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Investments (Amortized Cost and Fair Value of Fixed Maturity Holdings by Industry Type) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | Mar. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014
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Corporate Securities by Investment Sector And Credit Rating [Line Items] |  |
Amortized Cost | $ 14,084,589 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost | $ 14,010,604 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
Estimated Fair Value | 15,179,135 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities | 14,885,583 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
% of Total | 100.00%rga_PercentageOfTotalAvailableForSaleSecurities | 100.00%rga_PercentageOfTotalAvailableForSaleSecurities
Finance |  |
Corporate Securities by Investment Sector And Credit Rating [Line Items] |  |
Amortized Cost | 4,842,257 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = rga_FinanceIndustryMember | 4,789,568 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = rga_FinanceIndustryMember
Estimated Fair Value | 5,186,461 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = rga_FinanceIndustryMember | 5,066,408 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = rga_FinanceIndustryMember
% of Total | 34.20%rga_PercentageOfTotalAvailableForSaleSecurities / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = rga_FinanceIndustryMember | 34.00%rga_PercentageOfTotalAvailableForSaleSecurities / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = rga_FinanceIndustryMember
Industrial |  |
Corporate Securities by Investment Sector And Credit Rating [Line Items] |  |
Amortized Cost | 7,699,936 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = rga_IndustrialMember | 7,639,330 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = rga_IndustrialMember
Estimated Fair Value | 8,270,678 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = rga_IndustrialMember | 8,086,067 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = rga_IndustrialMember
% of Total | 54.40%rga_PercentageOfTotalAvailableForSaleSecurities / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = rga_IndustrialMember | 54.30%rga_PercentageOfTotalAvailableForSaleSecurities / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = rga_IndustrialMember
Utility |  |
Corporate Securities by Investment Sector And Credit Rating [Line Items] |  |
Amortized Cost | 1,542,396 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = rga_UtilityIndustryMember | 1,581,706 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = rga_UtilityIndustryMember
Estimated Fair Value | $ 1,721,996 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = rga_UtilityIndustryMember | $ 1,733,108 us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = rga_UtilityIndustryMember
% of Total | 11.40%rga_PercentageOfTotalAvailableForSaleSecurities / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = rga_UtilityIndustryMember | 11.70%rga_PercentageOfTotalAvailableForSaleSecurities / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = rga_UtilityIndustryMember

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- Definition Amount of investment in debt and equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 25 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28360136&loc=d3e22054-111558 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -Subparagraph (aa) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=d3e27232-111563 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6871852&loc=d3e26610-111562 + Details
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- Definition This item represents the cost of debt and equity securities, which are categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading, net of adjustments including accretion, amortization, collection of cash, previous other-than-temporary impairments recognized in earnings (less any cumulative-effect adjustments recognized, as defined), and fair value hedge accounting adjustments, if any. + 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 210.5-02.2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
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