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Label Element Value
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Document Type dei_DocumentType 485BPOS
Document Period End Date dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate Dec. 31, 2016
Registrant Name dei_EntityRegistrantName VIRTUS VARIABLE INSURANCE TRUST
Central Index Key dei_EntityCentralIndexKey 0000792359
Amendment Flag dei_AmendmentFlag false
Trading Symbol dei_TradingSymbol vvit
Document Creation Date dei_DocumentCreationDate Apr. 25, 2017
Document Effective Date dei_DocumentEffectiveDate May 01, 2017
Prospectus Date rr_ProspectusDate May 01, 2017
Virtus Newfleet Multi-Sector Intermediate Bond Series  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Risk/Return [Heading] rr_RiskReturnHeading
Virtus Newfleet Multi-Sector Intermediate Bond Series
Objective [Heading] rr_ObjectiveHeading
Investment Objective
Objective, Primary [Text Block] rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock
The Series has an investment objective of long-term total return.
Expense [Heading] rr_ExpenseHeading
Fees and Expenses
Expense Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock
The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Virtus Newfleet Multi-Sector Intermediate Bond Series. The table does not include any fees or sales charges imposed under the variable contracts for which the Series is an investment option. If they were included, your costs would be higher.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text] rr_ShareholderFeesCaption
Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)
Operating Expenses Caption [Text] rr_OperatingExpensesCaption
Annual Series Operating Expenses (expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Fee Waiver or Reimbursement over Assets, Date of Termination rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssetsDateOfTermination April 30, 2018
Portfolio Turnover [Heading] rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading
Portfolio Turnover
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block] rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock
The Series pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs. These costs, which are not reflected in Annual Series Operating Expenses or in the Example, affect the Series’ performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Series’ portfolio turnover rate was 68% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate 68.00%
Expenses Not Correlated to Ratio Due to Acquired Fund Fees [Text] rr_ExpensesNotCorrelatedToRatioDueToAcquiredFundFees
The Total Annual Series Operating Expenses do not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets appearing in the Financial Highlights tables, which tables reflect only the operating expenses of the Series and do not include proxy expenses or acquired fund fees and expenses.
Expense Example [Heading] rr_ExpenseExampleHeading
Example
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block] rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Series with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Series for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year, that the Series’ total operating expenses remain the same and that the expense reimbursement arrangement remains in place for the contractual period. The example does not reflect variable contract fees and charges, and if it did, the costs shown would be higher. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Strategy [Heading] rr_StrategyHeading
Principal Investment Strategies
Strategy Narrative [Text Block] rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock

The Series seeks to generate high current income and total return by applying extensive credit research and a time-tested approach to capitalize on opportunities across undervalued sectors of the bond market. The Series seeks diversification among 14 sectors in order to increase return potential and reduce risk.

Under normal circumstances, the Series invests at least 80% of its assets in fixed income securities. The subadviser intends to invest the Series’ assets in the following sectors of fixed income securities:

​

•  Securities issued or guaranteed as to principalU.S. Government, its agencies, authorities or instrumentalities, including collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”), real estate mortgage investment conduits (“REMICs”) and other pass-through securities;

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•  Debt securities issued by foreign issuers, including foreign governments and their political subdivisions and issuers located in emerging market countries (limited to 50% of the Series’ assets);

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•  Investment grade securities; and

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•  High yield-high risk fixed income securities of U.S. issuers (so called “junk bonds”) (limited to 50% of the Series’ assets).

​

The Series may invest in all or some of these sectors.
Risk [Heading] rr_RiskHeading
Principal Risks
Risk Narrative [Text Block] rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock

The Series may not achieve its objective(s), and it is not intended to be a complete investment program. The value of the Series' investments that supports your share value may decrease. If between the time you purchase shares and the time you sell shares the value of the Series' investments decreases, you will lose money. Investment values can decrease for a number of reasons. Conditions affecting the overall economy, specific industries or companies in which the Series invests can be worse than expected, and investments may fail to perform as the subadviser expects. As a result, the value of your shares may decrease. Purchase and redemption activities by variable contract owners may impact the management of the Series and its ability to achieve its investment objective(s). The redemption by one or more large variable contract owners or groups of variable contract owners of their holdings in the Series could have an adverse impact on the remaining variable contract owners in the Series including by accelerating the realization of capital gains and increasing the Series' transaction costs. The principal risks of investing in the Series are:

>     Credit Risk.  The risk that the issuer of a security will fail to pay interest or principal in a timely manner, or that negative perceptions of the issuer's ability to make such payments will cause the price of the security to decline.

