XML 164 R149.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.20.4

Policy Claims and Benefits Policy Claims and Benefits (Rollforward of Claims and Claim Adjustment Expense) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018
Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense [Roll Forward] |  |  |
Liability for Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense Beginning Balance | $ 6,786 | $ 6,585 | $ 5,896
Reinsurance Recoverable for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustments, Beginning Balance | (564) | (433) | (456)
Liability For Unpaid Claims And Claims Adjustment Expense Net Of Recoverable, Beginning Balance | 6,222 | 6,152 | 5,440
Current Year Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense | 11,195 | 10,307 | 10,049
Prior Year Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense | 123 | 154 | 131
Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense, Incurred Claims | 11,318 | 10,461 | 10,180
Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense, Claims Paid, Current Year | (5,617) | (5,140) | (4,602)
Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense, Claims Paid, Prior Years | (5,204) | (5,305) | (4,692)
Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense, Claims Paid | (10,821) | (10,445) | (9,294)
Interest On Liability For Policy And Contract Claims | 36 | 33 | 25
Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense, Foreign Currency Translation Gain (Loss) | 160 | 21 | (199)
Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense Other | 196 | 54 | (174)
Liability For Unpaid Claims And Claims Adjustment Expense Net Of Recoverable, Ending Balance | 6,915 | 6,222 | 6,152
Reinsurance Recoverable for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustments, Ending Balance | 641 | 564 | 433
Liability for Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense, Ending Balance | $ 7,556 | $ 6,786 | $ 6,585

X
- Definition Interest incurred on the liability for policy and contract claims during the period. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | rga_InterestOnLiabilityForPolicyAndContractClaims
Namespace Prefix: | rga_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Liability as of the balance sheet date for amounts representing estimated cost of settling unpaid claims under the terms of the underlying insurance policies, less estimated reinsurance recoveries on such claims. This includes an estimate for claims which have been incurred but not reported. Claim adjustment expenses represent the costs estimated to be incurred in the settlement of unpaid claims. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | rga_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseNetOfRecoverable
Namespace Prefix: | rga_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense Total Other Adjustments + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | rga_LiabilityforUnpaidClaimsandClaimsAdjustmentExpenseOther
Namespace Prefix: | rga_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The amount needed to reflect the estimated ultimate cost of settling claims relating to insured events that have occurred on or before the balance sheet date, whether or not reported to the insurer at that date. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116884095&loc=d3e14764-158437 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (cc) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116884095&loc=d3e14764-158437 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LiabilityForClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpense
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount, after effects of reinsurance, of payments to settle claims incurred in the current period and related claims settlement costs. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116884095&loc=d3e14764-158437 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseClaimsPaidCurrentYear1
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount, after effects of reinsurance, of payments to settle claims incurred in prior periods and related claims settlement costs. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116884095&loc=d3e14764-158437 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseClaimsPaidPriorYears1
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of foreign currency gain (loss) which decreases (increases) the cost of settling unpaid claims after deduction of reinsurance recoveries. Includes, but is not limited to, claims which have been incurred but not reported. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseForeignCurrencyTranslationGainLoss
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount, after effects of reinsurance, of expense (reversal of expense) for claims incurred and costs incurred in the claim settlement process. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116884095&loc=d3e14764-158437 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseIncurredClaims1
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseNetAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount, after effects of reinsurance, of payments to settle insured claims and pay costs incurred in the claims settlement process. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116884095&loc=d3e14764-158437 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 25 -Subparagraph (g) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=121586364&loc=d3e3536-108585 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_PaymentsForLossesAndLossAdjustmentExpense
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount, after valuation allowance, recoverable under reinsurance contracts for losses reported to the ceding insurer but not yet paid and amounts expected for incurred losses and settlement expenses, which have not yet been reported to the ceding insurer. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 310 -Section 45 -Paragraph 6 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99404803&loc=d3e21412-158489 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99397103&loc=d3e6824-158387 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116884095&loc=d3e14764-158437 Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (cc) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116884095&loc=d3e14764-158437 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ReinsuranceRecoverableForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustments
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount, after effects of reinsurance, of expense for claims incurred in the current reporting period and related claims settlement costs. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116884095&loc=d3e14764-158437 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_SupplementalInformationForPropertyCasualtyInsuranceUnderwritersCurrentYearClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpense
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount, after effects of reinsurance, of expense (reversal of expense) for claims incurred in prior reporting periods and related claims settlement costs. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116884095&loc=d3e14764-158437 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_SupplementalInformationForPropertyCasualtyInsuranceUnderwritersPriorYearClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpense
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration