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

X

- 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.

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- Definition

Other impairment losses and change in mortgage loan provision.

+ References

No definition available.

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X

- 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

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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

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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

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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

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