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>     Emerging Market Investing Risk.  The risk that prices of emerging markets securities will be more volatile, or will be more greatly affected by negative conditions, than those of their counterparts in more established foreign markets.

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>     Foreign Investing Risk.  The risk that the prices of foreign securities in the Series' portfolio will be more volatile than those of domestic securities, or will be negatively affected by currency fluctuations, less regulated or liquid securities markets, or economic, political or other developments.

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>     High-Yield/High-Risk Fixed Income Securities (Junk Bonds) Risk.  The risk that the issuers of high-yield/​high-risk securities in the Series' portfolio will default, that the prices of such securities will be volatile, and that the securities will not be liquid.

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>     Interest Rate Risk.  The risk that when interest rates rise, the values of the Series' debt securities, especially those with longer maturities, will fall.

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>     Long-Term Maturities/Durations Risk.  The risk of greater price fluctuations than would be associated with securities having shorter maturities or durations.

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>     Market Volatility Risk.  The risk that the value of the securities in which the Series invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual issuers and/or general economic conditions. Price changes may be temporary or may last for extended periods.

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>     Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities Risk.  The risk that changes in interest rates will cause both extension and prepayment risks for mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities in which the Series invests, or that an impairment of the value of collateral underlying such securities, will cause the value of the securities to decrease.

