XML 107 R92.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.20.4

Derivative Instruments (Non Hedging Derivatives and Embedded Derivatives Effect on Income Statement) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018
Income Affect Of Non Hedging Derivatives [Line Items] |  |  |
Total investment related gains (losses), net | $ (33) | $ 91 | $ (170)
Other revenues | (360) | (392) | (363)
Gain Loss On Investments Related To Change In Fair Value Of Derivatives Excluding Embedded Derivatives | 59 | 4 | 0
Indexed annuity products | (704) | (697) | (425)
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] |  |  |
Income Affect Of Non Hedging Derivatives [Line Items] |  |  |
Total investment related gains (losses), net | (25) | (37) | (1)
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Interest Rate Swap [Member] |  |  |
Income Affect Of Non Hedging Derivatives [Line Items] |  |  |
Total investment related gains (losses), net | 76 | 65 | (21)
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Future [Member] |  |  |
Income Affect Of Non Hedging Derivatives [Line Items] |  |  |
Total investment related gains (losses), net | (47) | (46) | 21
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Currency Swap [Member] |  |  |
Income Affect Of Non Hedging Derivatives [Line Items] |  |  |
Total investment related gains (losses), net | (7) | 0 | (4)
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Foreign Exchange Forward [Member] |  |  |
Income Affect Of Non Hedging Derivatives [Line Items] |  |  |
Total investment related gains (losses), net | 5 | 1 | 0
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Consumer Price Index Swap [Member] |  |  |
Income Affect Of Non Hedging Derivatives [Line Items] |  |  |
Total investment related gains (losses), net | 16 | (18) | (10)
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Credit Default Swap [Member] |  |  |
Income Affect Of Non Hedging Derivatives [Line Items] |  |  |
Total investment related gains (losses), net | 16 | 30 | (2)
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Equity [Member] |  |  |
Income Affect Of Non Hedging Derivatives [Line Items] |  |  |
Total investment related gains (losses), net | 0 | (40) | 7
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Longevity Swap [Member] |  |  |
Income Affect Of Non Hedging Derivatives [Line Items] |  |  |
Other revenues | 0 | (13) | (9)
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Mortality Swap [Member] |  |  |
Income Affect Of Non Hedging Derivatives [Line Items] |  |  |
Other revenues | 0 | (1) | 0
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Embedded Derivatives In Modified Coinsurance Or Funds Withheld Arrangements [Member] |  |  |
Income Affect Of Non Hedging Derivatives [Line Items] |  |  |
Total investment related gains (losses), net | (62) | 11 | (13)
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Embedded Derivatives In Indexed Annuity [Member] |  |  |
Income Affect Of Non Hedging Derivatives [Line Items] |  |  |
Indexed annuity products | (30) | (57) | (27)
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Embedded Derivatives In Variable Annuity [Member] |  |  |
Income Affect Of Non Hedging Derivatives [Line Items] |  |  |
Total investment related gains (losses), net | $ 8 | $ 5 | $ (15)

X
- Definition This item represents the amount recognized in investment related gains (losses) related to the change in the fair value of derivatives, excluding embedded derivatives. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | rga_GainLossOnInvestmentsRelatedToChangeInFairValueOfDerivativesExcludingEmbeddedDerivatives
Namespace Prefix: | rga_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Changes in estimated fair value related to embedded derivatives Abstract. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | rga_IncomeAffectOfNonHedgingDerivativesLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | rga_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investment. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 10 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121645371&loc=d3e27405-111563 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.7(c),9(a)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120395209&loc=SL114868664-224227 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/recommendedDisclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3602-108585 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_GainLossOnInvestments
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of interest expense for allocation to policyholder account balance. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 55 -Paragraph 13J -Subparagraph (g) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121639165&loc=SL117783734-158441 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 20 -Section 45 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6480726&loc=d3e6691-158385 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 50 -Paragraph 7A -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121643868&loc=SL117782755-158439 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 220 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04(6)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120400993&loc=SL114874131-224263 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 55 -Paragraph 29F -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121639165&loc=SL117819544-158441 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_InterestCreditedToPolicyholdersAccountBalances
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of revenue and income classified as other. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 220 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.4) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120400993&loc=SL114874131-224263 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_OtherIncome
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis=us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | rga_DerivativesNonHedgingInstrumentsAxis=us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | rga_DerivativesNonHedgingInstrumentsAxis=us-gaap_FutureMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | rga_DerivativesNonHedgingInstrumentsAxis=us-gaap_CurrencySwapMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | rga_DerivativesNonHedgingInstrumentsAxis=us-gaap_ForeignExchangeForwardMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | rga_DerivativesNonHedgingInstrumentsAxis=rga_ConsumerPriceIndexSwapMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | rga_DerivativesNonHedgingInstrumentsAxis=us-gaap_CreditDefaultSwapMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | rga_DerivativesNonHedgingInstrumentsAxis=us-gaap_EquityMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | rga_DerivativesNonHedgingInstrumentsAxis=rga_LongevitySwapMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | rga_DerivativesNonHedgingInstrumentsAxis=rga_MortalitySwapMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | rga_DerivativesNonHedgingInstrumentsAxis=rga_EmbeddedDerivativesInModifiedCoinsuranceOrFundsWithheldArrangementsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | rga_DerivativesNonHedgingInstrumentsAxis=rga_EmbeddedDerivativesInIndexedAnnuityMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | rga_DerivativesNonHedgingInstrumentsAxis=rga_EmbeddedDerivativesInVariableAnnuityMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |