SCHEDULE II - Condensed Balance Sheets - Parent Company Only (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands		Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Assets
Fixed maturities, at fair value (amortized cost: 2015, $254,486)		$ 13,448,262	$ 13,918,745
Cash and cash equivalents		1,577,097	1,313,468	$ 1,496,485	$ 1,121,705
Other		31,254	45,603
Total assets		21,406,043	22,270,357
Liabilities
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other		411,539	304,728
Total liabilities		14,503,092	15,165,946
Shareholders’ Equity
Common shares (par value $1.00; issued: 2015 and 2014, 87,237,220 shares)		87,237	87,237
Preferred shares (par value $1.00; issued and outstanding: 2015 and 2014, 34,150,000 shares; aggregate liquidation value: 2015 and 2014, $853,750)		34,150	34,150
Additional paid-in capital		3,982,147	3,949,665
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(83,283)	(34,083)
Retained earnings		6,146,802	6,270,811
Common shares held in treasury, at cost (2015, 39,303,068 shares; 2014, 39,400,936 shares)		(3,266,552)	(3,258,870)
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to PartnerRe Ltd.		6,900,501	7,048,910	6,709,532
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity		21,406,043	22,270,357
CondensedFinancialStatementsParentheticals [Abstract]
Fixed maturities, amortized cost		$ 13,313,819	$ 13,489,633
Common shares, par value		$ 1	$ 1
Common shares, shares issued		87,237,220	87,237,220
Preferred shares, par value		$ 1	$ 1
Number of preferred shares issued		34,150,000	34,150,000
Preferred shares, shares outstanding		34,150,000	34,150,000
Aggregate liquidation value		$ 853,750	$ 853,750
Common shares held in treasury, shares		39,303,068	39,400,936
Senior Notes Debt [Member] | Notes Issued By Partner Re Finance A LLC [Member]
Parent Company Guarantee Disclosures [Abstract]
Interest rate on obligations guaranteed by the Parent Company		6.875%
Senior Notes Debt [Member] | Notes Issued By Partner Re Finance B LLC [Member]
Parent Company Guarantee Disclosures [Abstract]
Interest rate on obligations guaranteed by the Parent Company		5.50%
Parent Company [Member]
Assets
Fixed maturities, at fair value (amortized cost: 2015, $254,486)		$ 252,538	$ 0
Cash and cash equivalents		94,835	371	$ 1,286	$ 30,372
Investments in subsidiaries		8,187,691	8,242,199
Intercompany loans and balances receivable		605,697	675,408
Other		2,955	2,476
Total assets		9,143,716	8,920,454
Liabilities
Intercompany loans and balances payable (1)	[1]	2,211,106	1,845,690
Accounts payable, accrued expenses and other		32,109	25,854
Total liabilities		2,243,215	1,871,544
Shareholders’ Equity
Common shares (par value $1.00; issued: 2015 and 2014, 87,237,220 shares)		87,237	87,237
Preferred shares (par value $1.00; issued and outstanding: 2015 and 2014, 34,150,000 shares; aggregate liquidation value: 2015 and 2014, $853,750)		34,150	34,150
Additional paid-in capital		3,982,147	3,949,665
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(83,283)	(34,083)
Retained earnings		6,146,802	6,270,811
Common shares held in treasury, at cost (2015, 39,303,068 shares; 2014, 39,400,936 shares)		(3,266,552)	(3,258,870)
Total shareholders’ equity attributable to PartnerRe Ltd.		6,900,501	7,048,910
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity		9,143,716	$ 8,920,454
CondensedFinancialStatementsParentheticals [Abstract]
Fixed maturities, amortized cost		$ 254,486
Common shares, par value		$ 1	$ 1
Common shares, shares issued		87,237,220	87,237,220
Preferred shares, par value		$ 1	$ 1
Number of preferred shares issued		34,150,000	34,150,000
Preferred shares, shares outstanding		34,150,000	34,150,000
Aggregate liquidation value		$ 853,750	$ 853,750
Common shares held in treasury, shares		39,303,068	39,400,936
Parent Company [Member] | Capital efficient notes [Member] | Notes Issued By Partner Re Finance II Inc [Member] | FinancialGuaranteeMember
Parent Company Guarantee Disclosures [Abstract]
Guarantor Obligations, Current Carrying Value		$ 63,400
Interest rate on obligations guaranteed by the Parent Company		6.44%
Parent Company [Member] | Senior Notes Debt [Member] | Notes Issued By Partner Re Finance A LLC [Member] | FinancialGuaranteeMember
Parent Company Guarantee Disclosures [Abstract]
Guarantor Obligations, Current Carrying Value		$ 250,000
Interest rate on obligations guaranteed by the Parent Company		6.875%
Parent Company [Member] | Senior Notes Debt [Member] | Notes Issued By Partner Re Finance B LLC [Member] | FinancialGuaranteeMember
Parent Company Guarantee Disclosures [Abstract]
Guarantor Obligations, Current Carrying Value		$ 500,000
Interest rate on obligations guaranteed by the Parent Company		5.50%

[1] The parent has fully and unconditionally guaranteed on a subordinated basis all obligations of PartnerRe Finance II Inc., an indirect 100% owned finance subsidiary of the parent, related to the remaining $63.4 million aggregate principal amount of 6.440% Fixed-to-Floating Rate Junior Subordinated Capital Efficient Notes (CENts). The parent’s obligations under this guarantee are unsecured and rank junior in priority of payments to the parent’s Senior Notes.The parent has fully and unconditionally guaranteed all obligations of PartnerRe Finance A and PartnerRe Finance B, indirect 100% owned finance subsidiaries of the parent, related to the issuance of $250 million aggregate principal amount of 6.875% Senior Notes and $500 million aggregate principal amount of 5.500% Senior Notes. The parent’s obligations under these guarantees are senior and unsecured and rank equally with all other senior unsecured indebtedness of the parent.