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>     U.S. Government Securities Risk.  The risk that U.S. Government securities in the Series' portfolio will be subject to price fluctuations, or that an agency or instrumentality will default on an obligation not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.
Risk Lose Money [Text] rr_RiskLoseMoney
If between the time you purchase shares and the time you sell shares the value of the Series’ investments decreases, you will lose money.
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading] rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading
Performance
Performance Narrative [Text Block] rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock
The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Series. The bar chart shows changes in the Series’ performance from year to year over a 10-year period. The table shows how the Series’ average annual returns compare to those of a broad-based market index. The Series’ past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Series will perform in the future. The Series’ returns in the chart and table do not reflect the deduction of any separate account or variable contract charges. The returns would have been less than those shown if such charges were deducted.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text] rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns
The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Series. The bar chart shows changes in the Series’ performance from year to year over a 10-year period. The table shows how the Series’ average annual returns compare to those of a broad-based market index.
Performance Availability Phone [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone
800-367-5877
Performance Availability Website Address [Text] rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress
virtus.com
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text] rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture
The Series’ past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Series will perform in the future.
Bar Chart [Heading] rr_BarChartHeading
Calendar Year Annual Total Returns for Class A Shares
Bar Chart Narrative [Text Block] rr_BarChartNarrativeTextBlock
Annual Return (%)
Bar Chart Does Not Reflect Sales Loads [Text] rr_BarChartDoesNotReflectSalesLoads
The Series’ returns in the chart and table do not reflect the deduction of any separate account or variable contract charges. The returns would have been less than those shown if such charges were deducted.
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block] rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock
​ ​
Best Quarter:
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2Q/2009:
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15.10%
 ​ ​
Worst Quarter:​
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4Q/2008:
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-11.35%
 ​ ​
Year to date (3/31/17):​
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2.63%
 ​ ​
Performance Table Heading rr_PerformanceTableHeading
Average Annual Total Returns (for the periods ended 12/31/16)
Performance Table Closing [Text Block] rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock
Class I Shares have been in existence only since April 30, 2013; therefore, limited performance information for Class I Shares is available to include here. However, the returns for Class I Shares for other periods would have been substantially similar to those shown for Class A Shares because Class I Shares and Class A Shares are invested in the same portfolio of securities. Class A Shares pay distribution and services (12b-1) fees and Class I Shares do not; therefore, had the Class I Shares been operational during the periods shown only for Class A Shares, investment performance for Class I Shares would have been higher than for Class A Shares.
Updated performance information is available at virtus.com or by calling 800-367-5877.
Virtus Newfleet Multi-Sector Intermediate Bond Series | Class A  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Shareholder Fees vvit_ShareholderFee none
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.50%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets 0.25%
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.24%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets 0.03%
Total Annual Series Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 1.02% [1]
Less: Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (0.05%) [2]
Total Annual Series Operating Expenses After Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.97% [1],[2]
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 99
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 330
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 558
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 1,243
2007 rr_AnnualReturn2007 3.71%
2008 rr_AnnualReturn2008 (17.93%)
2009 rr_AnnualReturn2009 40.13%
2010 rr_AnnualReturn2010 14.36%
2011 rr_AnnualReturn2011 2.99%
2012 rr_AnnualReturn2012 14.69%
2013 rr_AnnualReturn2013 2.25%
2014 rr_AnnualReturn2014 1.90%
2015 rr_AnnualReturn2015 (1.26%)
2016 rr_AnnualReturn2016 9.29%
Year to Date Return, Label rr_YearToDateReturnLabel Year to date
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return, Date rr_BarChartYearToDateReturnDate Mar. 31, 2017
Bar Chart, Year to Date Return rr_BarChartYearToDateReturn 2.63%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel Best Quarter:
Highest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate Jun. 30, 2009
Highest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn 15.10%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel Worst Quarter:
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate Dec. 31, 2008
Lowest Quarterly Return rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn (11.35%)
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Class A
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 9.29%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 5.22%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 6.12%
Virtus Newfleet Multi-Sector Intermediate Bond Series | Class I  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Shareholder Fees vvit_ShareholderFee none
Management Fees rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets 0.50%
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets none
Other Expenses rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets 0.24%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses rr_AcquiredFundFeesAndExpensesOverAssets 0.03%
Total Annual Series Operating Expenses rr_ExpensesOverAssets 0.77% [1]
Less: Expense Reimbursement rr_FeeWaiverOrReimbursementOverAssets (0.05%) [2]
Total Annual Series Operating Expenses After Expense Reimbursement rr_NetExpensesOverAssets 0.72% [1],[2]
1 Year rr_ExpenseExampleYear01 $ 74
3 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear03 241
5 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear05 423
10 Years rr_ExpenseExampleYear10 $ 949
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Class I
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 9.58%
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 2.59%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 30, 2013
Virtus Newfleet Multi-Sector Intermediate Bond Series | Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (does not reflect fees or expenses)  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text] rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes (does not reflect fees or expenses)
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (does not reflect fees or expenses)
1 Year rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01 2.65%
5 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05 2.23%
10 Years rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10 4.35%
Virtus Newfleet Multi-Sector Intermediate Bond Series | Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (does not reflect fees or expenses) | Class I  
Risk/Return: rr_RiskReturnAbstract  
Index No Deduction for Fees, Expenses, Taxes [Text] rr_IndexNoDeductionForFeesExpensesTaxes (does not reflect fees or expenses)
Label rr_AverageAnnualReturnLabel Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (does not reflect fees or expenses)
Since Inception rr_AverageAnnualReturnSinceInception 1.66%
Inception Date rr_AverageAnnualReturnInceptionDate Apr. 30, 2013
[1] The Total Annual Series Operating Expenses do not correlate to the ratio of expenses to average net assets appearing in the Financial Highlights tables, which tables reflect only the operating expenses of the Series and do not include proxy expenses or acquired fund fees and expenses.
[2] The Series' investment adviser has contractually agreed to limit the Series' total annual operating expenses (excluding certain expenses, such as front-end or contingent deferred sales charges, taxes, interest, brokerage commissions, unusual or infrequently occurring expenses (such as litigation) and acquired fund fees and expenses, if any) so that such expenses do not exceed 0.94% for Class A Shares and 0.69% for Class I Shares through April 30, 2018. Following the contractual period, the adviser may discontinue this expense reimbursement arrangement at any time. Under certain conditions, the adviser may recapture operating expenses reimbursed under this arrangement for a period of three years following the time such reimbursement occurred.