 0 | |
Total liabilities measured at fair value | 0 | 0 | |
Level 2 | Corporate debt securities | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 547.7 | 695.8 | |
Level 2 | Residential mortgage-backed securities | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 391.5 | 413.5 | |
Level 2 | U.S. government and government agency | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 1.4 | 3.2 | |
Level 2 | Asset-backed securities | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 507.2 | 494.5 | |
Level 2 | Commercial mortgage-backed securities | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 104.6 | 115.9 | |
Level 2 | Non-U.S. government and government agency | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 17.1 | 7.4 | |
Level 2 | Preferred stocks | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 0.9 | 3.1 | |
Level 2 | U.S. States, municipalities, and political subdivision | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 1.8 | 2.8 | |
Level 2 | Investment grade fixed income mutual funds | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Equity securities | 0 | 0 | |
Level 2 | Common shares | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Equity securities | 0 | 0 | |
Level 2 | Other | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Equity securities | 1.6 | | |
Level 3 | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 17 | 5.4 | |
Equity securities | 0 | 0 | |
Short-term investments, at fair value | 0 | 0 | |
Other long-term investments | 80.7 | 63.6 | |
Total investments | 97.7 | 69 | |
Derivative instruments | 4.7 | 4.1 | |
Total assets measured at fair value | 102.4 | 73.1 | |
Liabilities measured at fair value | | | |
Contingent consideration liabilities | 26 | 28.8 | |
Derivative instruments | 6.9 | 4.6 | |
Total liabilities measured at fair value | 32.9 | 33.4 | |
Level 3 | Corporate debt securities | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 0 | 0 | |
Level 3 | Residential mortgage-backed securities | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 0 | 0 | |
Level 3 | U.S. government and government agency | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 0 | 0 | |
Level 3 | Asset-backed securities | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 0 | 0 | |
Level 3 | Commercial mortgage-backed securities | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 0 | 0 | |
Level 3 | Non-U.S. government and government agency | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 0 | 0 | |
Level 3 | Preferred stocks | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 17 | 5.4 | |
Level 3 | U.S. States, municipalities, and political subdivision | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Fixed maturity investments, trading at fair value | 0 | 0 | |
Level 3 | Investment grade fixed income mutual funds | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Equity securities | 0 | 0 | |
Level 3 | Common shares | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Equity securities | 0 | $ 0 | |
Level 3 | Other | | | |
Assets measured at fair value | | | |
Equity securities | $ 0 | | |