Net Income Per Share (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Numerator [Abstract]
Net income attributable to PartnerRe Ltd.	$ 277,000	$ 196,000	$ 272,000	$ 310,000	$ 272,000	$ 334,000	$ (175,000)	$ 234,000	$ 1,054,974		$ 664,008		$ 1,134,514
Preferred dividends	14,000	14,000	14,000	14,000	14,000	14,000	15,000	15,000	56,735		57,861		61,622
Loss on redemption of preferred shares	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	9,000	0		9,135		0
Net income attributable to PartnerRe Ltd. common shareholders	$ 263,000	$ 182,000	$ 258,000	$ 296,000	$ 258,000	$ 320,000	$ (190,000)	$ 210,000	$ 998,239		$ 597,012		$ 1,072,892
Denominator [Abstract]
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding									50,019,480		55,378,980		62,915,992
Share options and other (1)									1,154,745	[1]	1,069,125	[1]	699,756	[1]
Weighted average number of common shares and common share equivalents outstanding									51,174,225		56,448,105		63,615,748
Basic net income	$ 5.39	$ 3.68	$ 5.13	$ 5.72	$ 4.86	$ 5.95	$ (3.37)	$ 3.60	$ 19.96		$ 10.78		$ 17.05
Diluted net income	$ 5.26	$ 3.60	$ 5.02	$ 5.61	$ 4.76	$ 5.84	$ (3.37)	$ 3.53	$ 19.51	[1]	$ 10.58	[1]	$ 16.87	[1]
Dividends declared per common share	$ 0.67	$ 0.67	$ 0.67	$ 0.67	$ 0.64	$ 0.64	$ 0.64	$ 0.64	$ 2.68		$ 2.56		$ 2.48
Anti-dilutive common shares excluded from weighted average number of common shares and common share equivalents outstanding - diluted (1)									127,329	[1]	14,784	[1]	554,747	[1]

[1] Where the exercise price of share based awards is greater than the average market price of the common shares, the common shares are considered anti-dilutive and are excluded from the calculation of weighted average number of common shares and common share equivalents outstanding - diluted.