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Comprehensive Income (Tables) | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2012
Comprehensive Income [Abstract] |
Components Of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Text Block] |
|  |  |  | Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Income Tax
|  |  |  |  | Accumulated |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  | Currency |  |  | Unrealized |  |  | Pension and |  |  |
|  |  |  |  | Translation |  |  | Appreciation |  |  | Postretirement |  |  |
|  |  |  |  | Adjustments |  |  | of Securities |  |  | Benefits |  |  | Total
Balance, December 31, 2011 |  | $ | 229,795 |  | $ | 1,419,318 |  | $ | (30,960) |  | $ | 1,618,153
| Change in component during the period |  |  | 43,463 |  |  | 488,194 |  |  | 1,837 |  |  | 533,494
Balance, September 30, 2012 |  | $ | 273,258 |  | $ | 1,907,512 |  | $ | (29,123) |  | $ | 2,151,647
|  |  |  | Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Net of Income Tax
|  |  |  |  | Accumulated |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
|  |  |  |  | Currency |  |  | Unrealized |  |  | Pension and |  |  |
|  |  |  |  | Translation |  |  | Appreciation |  |  | Postretirement |  |  |
|  |  |  |  | Adjustments |  |  | of Securities |  |  | Benefits |  |  | Total
Balance, December 31, 2010 |  | $ | 255,295 |  | $ | 651,449 |  | $ | (14,560) |  | $ | 892,184
| Change in component during the period |  |  | (65,948) |  |  | 468,275 |  |  | 1,280 |  |  | 403,607
Balance, September 30, 2011 |  | $ | 189,347 |  | $ | 1,119,724 |  | $ | (13,280) |  | $ | 1,295,791

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- Definition Components of accumulated other comprehensive income. + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | rga_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Details
Name: | rga_ComprehensiveIncomeAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | rga_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration