<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-11-28</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001170593</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PRIMUS GUARANTY LTD</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PRS</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001303820</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Hartlage Thomas</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O AEGON STRUCTURED PRODUCTS</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>400 WEST MARKET STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOUISVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>KY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>40202</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common shares, par value $.08 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-11-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>10</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2000</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Excludes 5,566 deferred shares, awarded to the Reporting Person as director compensation and payable only upon completion of his board service, as to which the Reporting Person, consistent with his employers corporate practice, has ceded beneficial ownership to Transamerica Life Insurance Company.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Thomas Hartlage</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-11-30</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Zachary Snow by Power of Attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-11-30</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
