Organization and Basis of Presentation

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Organization And Basis Of Presentation [Abstract]

Organization and Basis of Presentation

1.Organization and Basis of Presentation

Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated ("RGA") is an insurance holding company that was formed on December 31, 1992. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of RGA and its subsidiaries (collectively, the "Company") have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring accruals, considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Results for the three monthsended March 31, 2012 arenot necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2012. There were no subsequent eventsthat would require disclosure or adjustments to the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements through the date the financial statements were issued. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of RGA and its subsidiaries and should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company's 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K (“2011 Annual Report”) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 29, 2012.

The Company has adjusted the presentation of certain prior-period information to conform to the current presentation. Such adjustmentsreflect the retrospective adoption of the amended general accounting principles for Financial Services – Insurance as it relates to accounting for costs associated with acquiring or renewing insurance contracts. The financial statements and notes to the financial statements presented herein have been adjusted to reflect the retrospective adoption of the new accounting principles. See below for additional information.All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

In October 2010, the FASB amended the general accounting principles for Financial Services – Insurance as it relates to accounting for costs associated with acquiring or renewing insurance contracts. This amendment clarifies that only those costs that result directly from and are essential to the contract transaction and that would not have been incurred had the contract transaction not occurred can be capitalized. It also defines acquisitions costs as costs that are related directly to the successful acquisitions of new or renewal insurance contracts. The Company adopted the amended general accounting principles on a retrospective basis on January 1, 2012. The Company believes retrospective adoption provides the most comparable and useful financial information for financial statement users. The financial statements and notes to the financial statements presented herein have been adjusted to reflect the retrospective adoption of the new accounting principles.

The following tables present the effects of the retrospective adoption of the new accounting principles to the Company's previously reported consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2011 and condensed consolidated statement of income and condensed consolidated statement of cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2011 (in thousands, except share amounts):

				December 31, 2011
				As Reported		Adjustments		As Amended
Assets
Deferred policy acquisition costs			$	4,013,984	$	(470,059)	$	3,543,925
Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity
Future policy benefits				9,903,503		383		9,903,886
Deferred income taxes				1,831,869		(152,035)		1,679,834
Stockholders' Equity:
	Retained earnings			3,131,934		(313,505)		2,818,429
	Accumulated other comprehensive income			1,623,055		(4,902)		1,618,153
				Three months ended March 31, 2011
				As Reported		Adjustments		As Amended
Benefits and Expenses:
Policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses			$	331,153	$	15,094	$	346,247
Income before income taxes				241,849		(15,094)		226,755
Provision for income taxes				81,033		(3,198)		77,835
Net income			$	160,816	$	(11,896)	$	148,920
(Continued)				December 31, 2011
				As Reported		Adjustments		As Amended
Earnings per share:
Basic earnings per share			$	2.20	$	(0.17)	$	2.03
Diluted earnings per share			$	2.18	$	(0.16)	$	2.02
				Three months ended March 31, 2011
				As Reported		Adjustments		As Amended
Cash Flows from Operating Activities:
Net Income			$	160,816	$	(11,896)	$	148,920
	Change in operating assets and liabilities
		Deferred policy acquisition costs		67,230		15,094		82,324
		Deferred income taxes		23,517		(3,198)		20,319