<?xml version="1.0"?>

<ownershipDocument>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2003-05-09</periodOfReport>


    <notSubjectToSection16>1</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000911421</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>PARTNERRE LTD</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>PRE</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000315043</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SWISS REINSURANCE CO</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Former 10% Owner</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeSecurity>
        <securityTitle>
            <value>Common shares, par value $1.00</value>
        </securityTitle>
        <transactionDate>
            <value>2003-05-09</value>
        </transactionDate>
        <transactionCoding>
            <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
            <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
            <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
        </transactionCoding>
        <transactionTimeliness>
            <value></value>
        </transactionTimeliness>
        <transactionAmounts>
            <transactionShares>
                <value>8340731</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionShares>
            <transactionValue>
                <value>52.5</value>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionValue>
            <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                <value>D</value>
            </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
        </transactionAmounts>
        <postTransactionAmounts>
            <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                <value>0</value>
            </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
        </postTransactionAmounts>
        <ownershipNature>
            <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <value>D</value>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </directOrIndirectOwnership>
        </ownershipNature>
    </nonDerivativeSecurity>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On May 9, 2003, pursuant to an underwriting agreement, dated May 6, 2003, between Swiss Reinsurance Company, SwissRe Capital Management (Bermuda) Ltd. (&quot;Capital Management&quot;), PartnerRe Ltd. (the &quot;Company&quot;) and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. (&quot;Citigroup&quot;), Capital Management sold to Citigroup 8,340,731 common shares of the Company at a price of $52.50 per share.  Citigroup then offered such shares for sale to the public as set forth in the final prospectus, dated May 6, 2003, filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) under the Securities 	Act of 1933, as amended. Such shares constituted all of the common  shares of the Company held by the reporting persons and, following the sale, the reporting persons no longer own any common shares of the Company.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Price represents price per share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Additional Reporting Person:

SwissRe Capital Management (Bermuda) Ltd.  The address of such person is Mintflower Place, 8 Par-la-Ville Road, Hamilton HM GX, Bermuda.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>SWISS REINSURANCE COMPANY: By: /s/ Peter Gujer, Name: Peter Gujer, Title: Managing Director</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-05-13</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>SWISS REINSURANCE COMPANY: By: /s/ Andre Pfanner, Name: Andre Pfanner, Title: Member of Senior Management</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-05-13</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>SWISSRE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT (BERMUDA) LTD.: By: /s/ Stefan Schroeder, Name: Stefan Schroeder, Title: CEO</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-05-13</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>SWISSRE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT (BERMUDA) LTD.: By: /s/ Thomas Coffey, Name: Thomas Coffey, Title: Vice President</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2003-05-13</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

</ownershipDocument>

