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Income Taxes (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2013
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]      
Accrual withholding taxes percent 5.00%re_AccrualWithholdingTaxesPercent    
Accrual Withholding Taxes $ 0re_AccrualWithholdingTaxes    
Understatement in deferred tax asset account   17,520re_IncreaseDecreaseInDeferredTaxAssetAccount  
Additional income tax benefit resulting from correction, amount   17,520us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherAdjustments  
Income Tax Examination, Penalties and Interest Expense   (2,154)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExaminationPenaltiesAndInterestExpense  
Tax benefits related to share-based compensation 6,603us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseCompensationAndBenefitsShareBasedCompensationCost   4,562us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseCompensationAndBenefitsShareBasedCompensationCost
Foreign tax credits 64,902us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxCreditCarryforwardsForeign   74,255us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxCreditCarryforwardsForeign
Alternative minimum tax credits 44,954us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxCreditCarryforwardsAlternativeMinimumTax   93,336us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxCreditCarryforwardsAlternativeMinimumTax
Net operating loss carryforward 3,296us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards   3,805us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards
2007 And 2008 IRS Audit [Member]      
Income Tax Contingency [Line Items]      
Additional income tax benefit resulting from correction, amount   12,747us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherAdjustments
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= re_TwoThousandAndSevenAndTwoThousandAndEightInternalRevenueServiceAuditMember
 
IRS audit, interest paid   1,702re_CurrentFederalTaxExpenseBenefitInterestPaid
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= re_TwoThousandAndSevenAndTwoThousandAndEightInternalRevenueServiceAuditMember
 
IRS audit, additional income tax expense   354us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationPriorYearIncomeTaxes
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= re_TwoThousandAndSevenAndTwoThousandAndEightInternalRevenueServiceAuditMember
 
IRS audit, decrease in reserve for uncertain tax positions   (31,912)re_IncreaseDecreaseInReserveForUncertainTaxPositions
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= re_TwoThousandAndSevenAndTwoThousandAndEightInternalRevenueServiceAuditMember
 
IRS audit, decrease in reserve for uncertain tax positions, interest related   2,154re_IncreaseDecreaseInReserveForUncertainTaxPositionsInterestRelated
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= re_TwoThousandAndSevenAndTwoThousandAndEightInternalRevenueServiceAuditMember
 
IRS audit, income tax benefit   $ (34,067)us-gaap_OtherTaxExpenseBenefit
/ us-gaap_IncomeTaxAuthorityAxis
= re_TwoThousandAndSevenAndTwoThousandAndEightInternalRevenueServiceAuditMember