Condensed Consolidating Financial Information Provided In Connection With Outstanding Debt Of Subsidiaries (Condensed Consolidating Statement Of Operations) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016
Revenues
Net premiums earned	$ 366,045	$ 353,606
Net investment income	54,325	28,863
Net foreign exchange gains (losses)	8,165	(1,692)
Equity in (losses) earnings of other ventures	(1,507)	1,611
Other income (loss)	1,665	4,079
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments	43,373	61,653
Total revenues	472,066	448,120
Expenses
Net claims and claim expenses incurred	193,081	126,605
Acquisition expenses	83,282	65,592
Operational expenses	47,283	56,235
Corporate expenses	5,286	8,225
Interest expense	10,526	10,538
Total expenses	339,458	267,195
(Loss) income before equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries and taxes	132,608	180,925
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries	0	0
Income before taxes	132,608	180,925
Income tax expense	(334)	(2,744)
Net income	132,274	178,181
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(34,327)	(44,591)
Net income attributable to RenaissanceRe	97,947	133,590
Dividends on preference shares	(5,595)	(5,595)
Net income available to RenaissanceRe common shareholders	92,352	127,995
Reportable Legal Entities | RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. (Parent Guarantor)
Revenues
Net premiums earned	0	0
Net investment income	5,457	6,858
Net foreign exchange gains (losses)	0	(1)
Equity in (losses) earnings of other ventures	0	0
Other income (loss)	(1)	0
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments	53	4,488
Total revenues	5,509	11,345
Expenses
Net claims and claim expenses incurred	0	0
Acquisition expenses	0	0
Operational expenses	3,298	(701)
Corporate expenses	5,208	5,613
Interest expense	140	140
Total expenses	8,646	5,052
(Loss) income before equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries and taxes	(3,137)	6,293
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries	101,353	123,538
Income before taxes	98,216	129,831
Income tax expense	(269)	3,759
Net income	97,947	133,590
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to RenaissanceRe	97,947	133,590
Dividends on preference shares	(5,595)	(5,595)
Net income available to RenaissanceRe common shareholders	92,352	127,995
Reportable Legal Entities | RenRe North America Holdings Inc. (Subsidiary Issuer)
Revenues
Net premiums earned	0	0
Net investment income	426	509
Net foreign exchange gains (losses)	0	0
Equity in (losses) earnings of other ventures	0	0
Other income (loss)	0	0
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments	2,921	1,115
Total revenues	3,347	1,624
Expenses
Net claims and claim expenses incurred	0	0
Acquisition expenses	0	0
Operational expenses	24	(141)
Corporate expenses	0	0
Interest expense	0	0
Total expenses	24	(141)
(Loss) income before equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries and taxes	3,323	1,765
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries	1,086	(133)
Income before taxes	4,409	1,632
Income tax expense	(1,098)	(561)
Net income	3,311	1,071
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to RenaissanceRe	3,311	1,071
Dividends on preference shares	0	0
Net income available to RenaissanceRe common shareholders	3,311	1,071
Reportable Legal Entities | Platinum Underwriters Finance, Inc. (Subsidiary Issuer)
Revenues
Net premiums earned	0	0
Net investment income	841	1,433
Net foreign exchange gains (losses)	0	0
Equity in (losses) earnings of other ventures	0	0
Other income (loss)	0	0
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments	4,725	1,964
Total revenues	5,566	3,397
Expenses
Net claims and claim expenses incurred	0	0
Acquisition expenses	0	0
Operational expenses	50	52
Corporate expenses	0	0
Interest expense	1,476	1,476
Total expenses	1,526	1,528
(Loss) income before equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries and taxes	4,040	1,869
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries	9,843	22,335
Income before taxes	13,883	24,204
Income tax expense	(1,308)	(344)
Net income	12,575	23,860
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to RenaissanceRe	12,575	23,860
Dividends on preference shares	0	0
Net income available to RenaissanceRe common shareholders	12,575	23,860
Reportable Legal Entities | RenaissanceRe Finance, Inc. (Subsidiary Issuer)
Revenues
Net premiums earned	0	0
Net investment income	269	140
Net foreign exchange gains (losses)	0	0
Equity in (losses) earnings of other ventures	(752)	0
Other income (loss)	0	0
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments	(26)	0
Total revenues	(509)	140
Expenses
Net claims and claim expenses incurred	0	0
Acquisition expenses	0	0
Operational expenses	7,979	7,009
Corporate expenses	0	0
Interest expense	6,542	6,543
Total expenses	14,521	13,552
(Loss) income before equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries and taxes	(15,030)	(13,412)
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries	16,498	24,479
Income before taxes	1,468	11,067
Income tax expense	3,072	2,879
Net income	4,540	13,946
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to RenaissanceRe	4,540	13,946
Dividends on preference shares	0	0
Net income available to RenaissanceRe common shareholders	4,540	13,946
Reportable Legal Entities | Other RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. Subsidiaries And Eliminations (Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries)
Revenues
Net premiums earned	366,045	353,606
Net investment income	53,583	25,806
Net foreign exchange gains (losses)	8,165	(1,691)
Equity in (losses) earnings of other ventures	(755)	1,611
Other income (loss)	1,666	4,079
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments	35,700	54,086
Total revenues	464,404	437,497
Expenses
Net claims and claim expenses incurred	193,081	126,605
Acquisition expenses	83,282	65,592
Operational expenses	42,058	55,096
Corporate expenses	78	2,612
Interest expense	2,508	2,519
Total expenses	321,007	252,424
(Loss) income before equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries and taxes	143,397	185,073
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries	0	0
Income before taxes	143,397	185,073
Income tax expense	(731)	(8,477)
Net income	142,666	176,596
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(34,327)	(44,591)
Net income attributable to RenaissanceRe	108,339	132,005
Dividends on preference shares	0	0
Net income available to RenaissanceRe common shareholders	108,339	132,005
Consolidating Adjustments
Revenues
Net premiums earned	0	0
Net investment income	(6,251)	(5,883)
Net foreign exchange gains (losses)	0	0
Equity in (losses) earnings of other ventures	0	0
Other income (loss)	0	0
Net realized and unrealized gains (losses) on investments	0	0
Total revenues	(6,251)	(5,883)
Expenses
Net claims and claim expenses incurred	0	0
Acquisition expenses	0	0
Operational expenses	(6,126)	(5,080)
Corporate expenses	0	0
Interest expense	(140)	(140)
Total expenses	(6,266)	(5,220)
(Loss) income before equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries and taxes	15	(663)
Equity in net income (loss) of subsidiaries	(128,780)	(170,219)
Income before taxes	(128,765)	(170,882)
Income tax expense	0	0
Net income	(128,765)	(170,882)
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	0	0
Net income attributable to RenaissanceRe	(128,765)	(170,882)
Dividends on preference shares	0	0
Net income available to RenaissanceRe common shareholders	$ (128,765)	$ (170,882)