2.4.0.8002010 - Disclosure - Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)truefalsefalse1false falsefalseFROM_Jan01_2013_TO_Jun30_2013http://www.sec.gov/CIK0000911421duration2013-01-01T00:00:002013-06-30T00:00:001true 1pre_DisclosureSignificantAccountingPoliciesAbstractpre_falsenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00falsefalsefalsexbrli:stringItemTypestringfalse0Disclosure - Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]2false 2us-gaap_BasisOfAccountingus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00The Company's Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (U.S. GAAP) for interim financial information and with the instructions for Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. Intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. To facilitate comparison of information across periods, certain reclassifications have been made to prior year amounts to conform to the current year's presentation.falsefalsefalsenonnum:textBlockItemTypenaThe entire disclosure for the basis of accounting, or basis of presentation, used to prepare the financial statements (for example, US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, Other Comprehensive Basis of Accounting, IFRS).No definition available.false0Basis of accounting3false 2us-gaap_UseOfEstimatesus-gaap_truenadurationfalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalsefalse1falsefalsefalse00The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires Management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. While Management believes that the amounts included in the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements reflect its best estimates and assumptions, actual results could differ from those estimates. The Company's principal estimates include: •       Unpaid losses and loss expenses; •       Policy benefits for life and annuity contracts; •        Gross and net premiums written and net premiums earned; •       Recoverability of deferred acquisition costs; •       Recoverability of deferred tax assets; •       Valuation of goodwill and intangible assets; and •        Valuation of certain assets and derivative financial instruments that are measured using significant unobservable inputs. falsefalsefalsenonnum:textBlockItemTypenaDisclosure of accounting policy for the use of estimates in the preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles.Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6927468&loc=d3e6143-108592 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6927468&loc=d3e6132-108592 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6927468&loc=d3e6061-108592 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher AICPA -Name Statement of Position (SOP) -Number 94-6 -Paragraph 11, 14 -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. false0Use Of EstimatesfalseSignificant Accounting Policies (Policies)UnKnownUnKnownUnKnownUnKnowntruefalsefalseSheethttp://www.partnerre.com/role/DisclosureSignificantAccountingPoliciesPolicies13