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Commitments Contingencies and Guarantees (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Other Commitments [Line Items]      
Undrawn Outstanding Letters Of Credit In Favor Of Third Parties $ 176,500,000rga_UndrawnOutstandingLettersOfCreditInFavorOfThirdParties $ 210,300,000rga_UndrawnOutstandingLettersOfCreditInFavorOfThirdParties  
Undrawn Outstanding Letters Of Credit Between Subsidiaries 1,035,000,000rga_UndrawnOutstandingLettersOfCreditBetweenSubsidiaries 995,500,000rga_UndrawnOutstandingLettersOfCreditBetweenSubsidiaries  
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity 836,500,000.0us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity    
Line of Credit Facility, Commitment Fee Amount 12,600,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCommitmentFeeAmount 9,800,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCommitmentFeeAmount 7,300,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityCommitmentFeeAmount
Operating Leases, Rent Expense 19,300,000us-gaap_LeaseAndRentalExpense 18,500,000us-gaap_LeaseAndRentalExpense 19,500,000us-gaap_LeaseAndRentalExpense
Maximum Capital Lease Obligations As Offset Against Industrial Bonds 150,000,000rga_MaximumCapitalLeaseObligationsAsOffsetAgainstIndustrialBonds    
Insurance Treaty Guarantee Net Of Assets Held In Trust [Member]      
Other Commitments [Line Items]      
Guarantor Obligations, Current Carrying Value 664,913,000,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsCurrentCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= rga_InsuranceTreatyGuaranteeNetOfAssetsHeldInTrustMember		 647,941,000,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsCurrentCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= rga_InsuranceTreatyGuaranteeNetOfAssetsHeldInTrustMember		  
Guarantee Of Borrowed Securities [Member]      
Other Commitments [Line Items]      
Guarantor Obligations, Current Carrying Value 201,050,000,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsCurrentCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= rga_GuaranteeOfBorrowedSecuritiesMember		 93,000,000,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsCurrentCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= rga_GuaranteeOfBorrowedSecuritiesMember		  
Guarantee Of Subsidiary Collateral Financing [Member]      
Other Commitments [Line Items]      
Guarantor Obligations, Current Carrying Value 300,000,000us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsCurrentCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_GuaranteeObligationsByNatureAxis
= rga_GuaranteeOfSubsidiaryCollateralFinancingMember		    
Syndicated Credit Facility $850 Million [Member]      
Other Commitments [Line Items]      
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity $ 850,000,000us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
/ us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis
= rga_SyndicatedCreditFacility850MillionMember