XML 88 R71.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.6.0.2

Investments (Fair Value Below Amortized Cost of Gross Unrealized Losses for Fixed Maturity and Equity Securities) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015
Gross unrealized losses with number of securities [Line Items] |  |
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | $ 374,857 | $ 627,451
Percentage Of Total Gross Unrealized Losses | 100.00% | 100.00%
Less Than 20 Percent [Member] |  |
Gross unrealized losses with number of securities [Line Items] |  |
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | $ 337,831 | $ 463,109
Percentage Of Total Gross Unrealized Losses | 90.10% | 73.80%
More Than Or Equal To 20 Percent For Less Than Six Months [Member] |  |
Gross unrealized losses with number of securities [Line Items] |  |
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | $ 19,438 | $ 142,495
Percentage Of Total Gross Unrealized Losses | 5.20% | 22.70%
More Than Or Equal To 20 Percent For Six Months Or Greater [Member] |  |
Gross unrealized losses with number of securities [Line Items] |  |
Available-for-sale Securities, Gross Unrealized Losses | $ 17,588 | $ 21,847
Percentage Of Total Gross Unrealized Losses | 4.70% | 3.50%

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | rga_GrossUnrealizedLossesWithNumberOfSecuritiesLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | rga_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Percentage Of total Gross Unrealized Losses + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | rga_PercentageOfTotalGrossUnrealizedLosses
Namespace Prefix: | rga_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of unrealized loss before deducting unrealized gain on investments in available-for-sale securities. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=73527792&loc=d3e27161-111563 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossUnrealizedLoss
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | rga_EstimatedFairValueRangesByPercentageAndTimeAxis=rga_LessThan20PercentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | rga_EstimatedFairValueRangesByPercentageAndTimeAxis=rga_MoreThanOrEqualTo20PercentForLessThanSixMonthsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | rga_EstimatedFairValueRangesByPercentageAndTimeAxis=rga_MoreThanOrEqualTo20PercentForSixMonthsOrGreaterMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |