Net Income (Loss) Per Share (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Numerator [Abstract]
Net income (loss) attributable to PartnerRe Ltd.	$ 272,000	$ 334,000	$ (175,000)	$ 234,000	$ 112,000	$ 487,000	$ 176,000	$ 360,000	$ 664,008		$ 1,134,514		$ (520,291)
Dividends on preferred shares	14,000	14,000	15,000	15,000	15,000	15,000	15,000	15,000	57,861		61,622		47,020
Loss on redemption of preferred shares	0	0	0	9,000	0	0	0	0	9,135		0		0
Net income (loss) attributable to PartnerRe Ltd. common shareholders	$ 258,000	$ 320,000	$ (190,000)	$ 210,000	$ 97,000	$ 472,000	$ 161,000	$ 345,000	$ 597,012		$ 1,072,892		$ (567,311)
Denominator [Abstract]
Weighted average number of common shares outstanding									55,378,980		62,915,992		67,558,732
Share options and other									1,069,125	[1]	699,756	[1]	0	[1]
Weighted average number of common shares and common share equivalents outstanding									56,448,105		63,615,748		67,558,732
Basic net income (loss)	$ 4.86	$ 5.95	$ (3.37)	$ 3.60	$ 1.58	$ 7.62	$ 2.52	$ 5.27	$ 10.78		$ 17.05		$ (8.40)
Diluted net income (loss)	$ 4.76	$ 5.84	$ (3.37)	$ 3.53	$ 1.56	$ 7.53	$ 2.50	$ 5.24	$ 10.58		$ 16.87		$ (8.40)	[1]
Dividends declared per common share	$ 0.64	$ 0.64	$ 0.64	$ 0.64	$ 0.62	$ 0.62	$ 0.62	$ 0.62	$ 2.56		$ 2.48		$ 2.35
Share options excluded from computation of weighted average number of common share and common share equivalents outstanding									14,800		554,700		2,854,400
Weighted average number of potentially dilutive common shares and common share equivalents outstanding													687,300

[1] At December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, share based awards to purchase 14.8 thousand, 554.7 thousand and 2,854.4 thousand common shares, respectively, were excluded from the calculation of diluted weighted average number of common shares and common share equivalents outstanding because their exercise prices were greater than the average market price of the common shares. In addition, dilutive securities, in the form of share options and other, of 687.3 thousand shares were not included in the weighted average number of common shares and common share equivalents outstanding for the purpose of computing the diluted net loss per share because to do so would have been anti-dilutive for the year ended December 31, 2011.