Name:	ael_FixedIncomeSecuritiesWithCallFeaturesCallableDuringNext12MonthsPercentage
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Period Type:	instant

No definition available.

Name:	ael_FixedIncomeSecuritiesWithCallFeaturesCurrentlyCallablePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Represents the percentage of debt securities in the investment portfolio with call features that permit the issuer of the debt to repay before the stated maturity date (early retirement date).

No definition available.

Name:	ael_FixedIncomeSecuritiesWithCallFeaturesPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Represents the amount of debt securities in the investment portfolio with call features that permit the issuer of the debt to repay before the stated maturity date (early retirement date) and are callable during the next 12 months.

No definition available.

Name:	ael_FixedIncomeSecuritieswithCallFeaturesCallableDuringNext12MonthsAmount
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

No definition available.

Name:	ael_FixedIncomeSecuritieswithCallFeaturesCurrentlyCallableAmount
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

No definition available.

Name:	ael_FixedIncomeSecuritieswithCallFeaturesNotCallableUntilWithin6MonthsofStatedMaturityPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

This item represents the percentage of unrealized losses on fixed maturity securities that is on securities classified as investment grade.

No definition available.

Name:	ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesUnrealizedLossPositionClassifiedAsInvestmentGrade
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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Period Type:	instant

Represents the percentage of fixed income securities at fair value rated investment grade (NAIC 1 or 2) compared to the entire fixed income security portfolio at fair value.

No definition available.

Name:	ael_PercentageOfInvestmentGradeFixedMaturitySecuritiesAtFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Number of investment positions in available-for-sale investments in a continuous unrealized loss position for which an other-than-temporary impairment (OTTI) has not been recognized in the income statement.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (b)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=d3e27290-111563

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPositionsQualitativeDisclosureNumberOfPositions1
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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentHoldingsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentsAbstract
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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
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Period Type:	duration

The cash inflow associated with maturities (principal being due), prepayments and calls (requests of early payments) on securities not classified as either held-to-maturity securities or trading securities which are classified as available-for-sale securities.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (a),(b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3179-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 11
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49167202&loc=d3e26853-111562

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Investing Activities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromMaturitiesPrepaymentsAndCallsOfAvailableForSaleSecurities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

The cash inflow associated with the sale of debt and equity securities classified as available-for-sale securities.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Investing Activities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 11
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49167202&loc=d3e26853-111562

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (a),(b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3179-108585