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Commitments and Contingent Liabilities (Narrative Details) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2011 | Dec. 31, 2010
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items] |  |  |
Undrawn Outstanding Letters Of Credit In Favor Of Third Parties | $ 45,400,000 | $ 15,800,000 |
Undrawn Outstanding Letters Of Credit Between Subsidiaries | 763,500,000 | 582,900,000 |
Syndicated Revolving Credit Facility Capacity | 850,000,000 |  |
Syndicated Revolving Credit Facility Capacity Undrawn Outstanding | 402,900,000 | 183,500,000 |
Operating Leases, Rent Expense | 19,500,000 | 18,800,000 | 17,100,000
Syndicated Credit Facility $850 Million [Member] |  |  |
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items] |  |  |
Syndicated Revolving Credit Facility Capacity | 850,000,000 |  |
Insurance Treaty Guarantee [Member] |  |  |
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items] |  |  |
Guarantor Obligations, Current Carrying Value | 686,000,000 | 697,500,000 |
Guarantee Of Borrowed Securities [Member] |  |  |
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items] |  |  |
Guarantor Obligations, Current Carrying Value | 87,500,000 | 150,000,000 |
Guarantee Of Lease Obligations [Member] |  |  |
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items] |  |  |
Operating Leases, Rent Expense | 10,100,000 | 11,700,000 |
Guarantee Of Subsidiary Collateral Financing [Member] |  |  |
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items] |  |  |
Operating Leases, Rent Expense | 300,000,000 |  |
Limited Partnerships [Member] |  |  |
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items] |  |  |
Commitments To Extend Credit | 176,700,000 | 156,600,000 |
Commercial Mortgage Loans [Member] |  |  |
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items] |  |  |
Commitments To Extend Credit | 22,200,000 | 33,600,000 |
Private Placement Investments [Member] |  |  |
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items] |  |  |
Commitments To Extend Credit |  | 100,000,000 |
Bank Loans [Member] |  |  |
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items] |  |  |
Commitments To Extend Credit | $ 68,500,000 |  |

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- Definition Loan commitments are legally binding commitments to extend credit to a counterparty under certain terms and conditions. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | rga_CommitmentsToExtendCredit
Namespace Prefix: | rga_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition Overall capacity of the Company's syndicated revolving credit facility. + References No definition available. + Details
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Balance Type: | credit
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- Definition Amount of undrawn outstanding letters of credit against the Company's syndicated revolving credit facility. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Undrawn outstanding letters of credit between subsidiaries of the Company. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Undrawn outstanding letters of credit in favor of third parties. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The current carrying amount of the liability for the freestanding or embedded guarantor's obligations under the guarantee or each group of similar guarantees. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) -Number 5 -Paragraph 9 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Interpretation (FIN) -Number 45 -Paragraph 13 -Subparagraph c -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 460 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6851643&loc=d3e12069-110248 + Details
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- Definition Rental expense incurred for leased assets including furniture and equipment which has not been recognized in costs and expenses applicable to sales and revenues; for example, cost of goods sold or other operating costs and expenses. + References No definition available. + Details
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