v2.4.0.6
Condensed Consolidating Financial Information Provided In Connection With Outstanding Debt Of Subsidiaries (Condensed Consolidating Statement Of Operations) (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
 3 Months Ended 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2012
Jun. 30, 2011
Jun. 30, 2012
Jun. 30, 2011
Revenues        
Net premiums earned $ 244,416 $ 217,175 $ 523,081 $ 522,716
Net investment income 14,743 33,328 81,714 93,609
Net foreign exchange (losses) gains 2,410 (4,521) 950 (3,861)
Equity in earnings of other ventures 6,846 5,128 12,316 (18,625)
Other income 11,289 (5,167) (27,805) 44,978
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments 31,003 34,979 77,116 29,765
Net other-than-temporary impairments (209) 0 (343) 0
Total revenues 310,498 280,922 667,029 668,582
Expenses        
Net claims and claim expenses incurred 49,551 151,261 65,103 779,798
Acquisition expenses 25,608 13,883 49,719 46,218
Operational expenses 41,407 42,299 83,790 84,129
Corporate expenses 4,067 4,011 8,878 6,075
Interest expense 5,716 5,730 11,434 11,925
Total expenses 126,349 217,184 218,924 928,145
Income (loss) before equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries and taxes 184,149 63,738 448,105 (259,563)
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries 0 0 0 0
Income (loss) from continuing operations before taxes 184,149 63,738 448,105 (259,563)
Income tax expense (898) 1,773 (861) 1,825
Income from continuing operations 183,251 65,511 447,244 (257,738)
Income from discontinued operations 1,393 (10,094) 1,220 (11,620)
Net income 184,644 55,417 448,464 (269,358)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests (33,624) (21,903) (87,265) 63,589
Net income (loss) available (attributable) to RenaissanceRe 151,020 33,514 361,199 (205,769)
Dividends on preference shares (8,750) (8,750) (17,500) (17,500)
Net income available to RenaissanceRe common shareholders 142,270 24,764 343,699 (223,269)
RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. (Parent Guarantor) [Member]
        
Revenues        
Net premiums earned 0 0 0 0
Net investment income 3,243 5,586 7,691 10,750
Net foreign exchange (losses) gains (13) 5 7 96
Equity in earnings of other ventures 0 0 0 0
Other income 60 29 152 195
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments 4,907 3,324 8,419 2,332
Net other-than-temporary impairments 0   0  
Total revenues 8,197 8,944 16,269 13,373
Expenses        
Net claims and claim expenses incurred 0 0 0 0
Acquisition expenses 0 0 0 0
Operational expenses (1,303) (1,196) (2,614) (2,416)
Corporate expenses 3,501 3,474 7,679 5,515
Interest expense 1,469 2,559 2,938 7,534
Total expenses 3,667 4,837 8,003 10,633
Income (loss) before equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries and taxes 4,530 4,107 8,266 2,740
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries 146,490 29,407 352,933 (208,799)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before taxes 151,020 33,514 361,199 (206,059)
Income tax expense 0 0 0 290
Income from continuing operations 151,020 33,514 361,199 (205,769)
Income from discontinued operations 0 0 0 0
Net income 151,020 33,514 361,199 (205,769)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests 0 0 0 0
Net income (loss) available (attributable) to RenaissanceRe 151,020 33,514 361,199 (205,769)
Dividends on preference shares (8,750) (8,750) (17,500) (17,500)
Net income available to RenaissanceRe common shareholders 142,270 24,764 343,699 (223,269)
RenRe North America Holdings Inc. (Subsidiary Issuer) [Member]
        
Revenues        
Net premiums earned 0 0 0 0
Net investment income 206 203 475 219
Net foreign exchange (losses) gains 0 0 0 0
Equity in earnings of other ventures 0 0 0 0
Other income 0 0 0 0
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments 8 (39) 1,052 (39)
Net other-than-temporary impairments 0   0  
Total revenues 214 164 1,527 180
Expenses        
Net claims and claim expenses incurred 0 0 0 0
Acquisition expenses 0 0 0 0
Operational expenses 1,749 1,542 3,757 3,044
Corporate expenses 59 48 152 109
Interest expense 3,616 3,617 7,233 7,335
Total expenses 5,424 5,207 11,142 10,488
Income (loss) before equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries and taxes (5,210) (5,043) (9,615) (10,308)
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries 6,511 (2,568) (23,757) (732)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before taxes 1,301 (7,611) (33,372) (11,040)
Income tax expense (400) 1,512 (2,968) 3,077
Income from continuing operations 901 (6,099) (36,340) (7,963)
Income from discontinued operations 1,393 (10,094) 1,220 (11,620)
Net income 2,294 (16,193) (35,120) (19,583)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests 0 0 0 0
Net income (loss) available (attributable) to RenaissanceRe 2,294 (16,193) (35,120) (19,583)
Dividends on preference shares 0 0 0 0
Net income available to RenaissanceRe common shareholders 2,294 (16,193) (35,120) (19,583)
Other RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. Subsidiaries and Eliminations (Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries) [Member]
        
