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Comprehensive Income (Schedule of Reclassifications out of AOCI) (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
 3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Sep. 30, 2014
Jun. 30, 2014
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Sep. 30, 2013
Jun. 30, 2013
Mar. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]                      
Other investment related gains (losses), net                 $ 193,959us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfOtherInvestments $ 76,891us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfOtherInvestments $ 277,662us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfOtherInvestments
Investment income, net of related expenses                 1,713,691us-gaap_NetInvestmentIncome 1,699,865us-gaap_NetInvestmentIncome 1,436,206us-gaap_NetInvestmentIncome
Deferred Policy Acquisition Cost, Amortization Expense, Unrealized Investment Gains (Losses)                 4,480us-gaap_DeferredPolicyAcquisitionCostAmortizationExpenseUnrealizedInvestmentGainsLosses (16,181)us-gaap_DeferredPolicyAcquisitionCostAmortizationExpenseUnrealizedInvestmentGainsLosses 14,938us-gaap_DeferredPolicyAcquisitionCostAmortizationExpenseUnrealizedInvestmentGainsLosses
Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, Amortization Adjustment from AOCI, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, for Net Prior Service Cost (Credit), before Tax                 (485)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossAmortizationAdjustmentFromAOCIPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansForNetPriorServiceCostCreditBeforeTax (525)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossAmortizationAdjustmentFromAOCIPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansForNetPriorServiceCostCreditBeforeTax (298)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossAmortizationAdjustmentFromAOCIPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansForNetPriorServiceCostCreditBeforeTax
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Reclassification Adjustment from AOCI, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, for Net Gain (Loss), before Tax                 43,025us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossReclassificationAdjustmentFromAOCIPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansForNetGainLossBeforeTax (21,624)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossReclassificationAdjustmentFromAOCIPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansForNetGainLossBeforeTax 8,347us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossReclassificationAdjustmentFromAOCIPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansForNetGainLossBeforeTax
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest 276,743us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 231,815us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 300,535us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 199,440us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 229,490us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 201,695us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments (74,758)us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 278,827us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 1,008,533us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 635,254us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments 919,223us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)                 (324,486)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit (216,417)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit (287,330)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent 191,091us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss 157,996us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss 198,296us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss 136,664us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss 144,959us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss 137,955us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss (49,612)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss 185,535us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss 684,047us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss 418,837us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss 631,893us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Amortization Of Unrealized Pension And Postretirement Benefits [Member]                      
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]                      
Other Comprehensive (Income) Loss, Amortization Adjustment from AOCI, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, for Net Prior Service Cost (Credit), before Tax                 (333)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossAmortizationAdjustmentFromAOCIPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansForNetPriorServiceCostCreditBeforeTax
/ rga_AociComponentsAxis
= rga_AmortizationOfUnrealizedPensionAndPostretirementBenefitsMember		 373us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossAmortizationAdjustmentFromAOCIPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansForNetPriorServiceCostCreditBeforeTax
/ rga_AociComponentsAxis
