Financial Condition and Net Income on a Statutory Basis - Significant Subs (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Statutory Basis [Abstract]

Statutory Accounting Practices Disclosure [Table Text Block]

	Statutory Capital & Surplus				Statutory Net Income (Loss)
	2012		2011		2012		2011		2010
RGA Reinsurance	$	1,644,589	$	1,515,934	$	3,497	$	129,717	$	68,010
RCM		1,692,200		1,478,864		58,549		37,142		53,690
RGA Canada		725,738		610,142		95,861		102,229		68,561
RGA Barbados		593,048		492,948		78,263		149,015		98,697
RGA Australia		429,042		385,171		36,653		47,211		31,897
RGA Atlantic		426,326		328,491		68,306		70,160		78,227
RGA Americas		307,631		255,259		40,520		65,283		45,281
Other reinsurance subsidiaries		811,684		620,790		(442,414)		(439,625)		80,287

Reconciliation Of NAIC SAP And Prescribed Practice [Text Block]

	December 31,
	2012		2011
Prescribed practice – surplus note	$	230,291	$	138,193
Prescribed practice – letters of credit		(488,000)		(360,000)
Surplus (deficit) – NAIC SAP	$	(257,709)	$	(221,807)