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Investments (Investment Related Gains (Losses) Net) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2015 | Mar. 31, 2014
Investment Gains And Losses [Abstract] |  |
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments, Portion Recognized in Earnings, Net | $ 2,527 us-gaap_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLossesInvestmentsPortionRecognizedInEarningsNet | $ 303 us-gaap_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLossesInvestmentsPortionRecognizedInEarningsNet
Gain on investment activity | 19,201 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossRealizedGains | 8,067 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossRealizedGains
Loss on investment activity | (13,596)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossRealizedLosses | (6,583)us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossRealizedLosses
Other impairment losses and change in mortgage loan provision | (4,168)rga_OtherImpairmentLossesAndChangeInMortgageLoanProvision | 1,664 rga_OtherImpairmentLossesAndChangeInMortgageLoanProvision
Derivatives and other, net | 8,673 rga_DerivativesAndOtherInvestmentsNet | 81,726 rga_DerivativesAndOtherInvestmentsNet
Total investment related gains (losses), net | $ 7,583 us-gaap_RealizedInvestmentGainsLosses | $ 84,571 us-gaap_RealizedInvestmentGainsLosses

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- Definition Net realized gains or losses on investments during the period related to the change in value of embedded derivatives and other realized gains and losses not otherwise categorized. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Other impairment losses and change in mortgage loan provision. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition This item represents the gross profit realized on the sale of debt or equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=d3e27357-111563 + Details
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- Definition This item represents the gross loss realized on the sale of debt or equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=d3e27357-111563 + Details
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- Definition The amount of other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses on equity securities, OTTI related to credit losses on debt securities, and OTTI losses on debt securities when the entity intends to sell the securities or it is more likely than not that the entity will be required to sell the securities before recovery of its amortized cost basis. Additionally, this item includes OTTI losses recognized during the period on investments accounted for under the cost method of accounting. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 8B -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=SL6284393-111563 + Details
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- Definition The net realized gains or losses on investments during the period, not including gains or losses on securities separately or otherwise categorized as trading, available-for-sale, or held-to-maturity. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 225 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.3(a)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879464&loc=d3e573970-122913 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 325 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6485959&loc=d3e22529-158502 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph a -Article 7 + Details
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