<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0206</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2022-01-07</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>0</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001039828</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AMERICAN EQUITY INVESTMENT LIFE HOLDING CO</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AEL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001904850</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>North End Re (Cayman) SPC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>18 FORUM LANE, 2ND FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>CAMANA BAY, GRAND CAYMAN</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>E9</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>KY-1102</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>CAYMAN ISLANDS</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isTenPercentOwner>true</isTenPercentOwner>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001837429</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Brookfield Asset Management Reinsurance Partners Ltd.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>WELLESLEY HOUSE SOUTH, 2ND FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>90 PITTS BAY ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PEMBROKE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>D0</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>HM08</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>BERMUDA</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isTenPercentOwner>true</isTenPercentOwner>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001904554</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BAM Re Partners Trust</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>73 FRONT STREET, 5TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>HAMILTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>D0</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>HM12</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>BERMUDA</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isTenPercentOwner>true</isTenPercentOwner>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001904930</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BAM Re Holdings Ltd.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>WELLESLEY HOUSE SOUTH, 2ND FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>90 PITTS BAY ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PEMBROKE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>D0</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>HM08</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription>BERMUDA</rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isTenPercentOwner>true</isTenPercentOwner>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>15886163</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">North End Re (Cayman) SPC is a segregated portfolio company organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands and a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of BAM Re Holdings Ltd. BAM Re Holdings Ltd. is an exempted company incorporated under the laws of Bermuda and a direct wholly-owned subsidiary of Brookfield Asset Management Reinsurance Partners Ltd.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">BAM Re Partners Trust beneficially owns 24,000 Class B limited voting shares of Brookfield Asset Management Reinsurance Partners Ltd (the &quot;Class B Shares&quot;), representing 100% of such class of shares. The Class B Shares entitle the holders thereof to appoint one half of the board of directors of Brookfield Asset Management Reinsurance Partners Ltd. and, as such, may be deemed to indirectly control the decisions of Brookfield Asset Management Reinsurance Partners Ltd. regarding the vote and disposition of the Common Stock held by North End Re (Cayman) SPC; therefore BAM Re Partners Trust may be deemed to have indirect beneficial ownership of the Common Stock held by North End Re (Cayman) SPC.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Gregory McConnie, Director and Chief Executive Officer of North End Re (Cayman) SPC</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2022-01-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Anna Knapman-Scott, Corporate Secretary of Brookfield Asset Management Reinsurance Partners Ltd.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2022-01-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Kathy Sarpash, Vice President of BAM Re Trustee Ltd., for and on behalf of BAM Re Partners Trust</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2022-01-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Anna Knapman-Scott, Secretary of BAM Re Holdings Ltd.</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2022-01-14</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