Revenues        
Net premiums earned 244,416 [1] 217,175 [1] 523,081 [1] 522,716 [1]
Net investment income 13,338 [1] 29,441 [1] 77,697 [1] 84,643 [1]
Net foreign exchange (losses) gains 2,423 [1] (4,526) [1] 943 [1] (3,957) [1]
Equity in earnings of other ventures 6,846 [1] 5,128 [1] 12,316 [1] (18,625) [1]
Other income 11,229 [1] (5,196) [1] (27,957) [1] 44,783 [1]
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments 26,088 [1] 31,694 [1] 67,645 [1] 27,472 [1]
Net other-than-temporary impairments (209) [1]   (343) [1]  
Total revenues 304,131 [1] 273,716 [1] 653,382 [1] 657,032 [1]
Expenses        
Net claims and claim expenses incurred 49,551 [1] 151,261 [1] 65,103 [1] 779,798 [1]
Acquisition expenses 25,608 [1] 13,883 [1] 49,719 [1] 46,218 [1]
Operational expenses 40,961 [1] 41,953 [1] 82,647 [1] 83,501 [1]
Corporate expenses 507 [1] 489 [1] 1,047 [1] 451 [1]
Interest expense 631 [1] 645 [1] 1,263 [1] 1,754 [1]
Total expenses 117,258 [1] 208,231 [1] 199,779 [1] 911,722 [1]
Income (loss) before equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries and taxes 186,873 [1] 65,485 [1] 453,603 [1] (254,690) [1]
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries 0 [1] 0 [1] 0 [1] 0 [1]
Income (loss) from continuing operations before taxes 186,873 [1] 65,485 [1] 453,603 [1] (254,690) [1]
Income tax expense (498) [1] 261 [1] 2,107 [1] (1,542) [1]
Income from continuing operations 186,375 [1] 65,746 [1] 455,710 [1] (256,232) [1]
Income from discontinued operations 0 [1] 0 [1] 0 [1] 0 [1]
Net income 186,375 [1] 65,746 [1] 455,710 [1] (256,232) [1]
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests (33,624) [1] (21,903) [1] (87,265) [1] 63,589 [1]
Net income (loss) available (attributable) to RenaissanceRe 152,751 [1] 43,843 [1] 368,445 [1] (192,643) [1]
Dividends on preference shares 0 [1] 0 [1] 0 [1] 0 [1]
Net income available to RenaissanceRe common shareholders 152,751 [1] 43,843 [1] 368,445 [1] (192,643) [1]
Consolidating Adjustments [Member]
        
Revenues        
Net premiums earned 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2]
Net investment income (2,044) [2] (1,902) [2] (4,149) [2] (2,003) [2]
Net foreign exchange (losses) gains 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2]
Equity in earnings of other ventures 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2]
Other income 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2]
Net realized and unrealized gains on investments 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2]
Net other-than-temporary impairments 0 [2]   0 [2]  
Total revenues (2,044) [2] (1,902) [2] (4,149) [2] (2,003) [2]
Expenses        
Net claims and claim expenses incurred 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2]
Acquisition expenses 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2]
Operational expenses 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2]
Corporate expenses 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2]
Interest expense 0 [2] (1,091) [2] 0 [2] (4,698) [2]
Total expenses 0 [2] (1,091) [2] 0 [2] (4,698) [2]
Income (loss) before equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries and taxes (2,044) [2] (811) [2] (4,149) [2] 2,695 [2]
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries (153,001) [2] (26,839) [2] (329,176) [2] 209,531 [2]
Income (loss) from continuing operations before taxes (155,045) [2] (27,650) [2] (333,325) [2] 212,226 [2]
Income tax expense 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2]
Income from continuing operations (155,045) [2] (27,650) [2] (333,325) [2] 212,226 [2]
Income from discontinued operations 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2]
Net income (155,045) [2] (27,650) [2] (333,325) [2] 212,226 [2]
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2]
Net income (loss) available (attributable) to RenaissanceRe (155,045) [2] (27,650) [2] (333,325) [2] 212,226 [2]
Dividends on preference shares 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2] 0 [2]
Net income available to RenaissanceRe common shareholders $ (155,045) [2] $ (27,650) [2] $ (333,325) [2] $ 212,226 [2]
[1] Includes all other subsidiaries of RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. and eliminations.
[2] Includes Parent Guarantor and Subsidiary Issuer consolidating adjustments.