Significant Accounting Policies	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2016
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Significant Accounting Policies	Significant Accounting Policies Consolidation and Basis of Presentation The accompanying consolidated financial statements of American Equity Investment Life Holding Company (“we”, “us” or “our”) have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all the information and notes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. The consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring items, which are necessary to present fairly our financial position and results of operations on a basis consistent with the prior audited consolidated financial statements. Operating results for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2016 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ended December 31, 2016. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. The preparation of financial statements requires the use of management estimates. For further information related to a description of areas of judgment and estimates and other information necessary to understand our financial position and results of operations, refer to the audited consolidated financial statements and notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015. Adopted Accounting Pronouncements In April 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued an accounting standards update ("ASU") which requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. Subsequently, in August 2015, the FASB issued an ASU that states that the Securities and Exchange Commission staff would not object to an entity deferring and presenting debt issuance costs related to line-of-credit arrangements as an asset and expensing those costs ratably over the term of the line of credit arrangement. These ASU's became effective for us on January 1, 2016, and retroactive application is required. They did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. New Accounting Pronouncements In January 2016, the FASB issued an ASU that, among other aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of financial instruments, primarily requires equity investments (except those accounted for under the equity method of accounting or those that result in consolidation of the investee) to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income. However, an entity may choose to measure equity investments that do not have readily determinable fair values at cost minus impairment, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or a similar investment of the same issuer. Additionally, it changes the accounting for financial liabilities measured at fair value under the fair value option and eliminates some disclosures regarding fair value of financial assets and liabilities measured at amortized cost. This ASU will be effective for us on January 1, 2018, and we have not determined the effect it will have on our consolidated financial statements. In February 2016, the FASB issued an ASU that will require recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. This ASU affects accounting and disclosure more dramatically for lessees as accounting for lessors is mainly unchanged. This ASU will be effective for us on January 1, 2019, with early adoption permitted, and we have not determined the effect it will have on our consolidated financial statements. In March 2016, the FASB issued an ASU related to the accounting for share-based payment transactions. The aspects of accounting guidance affected by this ASU are income taxes, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. This ASU will be effective for us on January 1, 2017, with early adoption permitted, and we have not determined the effect it will have on our consolidated financial statements. In June 2016, the FASB issued an ASU that significantly changes the impairment model for most financial assets that are measured at amortized cost and certain other instruments from an incurred loss model to an expected loss model that requires these assets be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. In addition, credit losses on available for sale debt securities should be recorded through an allowance account. This ASU will be effective for us on January 1, 2020, with early adoption permitted, and we have not yet determined the impact this updated guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements. In August 2016, the FASB issued an ASU that clarifies how certain cash receipts and cash payments are to be presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. This ASU will be effective for us on January 1, 2018, with early adoption permitted, and we have not yet determined the impact this updated guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.

Significant Accounting Policies

Consolidation and Basis of Presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements of American Equity Investment Life Holding Company (“we”, “us” or “our”) have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all the information and notes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. The consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring items, which are necessary to present fairly our financial position and results of operations on a basis consistent with the prior audited consolidated financial statements. Operating results for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2016 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ended December 31, 2016. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. The preparation of financial statements requires the use of management estimates. For further information related to a description of areas of judgment and estimates and other information necessary to understand our financial position and results of operations, refer to the audited consolidated financial statements and notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015.

Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In April 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued an accounting standards update ("ASU") which requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. Subsequently, in August 2015, the FASB issued an ASU that states that the Securities and Exchange Commission staff would not object to an entity deferring and presenting debt issuance costs related to line-of-credit arrangements as an asset and expensing those costs ratably over the term of the line of credit arrangement. These ASU's became effective for us on January 1, 2016, and retroactive application is required. They did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

New Accounting Pronouncements

In January 2016, the FASB issued an ASU that, among other aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of financial instruments, primarily requires equity investments (except those accounted for under the equity method of accounting or those that result in consolidation of the investee) to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income. However, an entity may choose to measure equity investments that do not have readily determinable fair values at cost minus impairment, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or a similar investment of the same issuer. Additionally, it changes the accounting for financial liabilities measured at fair value under the fair value option and eliminates some disclosures regarding fair value of financial assets and liabilities measured at amortized cost. This ASU will be effective for us on January 1, 2018, and we have not determined the effect it will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued an ASU that will require recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. This ASU affects accounting and disclosure more dramatically for lessees as accounting for lessors is mainly unchanged. This ASU will be effective for us on January 1, 2019, with early adoption permitted, and we have not determined the effect it will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued an ASU related to the accounting for share-based payment transactions. The aspects of accounting guidance affected by this ASU are income taxes, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. This ASU will be effective for us on January 1, 2017, with early adoption permitted, and we have not determined the effect it will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued an ASU that significantly changes the impairment model for most financial assets that are measured at amortized cost and certain other instruments from an incurred loss model to an expected loss model that requires these assets be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. In addition, credit losses on available for sale debt securities should be recorded through an allowance account. This ASU will be effective for us on January 1, 2020, with early adoption permitted, and we have not yet determined the impact this updated guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In August 2016, the FASB issued an ASU that clarifies how certain cash receipts and cash payments are to be presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. This ASU will be effective for us on January 1, 2018, with early adoption permitted, and we have not yet determined the impact this updated guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.