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Fair Value Disclosures (Details 4) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Mortgage Loans [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Assets Carrying Value Prior To Impairment	$ 13,581,000	$ 32,671,000
Fair Value Assets Estimate Of Fair Value	13,700,000	28,875,000
Fair Value Assets Gains Losses	119,000	(3,796,000)
Limited Partnership Interest [Member]
Fair Value Assets And Liabilities Measured On Recurring And Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]
Fair Value Assets Carrying Value Prior To Impairment	11,590,000	0
Fair Value Assets Estimate Of Fair Value	9,161,000	0
Fair Value Assets Gains Losses	$ (2,429,000)	$ 0

X

- Definition

This element represents the carrying reported amount, before impairment, of an asset that is still held as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rga_FairValueAssetsCarryingValuePriorToImpairment
Namespace Prefix:	rga_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

This element represents the estimated fair value, after impairment, of an asset that is still held as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rga_FairValueAssetsEstimateOfFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	rga_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

This element represents the difference between the carrying value of the asset before being adjusted to fair value as of the reporting date and its reported estimated fair value as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	rga_FairValueAssetsGainsLosses
Namespace Prefix:	rga_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueAssetsAndLiabilitiesMeasuredOnRecurringAndNonrecurringBasisLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration