XML 139 R124.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.10.0.1

Employee Benefit Plans (Schedule of Health Care Costs Trend Rates) (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Medicare Eligible Claims [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan, Assumed Health Care Cost Trend Rates [Abstract]
Defined Benefit Plan, Health Care Cost Trend Rate Assumed, Next Fiscal Year	10.00%	8.00%
Defined Benefit Plan, Assumed Health Care Cost Trend Rate, Description	8% down to 5% in 2024	9% down to 5% in 2024
Defined Benefit Plan, Year Health Care Cost Trend Rate Reaches Ultimate Trend Rate	2024	2020
Defined Benefit Plan, Ultimate Health Care Cost Trend Rate	5.00%	5.00%
Pre Medicare Eligible Claims [Member]
Defined Benefit Plan, Assumed Health Care Cost Trend Rates [Abstract]
Defined Benefit Plan, Health Care Cost Trend Rate Assumed, Next Fiscal Year	10.00%	8.00%
Defined Benefit Plan, Assumed Health Care Cost Trend Rate, Description	8% down to 5% in 2024	9% down to 5% in 2024
Defined Benefit Plan, Year Health Care Cost Trend Rate Reaches Ultimate Trend Rate	2024	2020
Defined Benefit Plan, Ultimate Health Care Cost Trend Rate	5.00%	5.00%

X

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumedHealthCareCostTrendRatesAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Description of direction and pattern of change in assumed health care cost trend rate used to measure expected cost of benefits for defined benefit postretirement plan.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanDescriptionOfDirectionAndPatternOfChangeForAssumedHealthCareCostTrendRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Assumed rate, for next fiscal year, based on annual change in cost of health care cost benefits used to measure expected cost of benefits covered by defined benefit postretirement plan. Factors include, but are not limited to, estimate of health care inflation, change in health care utilization or delivery pattern, technological advances, and change in health status of participant. Excludes factors for change in composition of plan population by age and dependency status.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (l)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108410482&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanHealthCareCostTrendRateAssumedNextFiscalYear
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Ultimate trend rate for health care cost for defined benefit postretirement plan.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (l)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108410482&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanUltimateHealthCareCostTrendRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Year ultimate health care cost trend rate is expected to be reached, in CCYY format.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (l)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108410482&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanYearHealthCareCostTrendRateReachesUltimateTrendRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	us-types:gYearListItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	rga_RetirementPlanTrendRateAxis=rga_MedicareEligibleClaimsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	rga_RetirementPlanTrendRateAxis=rga_PreMedicareEligibleClaimsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: