v2.4.0.6
Condensed Consolidating Financial Information Provided In Connection With Outstanding Debt Of Subsidiaries (Condensed Consolidating Statement Of Cash Flows) (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
 6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2012
Jun. 30, 2011
Cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities:    
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities $ 303,777 $ 30,996
Cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities    
Proceeds from sales and maturities of fixed maturity investments trading 4,792,702 2,879,215
Purchases of fixed maturity investments trading (5,312,902) (2,811,678)
Proceeds from sales and maturities of fixed maturity investments available for sale 37,530 48,135
Purchases of fixed maturity investments available for sale 0 (4,078)
Purchases of equity investments trading 0 (32,676)
Net sales (purchases) of short term investments 183,605 50,852
Net sales of other investments 18,681 (23,881)
Net purchases of investments in other ventures 0 (21,000)
Net sales (purchases) of other assets (166) 46,984
Dividends and return of capital from subsidiaries 0 0
Contributions to subsidiaries 0 0
Due to (from) subsidiary 0 0
Net proceeds from sale of discontinued operations held for sale 0 269,520
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities (280,550) 401,393
Cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities    
Dividends paid - RenaissanceRe common shares (27,673) (26,721)
Dividends paid - preference shares (17,500) (17,500)
RenaissanceRe common share repurchases (90,111) (174,792)
Net repayment of debt 0 (200,000)
Third party DaVinciRe share transactions 160,864 (56,708)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities 25,580 (475,721)
Effect of exchange rate changes on foreign currency cash (1,559) 3,331
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 47,248 (40,001)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 216,984 277,738
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period 264,232 237,737
RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. (Parent Guarantor) [Member]
    
Cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities:    
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities 9,361 123,220
Cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities    
Proceeds from sales and maturities of fixed maturity investments trading 507,082 28,749
Purchases of fixed maturity investments trading (405,809) (33,626)
Proceeds from sales and maturities of fixed maturity investments available for sale 0 0
Purchases of fixed maturity investments available for sale   0
Purchases of equity investments trading   0
Net sales (purchases) of short term investments 141,196 24,965
Net sales of other investments 0 102,717
Net purchases of investments in other ventures   0
Net sales (purchases) of other assets 0 0
Dividends and return of capital from subsidiaries 256,153 718,294
Contributions to subsidiaries (372,700) (262,115)
Due to (from) subsidiary (5,856) (230,079)
Net proceeds from sale of discontinued operations held for sale   0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 120,066 348,905
Cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities    
Dividends paid - RenaissanceRe common shares (27,673) (26,721)
Dividends paid - preference shares (17,500) (17,500)
RenaissanceRe common share repurchases (90,111) (174,792)
Net repayment of debt   (253,512)
Third party DaVinciRe share transactions 0 0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities (135,284) (472,525)
Effect of exchange rate changes on foreign currency cash 0 0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents (5,857) (400)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 10,606 3,414
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period 4,749 3,014
RenRe North America Holdings Inc. (Subsidiary Issuer) [Member]
    
Cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities:    
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities (21,004) (25,043)
Cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities    
Proceeds from sales and maturities of fixed maturity investments trading 124,658 72,982
Purchases of fixed maturity investments trading (57,652) (208,847)
Proceeds from sales and maturities of fixed maturity investments available for sale 0 0
Purchases of fixed maturity investments available for sale   0
Purchases of equity investments trading   0
Net sales (purchases) of short term investments (3,483) 7,468
Net sales of other investments 0 0
Net purchases of investments in other ventures   0
Net sales (purchases) of other assets 0 0
Dividends and return of capital from subsidiaries 4,298 9,306
Contributions to subsidiaries (50,000) (5,700)
Due to (from) subsidiary (866) 1,645
Net proceeds from sale of discontinued operations held for sale   269,520
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities 16,955 146,374
Cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities    
Dividends paid - RenaissanceRe common shares 0 0
Dividends paid - preference shares 0 0
RenaissanceRe common share repurchases 0 0
Net repayment of debt   (124,995)
Third party DaVinciRe share transactions 0 0
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities 0 (124,995)
Effect of exchange rate changes on foreign currency cash 0 0
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents (4,049) (3,664)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 4,920 3,940
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period 871 276
Other RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. Subsidiaries and Eliminations (Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries) [Member]
    
Cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities:    
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities 315,420 [1] (67,181) [1]
Cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities    
Proceeds from sales and maturities of fixed maturity investments trading 4,160,962 [1] 2,777,484 [1]
Purchases of fixed maturity investments trading (4,849,441) [1] (2,569,205) [1]
Proceeds from sales and maturities of fixed maturity investments available for sale 37,530 [1] 48,135 [1]
Purchases of fixed maturity investments available for sale   (4,078) [1]
Purchases of equity investments trading   (32,676) [1]
Net sales (purchases) of short term investments 45,892 [1] 18,419 [1]
Net sales of other investments 18,681 [1] (126,598) [1]
Net purchases of investments in other ventures   (21,000) [1]
Net sales (purchases) of other assets (166) [1] 46,984 [1]
Dividends and return of capital from subsidiaries (260,451) [1] (727,600) [1]
Contributions to subsidiaries 422,700 [1] 267,815 [1]
Due to (from) subsidiary 6,722 [1] 228,434 [1]
Net proceeds from sale of discontinued operations held for sale   0 [1]
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities (417,571) [1] (93,886) [1]
Cash flows provided by (used in) financing activities    
Dividends paid - RenaissanceRe common shares 0 [1] 0 [1]
Dividends paid - preference shares 0 [1] 0 [1]
RenaissanceRe common share repurchases 0 [1] 0 [1]
Net repayment of debt   178,507 [1]
Third party DaVinciRe share transactions 160,864 [1] (56,708) [1]
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities 160,864 [1] 121,799 [1]
Effect of exchange rate changes on foreign currency cash (1,559) [1] 3,331 [1]
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 57,154 [1] (35,937) [1]
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period 201,458 [1] 270,384 [1]
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period $ 258,612 [1] $ 234,447 [1]
[1] Includes all other subsidiaries of RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. and eliminations.