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Investments (Fixed Maturity Securities Pledged And Received As Collateral) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	$ 14,084,589us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost	$ 14,010,604us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost
Available-for-sale Securities	15,179,135us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities	14,885,583us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
Collateral Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities, Amortized Cost Basis	148,411us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost / rga_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAxis = rga_CollateralFixedMaturitySecuritiesMember	127,229us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAmortizedCost / rga_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAxis = rga_CollateralFixedMaturitySecuritiesMember
Available-for-sale Securities	160,448us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / rga_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAxis = rga_CollateralFixedMaturitySecuritiesMember	134,863us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / rga_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAxis = rga_CollateralFixedMaturitySecuritiesMember
Collateral Received Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Available-for-sale Securities	128,643us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / rga_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAxis = rga_CollateralReceivedFixedMaturitySecuritiesMember	117,227us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities / rga_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAxis = rga_CollateralReceivedFixedMaturitySecuritiesMember
Reported Value Measurement [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Assets Held-in-trust	9,719,868us-gaap_AssetsHeldInTrust / rga_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember	10,197,489us-gaap_AssetsHeldInTrust / rga_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_CarryingReportedAmountFairValueDisclosureMember
Estimate of Fair Value Measurement [Member]
Schedule of Available-for-sale Securities [Line Items]
Assets Held-in-trust	$ 10,628,413us-gaap_AssetsHeldInTrust / rga_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember	$ 10,922,947us-gaap_AssetsHeldInTrust / rga_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_EstimateOfFairValueFairValueDisclosureMember

X

- Definition

The total amount of cash and securities held by third party trustees pursuant to terms of debt instruments or other agreements as of the date of each statement of financial position presented, which can be used by the trustee only to pay the noncurrent portion of specified obligations.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(b))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690

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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

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-Section 45

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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

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