Name:	aame_AnnualizedPremiumForHealthInsurancePolicies
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Insurance benefits and losses incurred under long-duration contracts with respect to cash it must pay to policyholders upon their terminating, or surrendering, their insurance contracts.

No definition available.

Name:	aame_ChangeInCashSurrenderValueAndMaturedEndowments
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

No definition available.

Name:	aame_FuturePolicyBenefitsAbstract
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This element includes the aggregate amount of policy reserves (provided for future obligations including unpaid claims and claims adjustment expenses) and policy benefits (liability for future policy benefits) as of the balance sheet dates; and unearned premiums and other policy liabilities.

No definition available.

Name:	aame_LiabilityForFuturePolicyBenefitsAndUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseAndOtherPolicyholderFunds
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Amount of expense for claims incurred in the current reporting period and related claims settlement costs.

No definition available.

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Amount of expense for claims incurred in prior reporting periods and related claims settlement costs.

No definition available.

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The known and estimated amount that is recoverable on unpaid claims through reinsurance as of the end of the year.

No definition available.

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
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The known and estimated amount that is recoverable on unpaid claims through reinsurance as of the beginning of the year.

No definition available.

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Provision for benefits, claims and claims settlement expenses incurred before adjustments during the period net of the effects of contracts assumed and ceded.

No definition available.

Name:	aame_PolicyholderBenefitsAndClaimsIncurredBeforeAdjustments
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

No definition available.

Name:	aame_ReservesForLifeAccidentAndHealthAbstract
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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
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Amount, after effect of reinsurance, of life insurance issued and outstanding, as disclosed in supplementary reinsurance information. Includes, but is not limited to, dividend and adjustment to face value.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher SEC
-Name Regulation S-X (SX)
-Number 210
-Section 12
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Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
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The amount needed to reflect the estimated ultimate cost of settling claims relating to insured events that have occurred on or before the balance sheet date, whether or not reported to the insurer at that date.

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Period Type:	instant

The assumed interest rate used to determine present value of future benefits to be paid to or on behalf of policyholders and related expenses less the present value of future net premiums using assumptions such as estimates of expected investment yields, mortality, morbidity, terminations and expenses, applicable at the time the insurance contracts are made and unpaid claim costs relating to insurance contracts including estimates of costs relating to incurred but not reported claims based on the estimated ultimate cost of settling the claims (including effects of inflation and other societal and economic factors), using past experience adjusted for current trends and any other factors that would modify past experience in the year the policy went into force.

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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Span of years during which policies were issued containing estimated present value of future benefits to be paid to or on behalf of policyholders and related expenses less the present value of future net premiums using assumptions such as estimates of expected investment yields, mortality, morbidity, terminations and expenses, applicable at the time the insurance contracts are made and unpaid claim costs relating to insurance contracts including estimates of costs relating to incurred but not reported claims based on the estimated ultimate cost of settling the claims (including effects of inflation and other societal and economic factors), using past experience adjusted for current trends and any other factors that would modify past experience.

No definition available.

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Amount of accrued obligation to policyholders that relates to insured events for long-duration contracts.

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Period Type:	instant

Amount of expense (income) recognized due to changes in the accrued obligation to policyholders that relates to insured events.

Name:	us-gaap_LiabilityForFuturePolicyBenefitsPeriodExpense
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Period Type:	duration

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseClaimsPaidAbstract
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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
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Amount, after effects of reinsurance, of payments to settle claims incurred in the current period and related claims settlement costs.

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Amount, after effects of reinsurance, of payments to settle claims incurred in prior periods and related claims settlement costs.

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Amount, after effects of reinsurance, of expense (reversal of expense) for claims incurred and costs incurred in the claim settlement process.

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No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseIncurredClaimsAbstract
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Liability as of the balance sheet date for amounts representing estimated cost of settling unpaid claims under the terms of the underlying insurance policies, less estimated reinsurance recoveries on such claims. This includes an estimate for claims which have been incurred but not reported. Claim adjustment expenses represent the costs estimated to be incurred in the settlement of unpaid claims.

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Name:	us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseNet
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A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_LiabilityForUnpaidClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseNetAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
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Amount due to policyholders for funds held that are returnable under the terms of insurance contracts, classified as other.

Name:	us-gaap_OtherPolicyholderFunds
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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Amount, after effects of reinsurance, of payments to settle insured claims and pay costs incurred in the claims settlement process.

Name:	us-gaap_PaymentsForLossesAndLossAdjustmentExpense
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No definition available.

Name:	us-gaap_PolicyholderBenefitsAndClaimsIncurredAbstract
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Amount, after effects of policies assumed or ceded, of expense related to the provision for policy benefits and costs incurred.

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Name:	us-gaap_PolicyholderBenefitsAndClaimsIncurredNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Carrying amount of premiums written on insurance contracts that have not been earned as of the balance sheet date.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
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Name:	us-gaap_UnearnedPremiums
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=us-gaap_VariableLifeMember
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Balance Type:
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Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=us-gaap_UniversalLifeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=us-gaap_VariableAnnuityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=us-gaap_LifeInsuranceSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=us-gaap_AccidentAndHealthInsuranceSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=aame_LifeAccidentAndHealthInsuranceMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
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Name:	us-gaap_GuaranteedInsuranceContractTypeOfBenefitAxis=aame_Range1MemberMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MinimumMember
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Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
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