CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Unaudited) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 19,695	$ 16,375
Investments:
Fixed maturities (cost: $200,734 and $207,568)	210,045	214,888
Common and non-redeemable preferred stocks (cost: $11,969 and $11,969)	21,703	18,924
Other invested assets (cost: $2,968 and $2,995)	2,968us-gaap_OtherInvestments	2,995us-gaap_OtherInvestments
Policy loans	2,179us-gaap_LoansInsurancePolicy	2,202us-gaap_LoansInsurancePolicy
Real estate	38us-gaap_RealEstateInvestments	38us-gaap_RealEstateInvestments
Investment in unconsolidated trusts	1,238us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments	1,238us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestments
Total investments	238,171us-gaap_Investments	240,285us-gaap_Investments
Receivables:
Reinsurance	13,149	14,348
Insurance premiums and other (net of allowance for doubtful accounts: $453 and $439)	7,237us-gaap_PremiumsAndOtherReceivablesNet	10,728us-gaap_PremiumsAndOtherReceivablesNet
Deferred acquisition costs	26,800us-gaap_DeferredPolicyAcquisitionCosts	26,981us-gaap_DeferredPolicyAcquisitionCosts
Other assets	5,589us-gaap_OtherAssets	5,747us-gaap_OtherAssets
Intangibles	2,544	2,544
Total assets	313,185us-gaap_Assets	317,008us-gaap_Assets
LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
Future policy benefits	70,821	70,845
Unearned premiums	18,913us-gaap_UnearnedPremiums	24,544us-gaap_UnearnedPremiums
Losses and claims	64,640	66,625
Other policy liabilities	1,436us-gaap_OtherPolicyholderFunds	2,080us-gaap_OtherPolicyholderFunds
Total insurance reserves and policyholder funds	155,810	164,094
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	12,808	13,586
Deferred income taxes, net	3,372us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities	1,395us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities
Junior subordinated debenture obligations, net	33,738aame_JuniorSubordinatedNotesNet	33,738aame_JuniorSubordinatedNotesNet
Total liabilities	205,728us-gaap_Liabilities	212,813us-gaap_Liabilities
Commitments and contingencies (Note 6)
Shareholders' equity:
Preferred stock, $1 par, 4,000,000 shares authorized; Series D preferred, 55,000 shares issued and outstanding; $5,500 redemption value	55us-gaap_PreferredStockValue	55us-gaap_PreferredStockValue
Common stock, $1 par, 50,000,000 shares authorized; shares issued: 22,400,894; shares outstanding: 20,579,575 and 20,600,039	22,401us-gaap_CommonStockValue	22,401us-gaap_CommonStockValue
Additional paid-in capital	56,498us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapital	56,491us-gaap_AdditionalPaidInCapital
Retained earnings	22,046	21,866
Accumulated other comprehensive income	12,379	9,279
Unearned stock grant compensation	(395)us-gaap_DeferredCompensationEquity	(460)us-gaap_DeferredCompensationEquity
Treasury stock, at cost: 1,821,319 and 1,800,855 shares	(5,527)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue	(5,437)us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue
Total shareholders' equity	107,457us-gaap_StockholdersEquity	104,195us-gaap_StockholdersEquity
Total liabilities and shareholders' equity	$ 313,185	$ 317,008

Including the current and noncurrent portions, carrying value as of the balance sheet date of long-term debt (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle if longer) identified as Junior Subordinated Notes, which have a lower priority than senior instruments net of treasury debt.

No definition available.