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Mortgage Loans on Real Estate Schedule of Impaired Financing Receivables (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012 Months	Dec. 31, 2011
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate, Interest Only Workout Period Allowed	6
Impaired Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment	$ 70,164	$ 107,057
Impaired Financing Receivable, Unpaid Principal Balance	96,586	130,721
Impaired Financing Receivable, Related Allowance	(26,422)	(23,664)
Impaired Financing Receivable, Average Recorded Investment	79,084	114,591
Impaired Financing Receivable, Interest Income, Accrual Method	3,449	6,793
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate, Interest Only Workout Period Allowed, Certain Cases	12
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate, Loans in Workout, Period Allowed for Using Amount In Escrow Account for Capital and Tenant Improvement	12
Commercial Real Estate Portfolio Segment [Member]
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Impaired Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment	39,629	44,034
Impaired Financing Receivable, Unpaid Principal Balance	66,051	67,698
Impaired Financing Receivable, Related Allowance	(26,422)	(23,664)
Impaired Financing Receivable, Average Recorded Investment	48,873	53,617
Impaired Financing Receivable, Interest Income, Accrual Method	1,970	3,284
Commercial Real Estate Portfolio Segment [Member]
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Impaired Financing Receivable, Recorded Investment	30,535	63,023
Impaired Financing Receivable, Unpaid Principal Balance	30,535	63,023
Impaired Financing Receivable, Related Allowance	0	0
Impaired Financing Receivable, Average Recorded Investment	30,211	60,974
Impaired Financing Receivable, Interest Income, Accrual Method	1,479	3,509
Commercial Real Estate Portfolio Segment [Member]
Financing Receivable, Impaired [Line Items]
Financing Receivable, Individually Evaluated for Impairment	96,586	130,721
Impaired Financing Receivable, Unpaid Principal Balance	2,762,861	2,856,011
Financing Receivable, Collectively Evaluated for Impairment	$ 2,666,275	$ 2,725,290

X

- Definition

Represents the total unpaid principal balance of loans that were individually and collectively evaluated for establishment of specific loan loss allowances and the general loan loss allowance.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
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X

- Definition

Represents an interest only period allowed for mortgage loans with workout terms.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
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X

- Definition

Represents an interest onlyperiod of workout terms allowed for mortgage loans under certain circumstances.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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X

- Definition

Represents the period allowed for payments to be applied to an escrow account to be utilized for capital and tenant improvements to underlying collateral real estate.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ael_
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X

- Definition

The balance of financing receivables that were collectively evaluated for impairment.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 11B

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6965416&loc=SL6953423-111524

-Subparagraph (h)

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X

- Definition

The balance of financing receivables that were individually evaluated for impairment.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 11B

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6965416&loc=SL6953423-111524

-Subparagraph (h)

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X

- Definition

The average recorded investment related to impaired financing receivables.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 15

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6965416&loc=d3e5212-111524

-Subparagraph (c)(1)



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 17

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6965416&loc=d3e5258-111524

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X

- Definition

The interest income recognized during the time within that period that the financing receivables were impaired.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 15

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6965416&loc=d3e5212-111524

-Subparagraph (c)(2)

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X

- Definition

The recorded investment related to impaired financing receivables.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 14A

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6965416&loc=SL6953550-111524

-Subparagraph (b)

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- Definition

Amount of allowance for credit losses related to recorded investment.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 15

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6965416&loc=d3e5212-111524

-Subparagraph (a)(3)

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X

- Definition

The unpaid principal balance related to impaired financing receivables.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 15

-Subparagraph (a)(4)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6965416&loc=d3e5212-111524

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