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Income Tax (Total Income Taxes Provided) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Income Tax Effects Allocated Directly to Equity [Abstract]
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)	$ 324,486us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	$ 216,417us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	$ 287,330us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Unrealized Holding Gain (Loss) on Securities Arising During Period, Tax	348,697rga_OtherComprehensiveIncomeUnrealizedHoldingGainLossOnSecuritiesArisingDuringPeriodExcludingOCIBondTax	(467,454)rga_OtherComprehensiveIncomeUnrealizedHoldingGainLossOnSecuritiesArisingDuringPeriodExcludingOCIBondTax	246,682rga_OtherComprehensiveIncomeUnrealizedHoldingGainLossOnSecuritiesArisingDuringPeriodExcludingOCIBondTax
Income Tax Effects Allocated Directly to Equity, Employee Stock Options	3,011us-gaap_IncomeTaxEffectsAllocatedDirectlyToEquityEmployeeStockOptions	(3,125)us-gaap_IncomeTaxEffectsAllocatedDirectlyToEquityEmployeeStockOptions	(2,902)us-gaap_IncomeTaxEffectsAllocatedDirectlyToEquityEmployeeStockOptions
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Foreign Currency Translation Adjustment, Tax	22,998us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossForeignCurrencyTranslationAdjustmentTax	12,330us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossForeignCurrencyTranslationAdjustmentTax	(921)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossForeignCurrencyTranslationAdjustmentTax
Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, Reclassification Adjustment from AOCI, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, Tax	(14,770)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossReclassificationAdjustmentFromAOCIPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansTax	7,640us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossReclassificationAdjustmentFromAOCIPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansTax	(2,779)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossReclassificationAdjustmentFromAOCIPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansTax
Income Tax Expense (Benefit), Intraperiod Tax Allocation	$ 684,422us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefitIntraperiodTaxAllocation	$ (234,192)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefitIntraperiodTaxAllocation	$ 527,410us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefitIntraperiodTaxAllocation

X

- Definition

Amount of tax expense (benefit) before reclassification adjustments of unrealized holding gain (loss) on available-for-sale securities, including change in unrealized other-than-temporary impairments on fixed maturity securities.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- 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

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- 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

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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

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Amount of tax expense (benefit), after 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=36458714&loc=SL7669646-108580



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-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 12

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=36458714&loc=d3e640-108580

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Amount of tax (expense) benefit of reclassification adjustment from accumulated other comprehensive (income) loss related to pension and other postretirement defined benefit plans.

+ References

No definition available.

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