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Collateral Finance and Securitization Notes (Narrative) (Details) - USD ($) | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Jun. 30, 2006
Collateral Finance Facility [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument, Face Amount |  |  |  | $ 850,000,000.0
Direct investment in subsidiary |  |  |  | $ 112,800,000
Assets Held-in-trust | $ 932,600,000 | $ 922,800,000 |  |
Amount Held In Debt Service Coverage Account | 37,200,000 | 15,700,000 |  |
Collateral Financing Expense | 22,644,000 | 11,441,000 | $ 10,449,000 |
Repurchased Subsidiary Debt | 160,000,000 |  |  |
Gain on repurchase of long-term debt | 0 | 0 | 46,506,000 |
Debt Issuance Cost |  | 25,300,000 |  |
RGA Americas [Member] |  |  |  |
Collateral Finance Facility [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Debt Issuance Cost | 2,400,000 |  |  |
Reinsurance Group Of America Barbados [Member] |  |  |  |
Collateral Finance Facility [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Collateral Financing Expense | 2,300,000 |  |  |
Debt Issuance Cost | $ 1,300,000 |  |  |
Timerberlake Financial [Member] |  |  |  |
Collateral Finance Facility [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument, Issuance Date | Jun. 01, 2006 |  |  |
Collateral Financing Expense | $ 3,800,000 | 4,000,000 | $ 5,100,000 |
Repayments of Secured Debt | 112,000,000 |  |  |
Gain on repurchase of long-term debt | 46,500,000 |  |  |
Chesterfield Financial Holdings LLC [Member] |  |  |  |
Collateral Finance Facility [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument, Face Amount | 300,000,000.0 |  |  |
Assets Held-in-trust | 22,400,000 | 26,900,000 |  |
Collateral Financing Expense | 14,000,000 | $ 600,000 |  |
Debt Issuance Cost | $ 5,400,000 |  |  |
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage | 4.50% |  |  |
Minimum [Member] |  |  |  |
Collateral Finance Facility [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Statutory Accounting Practices, Statutory Capital and Surplus, Balance | $ 35,000,000 |  |  |

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