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Employee Benefit Plans (Schedule of Health Care Costs Trend Rates) (Details)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Pre Medicare Eligible Claims [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan, Assumed Health Care Cost Trend Rates [Abstract]    
Defined Benefit Plan, Health Care Cost Trend Rate Assumed for Next Fiscal Year 8.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanHealthCareCostTrendRateAssumedForNextFiscalYear
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= rga_PreMedicareEligibleClaimsMember
9.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanHealthCareCostTrendRateAssumedForNextFiscalYear
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= rga_PreMedicareEligibleClaimsMember
Defined Benefit Plan, Description of Direction and Pattern of Change for Assumed Health Care Cost Trend Rate 8% down to 5% in 2018 9% down to 5% in 2017
Defined Benefit Plan, Year that Rate Reaches Ultimate Trend Rate 2018 2017
Defined Benefit Plan, Ultimate Health Care Cost Trend Rate 5.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanUltimateHealthCareCostTrendRate
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= rga_PreMedicareEligibleClaimsMember
5.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanUltimateHealthCareCostTrendRate
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= rga_PreMedicareEligibleClaimsMember
Medicare Eligible Claims [Member]    
Defined Benefit Plan, Assumed Health Care Cost Trend Rates [Abstract]    
Defined Benefit Plan, Health Care Cost Trend Rate Assumed for Next Fiscal Year 8.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanHealthCareCostTrendRateAssumedForNextFiscalYear
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= rga_MedicareEligibleClaimsMember
9.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanHealthCareCostTrendRateAssumedForNextFiscalYear
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= rga_MedicareEligibleClaimsMember
Defined Benefit Plan, Description of Direction and Pattern of Change for Assumed Health Care Cost Trend Rate 8% down to 5% in 2018 9% down to 5% in 2017
Defined Benefit Plan, Year that Rate Reaches Ultimate Trend Rate 2018 2017
Defined Benefit Plan, Ultimate Health Care Cost Trend Rate 5.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanUltimateHealthCareCostTrendRate
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= rga_MedicareEligibleClaimsMember
5.00%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanUltimateHealthCareCostTrendRate
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= rga_MedicareEligibleClaimsMember