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Commitments and Contingent Liabilities Commitments and Contingent Liabilities (Commitments to Fund Investments) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | Mar. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014
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Limited Partner [Member] |  |
Fair Value, Off-balance Sheet Risks, Disclosure Information [Line Items] |  |
Fair Value Disclosure, Off-balance Sheet Risks, Face Amount, Liability | $ 233,330 us-gaap_FairValueDisclosureOffbalanceSheetRisksFaceAmountLiability / us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis = us-gaap_LimitedPartnerMember | $ 254,314 us-gaap_FairValueDisclosureOffbalanceSheetRisksFaceAmountLiability / us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis = us-gaap_LimitedPartnerMember
Commercial Loan [Member] |  |
Fair Value, Off-balance Sheet Risks, Disclosure Information [Line Items] |  |
Fair Value Disclosure, Off-balance Sheet Risks, Face Amount, Liability | 28,750 us-gaap_FairValueDisclosureOffbalanceSheetRisksFaceAmountLiability / us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis = us-gaap_CommercialLoanMember | 33,850 us-gaap_FairValueDisclosureOffbalanceSheetRisksFaceAmountLiability / us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis = us-gaap_CommercialLoanMember
Bank Loans [Member] |  |
Fair Value, Off-balance Sheet Risks, Disclosure Information [Line Items] |  |
Fair Value Disclosure, Off-balance Sheet Risks, Face Amount, Liability | 49,835 us-gaap_FairValueDisclosureOffbalanceSheetRisksFaceAmountLiability / us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis = us-gaap_BankLoanObligationsMember | 52,859 us-gaap_FairValueDisclosureOffbalanceSheetRisksFaceAmountLiability / us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis = us-gaap_BankLoanObligationsMember
Equity Release Mortgages [Member] |  |
Fair Value, Off-balance Sheet Risks, Disclosure Information [Line Items] |  |
Fair Value Disclosure, Off-balance Sheet Risks, Face Amount, Liability | $ 8,509 us-gaap_FairValueDisclosureOffbalanceSheetRisksFaceAmountLiability / us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis = rga_EquityReleaseMortgagesMember | $ 8,549 us-gaap_FairValueDisclosureOffbalanceSheetRisksFaceAmountLiability / us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis = rga_EquityReleaseMortgagesMember

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- Definition The face amount of financial liabilities, which are not recognized in the financial statements (off-balance sheet) because they fail to meet some other criterion for recognition. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_FairValueDisclosureOffbalanceSheetRisksFaceAmountLiability
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

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- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FairValueOffBalanceSheetRisksDisclosureInformationLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=rga_EquityReleaseMortgagesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_BankLoanObligationsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_CommercialLoanMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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- Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancialInstrumentAxis=us-gaap_LimitedPartnerMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |