Schedule II. Condensed Financial Information Of Registrant (Statements of Cash Flows) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities:
Net income attributable to RenaissanceRe	$ 75,031	$ 152,420	$ 141,921	$ 133,590	$ 97,801	$ 81,124	$ 78,829	$ 173,438	$ 502,962	$ 431,192	$ 532,718
Less: equity in net income of subsidiaries									0	0	0
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities
Net unrealized gains included in other income (loss)									0	426	1,612
Net realized and unrealized (gains) losses on investments	49,967	$ (59,870)	$ (69,772)	(61,653)	42,817	$ 41,138	$ 26,712	(41,749)	(141,328)	68,918	(41,433)
Other									85,000	2,892	(71,146)
Net cash provided by operating activities									469,829	414,737	660,657
Cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities
Proceeds from maturities and sales of fixed maturity investments trading									8,102,514	9,481,742	7,682,573
Purchases of fixed maturity investments trading									(8,282,720)	(9,683,068)	(7,639,178)
Net (purchases) sales of short term investments									(118,617)	669,116	45,023
Dividends and return of capital from subsidiaries									0	0	0
Contributions to subsidiaries									0	0	0
Net purchase of Platinum									0	(678,152)	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities									(164,532)	(339,039)	141,653
Cash flows used in financing activities
Dividends paid – RenaissanceRe common shares									(51,583)	(53,967)	(45,912)
Dividends paid – preference shares									(22,381)	(22,381)	(22,381)
RenaissanceRe common share repurchases									(309,434)	(259,874)	(514,678)
Net cash used in financing activities									(386,388)	(83,665)	(694,678)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents									(85,728)	(18,699)	117,552
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period				506,885				525,584	506,885	525,584	408,032
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	421,157				506,885				421,157	506,885	525,584
Parent Company
Cash flows provided by (used in) operating activities:
Net income attributable to RenaissanceRe									502,962	431,192	532,718
Less: equity in net income of subsidiaries									(516,533)	(463,526)	(545,839)
Loss before equity in net income of subsidiaries									(13,571)	(32,334)	(13,121)
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities
Net realized and unrealized (gains) losses on investments									(4,151)	2,080	(83)
Other									(730)	(8,959)	13,633
Net cash provided by operating activities									(18,452)	(39,213)	429
Cash flows provided by (used in) investing activities
Proceeds from maturities and sales of fixed maturity investments trading									314,568	63,824	88,273
Purchases of fixed maturity investments trading									(336,345)	(161,183)	(88,341)
Net (purchases) sales of short term investments									(111,814)	(116,461)	73,717
Dividends and return of capital from subsidiaries									617,239	1,584,624	1,259,224
Contributions to subsidiaries									(108,674)	(294,733)	(759,456)
Due to (from) subsidiary									23,758	207,996	6,315
Net purchase of Platinum									0	(904,433)	0
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities									398,732	379,634	579,732
Cash flows used in financing activities
Dividends paid – RenaissanceRe common shares									(51,583)	(53,967)	(45,912)
Dividends paid – preference shares									(22,381)	(22,381)	(22,381)
RenaissanceRe common share repurchases									(309,434)	(259,874)	(514,678)
Net cash used in financing activities									(383,398)	(336,222)	(582,971)
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents									(3,118)	4,199	(2,810)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period				$ 10,185				$ 5,986	10,185	5,986	8,796
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period	$ 7,067				$ 10,185				$ 7,067	$ 10,185	$ 5,986