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Commitments and Contingent Liabilities (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) | Mar. 31, 2015 credit_facilities | Dec. 31, 2014
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Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items] |  |
Undrawn outstanding letters of credit in favor of third parties | $ 159,900,000 rga_UndrawnOutstandingLettersOfCreditInFavorOfThirdParties | $ 176,500,000 rga_UndrawnOutstandingLettersOfCreditInFavorOfThirdParties
Undrawn outstanding letters of credit between subsidiaries | 1,335,600,000 rga_UndrawnOutstandingLettersOfCreditBetweenSubsidiaries | 1,035,000,000 rga_UndrawnOutstandingLettersOfCreditBetweenSubsidiaries
Number of credit facilities | 8 rga_Numberofcreditfacilities |
Credit Facility 850 Million [Member] |  |
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items] |  |
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity | 850,000,000 us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity / us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis = rga_CreditFacility850MillionMember |
Letter of Credit [Member] |  |
Commitments And Contingent Liabilities [Line Items] |  |
Number of credit facilities | 7 rga_Numberofcreditfacilities / us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis = us-gaap_LetterOfCreditMember |
Line of Credit Facility, Maximum Borrowing Capacity | $ 818,500,000 us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity / us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis = us-gaap_LetterOfCreditMember |

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- Definition Undrawn outstanding letters of credit in favor of third parties. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 19, 22 -Article 5 + Details
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