= rga_AmortizationOfUnrealizedPensionAndPostretirementBenefitsMember		 [1]  
Other Comprehensive Income (Loss), Reclassification Adjustment from AOCI, Pension and Other Postretirement Benefit Plans, for Net Gain (Loss), before Tax                 (2,815)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossReclassificationAdjustmentFromAOCIPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansForNetGainLossBeforeTax
/ rga_AociComponentsAxis
= rga_AmortizationOfUnrealizedPensionAndPostretirementBenefitsMember		 [1] (4,138)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossReclassificationAdjustmentFromAOCIPensionAndOtherPostretirementBenefitPlansForNetGainLossBeforeTax
/ rga_AociComponentsAxis
= rga_AmortizationOfUnrealizedPensionAndPostretirementBenefitsMember		 [1]  
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest                 (3,148)us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
/ rga_AociComponentsAxis
= rga_AmortizationOfUnrealizedPensionAndPostretirementBenefitsMember		 (4,511)us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
/ rga_AociComponentsAxis
= rga_AmortizationOfUnrealizedPensionAndPostretirementBenefitsMember		  
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)                 1,082us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
/ rga_AociComponentsAxis
= rga_AmortizationOfUnrealizedPensionAndPostretirementBenefitsMember		 1,579us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
/ rga_AociComponentsAxis
= rga_AmortizationOfUnrealizedPensionAndPostretirementBenefitsMember		  
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent                 (2,066)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
/ rga_AociComponentsAxis
= rga_AmortizationOfUnrealizedPensionAndPostretirementBenefitsMember		 (2,932)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
/ rga_AociComponentsAxis
= rga_AmortizationOfUnrealizedPensionAndPostretirementBenefitsMember		  
Unrealized Appreciation Depreciation Of Investments [Member]                      
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]                      
Other investment related gains (losses), net                 26,405us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfOtherInvestments
/ rga_AociComponentsAxis
= rga_UnrealizedAppreciationDepreciationOfInvestmentsMember		 9,355us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfOtherInvestments
/ rga_AociComponentsAxis
= rga_UnrealizedAppreciationDepreciationOfInvestmentsMember		  
Investment income, net of related expenses                 1,212us-gaap_NetInvestmentIncome
/ rga_AociComponentsAxis
= rga_UnrealizedAppreciationDepreciationOfInvestmentsMember		 1,012us-gaap_NetInvestmentIncome
/ rga_AociComponentsAxis
= rga_UnrealizedAppreciationDepreciationOfInvestmentsMember		  
Deferred Policy Acquisition Cost, Amortization Expense, Unrealized Investment Gains (Losses)                 4,480us-gaap_DeferredPolicyAcquisitionCostAmortizationExpenseUnrealizedInvestmentGainsLosses
/ rga_AociComponentsAxis
= rga_UnrealizedAppreciationDepreciationOfInvestmentsMember		 [2] (16,181)us-gaap_DeferredPolicyAcquisitionCostAmortizationExpenseUnrealizedInvestmentGainsLosses
/ rga_AociComponentsAxis
= rga_UnrealizedAppreciationDepreciationOfInvestmentsMember		 [2]  
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest                 32,097us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
/ rga_AociComponentsAxis
= rga_UnrealizedAppreciationDepreciationOfInvestmentsMember		 (5,814)us-gaap_IncomeLossFromContinuingOperationsBeforeIncomeTaxesMinorityInterestAndIncomeLossFromEquityMethodInvestments
/ rga_AociComponentsAxis
= rga_UnrealizedAppreciationDepreciationOfInvestmentsMember		  
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)                 (7,319)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
/ rga_AociComponentsAxis
= rga_UnrealizedAppreciationDepreciationOfInvestmentsMember		 2,745us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
/ rga_AociComponentsAxis
= rga_UnrealizedAppreciationDepreciationOfInvestmentsMember		  
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent                 24,778us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
/ rga_AociComponentsAxis
= rga_UnrealizedAppreciationDepreciationOfInvestmentsMember		 (3,069)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
/ rga_AociComponentsAxis
= rga_UnrealizedAppreciationDepreciationOfInvestmentsMember		  
Amounts Reclassified From AOCI [Member]                      
Reclassification Adjustment out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Line Items]                      
Net Income (Loss) Attributable to Parent                 $ 22,712us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
/ rga_AociComponentsAxis
= rga_AmountsReclassifiedFromAociMember		 $ (6,001)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
/ rga_AociComponentsAxis
= rga_AmountsReclassifiedFromAociMember		  
[1] These AOCI components are included in the computation of the net periodic pension cost. See Note 10 – “Employee Benefit Plans” for additional details.
[2] This AOCI component is included in the computation of the deferred policy acquisition cost. See Note 8 – “Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs” for additional details.