Debt (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended									1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended			12 Months Ended		1 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Oct. 31, 2005 [UnsecuredDebtMember]	Dec. 31, 2010 [UnsecuredDebtMember]	Dec. 31, 2009 [UnsecuredDebtMember]	Oct. 31, 2005 [UnsecuredDebtMember] [October2005ToApril2009Member]	Oct. 31, 2005 [UnsecuredDebtMember] [July2008July122010Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 [UnsecuredDebtMember] [July2008July122010Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 [SeniorNotesDebtMember] [NotesIssuedToPartnerReFinanceALlcMember]	Dec. 31, 2010 [SeniorNotesDebtMember] [NotesIssuedToPartnerReFinanceALlcMember]	Dec. 31, 2009 [SeniorNotesDebtMember] [NotesIssuedToPartnerReFinanceALlcMember]	Dec. 31, 2008 [SeniorNotesDebtMember] [NotesIssuedToPartnerReFinanceALlcMember]	Dec. 31, 2011 [SeniorNotesDebtMember] [NotesIssuedToPartnerReFinanceBLlcMember]	Dec. 31, 2010 [SeniorNotesDebtMember] [NotesIssuedToPartnerReFinanceBLlcMember]	Dec. 31, 2008 [SeniorNotesDebtMember] [NotesIssuedByPartnerReFinanceALlcMember]	Dec. 31, 2010 [SeniorNotesDebtMember] [NotesIssuedByPartnerReFinanceBLlcMember]	Nov. 30, 2006 [JuniorSubordinatedDebtMember] [NotesIssuedToPartnerReFinanceIiIncMember]	Dec. 31, 2011 [JuniorSubordinatedDebtMember] [NotesIssuedToPartnerReFinanceIiIncMember]	Dec. 31, 2010 [JuniorSubordinatedDebtMember] [NotesIssuedToPartnerReFinanceIiIncMember]	Dec. 31, 2009 [JuniorSubordinatedDebtMember] [NotesIssuedToPartnerReFinanceIiIncMember]	Nov. 30, 2006 [JuniorSubordinatedDebtMember] [NotesIssuedToPartnerReFinanceIiIncMember] [June12007December12016Member]	Nov. 30, 2006 [JuniorSubordinatedDebtMember] [NotesIssuedToPartnerReFinanceIiIncMember] [December12016December12066Member]	Nov. 30, 2006 [JuniorSubordinatedDebtMember] [NotesIssuedByPartnerReFinanceIiIncMember]	Dec. 31, 2009 [JuniorSubordinatedDebtMember] [NotesIssuedByPartnerReFinanceIiIncMember]	Dec. 31, 2011 [JuniorSubordinatedDebtMember] [NotesIssuedByPartnerReFinanceIiIncMember]	Nov. 30, 2006 [JuniorSubordinatedDebtMember] [NotesIssuedByPartnerReFinanceIiIncMember] [June12007December12016Member]	Nov. 30, 2006 [JuniorSubordinatedDebtMember] [NotesIssuedByPartnerReFinanceIiIncMember] [December12016December12066Member]
Debt Instruments [Line Items]
Interest expense incurred (debt-related)					$ 1,200,000	$ 3,900,000				$ 17,200,000	$ 17,200,000	$ 17,200,000		$ 27,500,000	$ 21,800,000				$ 4,600,000	$ 4,600,000	$ 7,000,000
Interest paid during period (debt - related)					1,600,000	6,300,000				17,200,000	17,200,000	17,200,000		27,500,000	19,600,000				4,600,000	4,600,000	8,000,000
Face amount of debt instrument				400,000,000									250,000,000		500,000,000	250,000,000	500,000,000	257,600,000						250,000,000
Earliest date that debt may be redeemed other than upon occurrence of specific rating agency or tax events																								12/1/2016
Stated interest rate of debt instrument													6.875%		5.50%	6.875%	5.50%	6.44%						6.44%
Reference rate for variable rate interest payments							3-month LIBOR	3-month LIBOR															3-month LIBOR					3-month LIBOR
Interest rate in excess of LIBOR							0.50%	0.85%															2.325%					2.325%
Payment frequency				quarterly									semi-annual		semi-annual	semi-annual	semi-annual					semi-annual	quarterly				semi-annual	quarterly
Provision for interest deferral																								PartnerRe Finance II may elect to defer one or more interest payments for up to ten years, although interest will continue to accrue and compound at the applicable interest rate.
Date of first required interest payment													12/1/2008		6/1/2010	12/1/2008	6/1/2010	6/1/2007						6/1/2007
Carrying amount at balance sheet date																			71,000,000							63,400,000
Repayments of debt during the period						200,000,000			200,000,000												93,300,000				93,300,000
Net realized gain on purchase of capital efficient notes	0	0	88,427,000																		88,400,000
Amount of debt extinguished																					186,600,000				186,600,000
Percentage of outstanding debt extinguished																					75.00%				75.00%
Maturity date													Jun. 01, 2018		Jun. 01, 2020	Jun. 01, 2018	Jun. 01, 2020	Dec. 01, 2066						Dec. 01, 2066
Cash tender offer																									500
Face value																									$ 1,000