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Investments (Mortgage Loans by Property Type) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Mortgage Loans Property Type Indicators [Line Items]
Loans Receivable, Gross, Commercial, Real Estate	$ 2,718,709us-gaap_LoansReceivableCommercialRealEstate	$ 2,496,786us-gaap_LoansReceivableCommercialRealEstate
Mortgage Loans On Real Estate Commercial And Consumer Net Percentage Of Total	100.00%rga_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateCommercialAndConsumerNetPercentageOfTotal	100.00%rga_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateCommercialAndConsumerNetPercentageOfTotal
Apartment Building [Member]
Mortgage Loans Property Type Indicators [Line Items]
Loans Receivable, Gross, Commercial, Real Estate	376,430us-gaap_LoansReceivableCommercialRealEstate / us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis = us-gaap_ApartmentBuildingMember	289,394us-gaap_LoansReceivableCommercialRealEstate / us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis = us-gaap_ApartmentBuildingMember
Mortgage Loans On Real Estate Commercial And Consumer Net Percentage Of Total	13.80%rga_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateCommercialAndConsumerNetPercentageOfTotal / us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis = us-gaap_ApartmentBuildingMember	11.60%rga_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateCommercialAndConsumerNetPercentageOfTotal / us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis = us-gaap_ApartmentBuildingMember
Retail Site [Member]
Mortgage Loans Property Type Indicators [Line Items]
Loans Receivable, Gross, Commercial, Real Estate	802,466us-gaap_LoansReceivableCommercialRealEstate / us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis = us-gaap_RetailSiteMember	748,731us-gaap_LoansReceivableCommercialRealEstate / us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis = us-gaap_RetailSiteMember
Mortgage Loans On Real Estate Commercial And Consumer Net Percentage Of Total	29.60%rga_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateCommercialAndConsumerNetPercentageOfTotal / us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis = us-gaap_RetailSiteMember	30.00%rga_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateCommercialAndConsumerNetPercentageOfTotal / us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis = us-gaap_RetailSiteMember
Office Building [Member]
Mortgage Loans Property Type Indicators [Line Items]
Loans Receivable, Gross, Commercial, Real Estate	851,749us-gaap_LoansReceivableCommercialRealEstate / us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis = us-gaap_OfficeBuildingMember	917,284us-gaap_LoansReceivableCommercialRealEstate / us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis = us-gaap_OfficeBuildingMember
Mortgage Loans On Real Estate Commercial And Consumer Net Percentage Of Total	31.30%rga_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateCommercialAndConsumerNetPercentageOfTotal / us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis = us-gaap_OfficeBuildingMember	36.70%rga_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateCommercialAndConsumerNetPercentageOfTotal / us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis = us-gaap_OfficeBuildingMember
Industrial Property [Member]
Mortgage Loans Property Type Indicators [Line Items]
Loans Receivable, Gross, Commercial, Real Estate	466,583us-gaap_LoansReceivableCommercialRealEstate / us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis = us-gaap_IndustrialPropertyMember	439,890us-gaap_LoansReceivableCommercialRealEstate / us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis = us-gaap_IndustrialPropertyMember
Mortgage Loans On Real Estate Commercial And Consumer Net Percentage Of Total	17.20%rga_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateCommercialAndConsumerNetPercentageOfTotal / us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis = us-gaap_IndustrialPropertyMember	17.60%rga_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateCommercialAndConsumerNetPercentageOfTotal / us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis = us-gaap_IndustrialPropertyMember
Other Property [Member]
Mortgage Loans Property Type Indicators [Line Items]
Loans Receivable, Gross, Commercial, Real Estate	$ 221,481us-gaap_LoansReceivableCommercialRealEstate / us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis = us-gaap_OtherPropertyMember	$ 101,487us-gaap_LoansReceivableCommercialRealEstate / us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis = us-gaap_OtherPropertyMember
Mortgage Loans On Real Estate Commercial And Consumer Net Percentage Of Total	8.10%rga_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateCommercialAndConsumerNetPercentageOfTotal / us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis = us-gaap_OtherPropertyMember	4.10%rga_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateCommercialAndConsumerNetPercentageOfTotal / us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis = us-gaap_OtherPropertyMember

X

- Definition

The amount represents the total percentage of each property type in comparison to the total of mortgage loans whose balance represents the amount of loans that are secured by real estate mortgages, offset by the reserve to cover probable credit losses on the loan portfolio.

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Amount before allowance of commercial loans issued to businesses to acquire, develop, construct, improve, or refinance land or building. Includes deferred interest and fees, undisbursed portion of loan balance, unamortized costs and premiums and discounts from face amounts. Excludes loans covered under loss sharing agreements.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35738203&loc=d3e5066-111524



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 7

-Subparagraph a

-Article 9



Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.7(a))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878



Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1(c))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

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