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Income Tax (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2011
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]        
Deferred Tax Assets, Valuation Allowance $ 112,005,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance $ 102,228,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance    
Tax Adjustments Settlements And Unusual Provisions 4,200,000us-gaap_TaxAdjustmentsSettlementsAndUnusualProvisions      
Deferred Tax Liability Not Recognized, Amount of Unrecognized Deferred Tax Liability 1,115,200,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilityNotRecognizedAmountOfUnrecognizedDeferredTaxLiabilityUndistributedEarningsOfForeignSubsidiaries 1,154,400,000us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilityNotRecognizedAmountOfUnrecognizedDeferredTaxLiabilityUndistributedEarningsOfForeignSubsidiaries    
Proceeds from Income Tax Refunds 9,300,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIncomeTaxRefunds 2,600,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIncomeTaxRefunds 16,200,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIncomeTaxRefunds  
Cash paid for income taxes 79,600,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid 113,400,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid 113,200,000us-gaap_IncomeTaxesPaid  
Operating Loss Carryforwards 647,000,000us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards 916,400,000us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards    
Operating Loss Carryforwards With Expiration Dates 19,100,000rga_OperatingLossCarryforwardsWithExpirationDates      
Unrecognized Tax Benefits 274,661,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits 279,801,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits 245,636,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits 194,260,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Unrecognized Tax Benefits that Would Impact Effective Tax Rate 30,800,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate      
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Interest on Income Taxes Expense (36,600,000)us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsInterestOnIncomeTaxesExpense 7,600,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsInterestOnIncomeTaxesExpense 9,900,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsInterestOnIncomeTaxesExpense  
Unrecognized Tax Benefits, Interest on Income Taxes Accrued $ 20,700,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsInterestOnIncomeTaxesAccrued $ 57,300,000us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsInterestOnIncomeTaxesAccrued