XML 156 R105.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v2.4.0.8

Income Tax (Total Income Taxes Provided) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2011
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract] |  |  |
Income Tax Expense (Benefit) | $ 216,417 | $ 287,330 | $ 217,526
Income Tax Effects Allocated Directly to Equity [Abstract] |  |  |
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Holding Gain (Loss) on Securities Arising During Period, Tax | (467,454) | 246,682 | 275,975
Income Tax Effects Allocated Directly to Equity, Employee Stock Options | (3,125) | (2,902) | (4,934)
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Foreign Currency Translation Gain (Loss) Arising During Period, Tax | 12,330 | (921) | 1,579
Income Tax Effects Allocated Directly To Equity Employee Unrealized Pension And Post Retirement | (7,640) | 2,779 | 8,581
Income Tax Expense (Benefit), Intraperiod Tax Allocation | $ (234,192) | $ 527,410 | $ 481,565

X
- Definition The tax effects of pension and post retirement benefits transactions that are recognized differently for financial reporting and tax purposes, occurring during the period and charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | rga_IncomeTaxEffectsAllocatedDirectlyToEquityEmployeeUnrealizedPensionAndPostRetirement
Namespace Prefix: | rga_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeTaxDisclosureAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeTaxEffectsAllocatedDirectlyToEquityAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The tax effects of employee stock option transactions that are recognized differently for financial reporting and tax purposes, occurring during the period and charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 740 -Section 45 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6419406&loc=d3e23586-113945 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 740 -Section 45 -Paragraph 6 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6419406&loc=d3e23594-113945 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 11 -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=18498875&loc=d3e39076-109324 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeTaxEffectsAllocatedDirectlyToEquityEmployeeStockOptions
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 08 -Paragraph h -Article 4 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Income Tax Expense (or Benefit) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6515339 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -Subparagraph (a),(b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32639-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The sum of income tax expense or benefit for the period that has been allocated among continuing operations, discontinued operations, extraordinary items, other comprehensive income, and items charged or credited directly to shareholders' equity. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=18498875&loc=d3e38679-109324 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefitIntraperiodTaxAllocation
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of tax expense (benefit), before reclassification adjustments of gain (loss) on foreign currency translation adjustments, foreign currency transactions designated and effective as economic hedges of a net investment in a foreign entity and intra-entity foreign currency transactions that are of a long-term-investment nature. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 10A -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28358780&loc=SL7669646-108580 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 830 -SubTopic 30 -Section 45 -Paragraph 20 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6915805&loc=d3e32211-110900 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28358780&loc=d3e640-108580 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeForeignCurrencyTranslationGainLossArisingDuringPeriodTax
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of tax expense (benefit) before reclassification adjustments of unrealized holding gain (loss) on available-for-sale securities. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 12 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28358780&loc=d3e640-108580 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 10A -Subparagraph (e,f) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28358780&loc=SL7669646-108580 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeUnrealizedHoldingGainLossOnSecuritiesArisingDuringPeriodTax
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration