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Reinsurance and Policy Provisions Narrative (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Reinsurance and Policy Provisions [Line Items]
Coinsurance deposits	$ 2,910,701,000	$ 2,818,642,000
Equitrust Coinsurance Agreement, August 1, 2001 to December 31, 2001 [Member]
Reinsurance and Policy Provisions [Line Items]
Coninsurance Percentage on Certain Annuities	70.00%
Equitrust Coinsurance Agreement, January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2003 [Member]
Reinsurance and Policy Provisions [Line Items]
Coninsurance Percentage on Certain Annuities	40.00%
Equitrust Coinsurance Agreement, January 1, 2004 to July 31, 2004 [Member]
Reinsurance and Policy Provisions [Line Items]
Coninsurance Percentage on Certain Annuities	20.00%
Equitrust Coinsurance Agreements, All Periods [Member]
Reinsurance and Policy Provisions [Line Items]
Reinsurance Payable	9,200,000	11,500,000
Coinsurance deposits	1,000,000,000	1,100,000,000
Athene Coinsurance Agreement, January 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010 [Member]
Reinsurance and Policy Provisions [Line Items]
Coninsurance Percentage on Certain Annuities	20.00%
Years Until Eligibilty for Recapture	7
Athene Coinsurance Agreements, All Periods [Member]
Reinsurance and Policy Provisions [Line Items]
Reinsurance Payable	14,000,000	8,400,000
Coinsurance deposits	1,900,000,000	1,700,000,000
Athene Coinsurance Agreement, July 1, 2009 to Current [Member]
Reinsurance and Policy Provisions [Line Items]
Coninsurance Percentage on Certain Annuities	80.00%
Reinsurance, 2011 Hannover Reinsurance Agreement [Member]
Reinsurance and Policy Provisions [Line Items]
Reinsurance, Net Pretax Statutory Surplus Benefit	49,200,000
Reinsurance, Reduction in Pretax Statutory Surplus, Current Period	(11,800,000)	(9,200,000)
Reinsurance, Risk Charge	1,800,000	1,700,000
Reinsurance, Reduction in Pretax Statutory Surplus, Due in One Year	(11,300,000)
Reinsurance, Reduction in Pretax Statutory Surplus, Due in Two Years	(10,800,000)
Reinsurance, Reduction in Pretax Statutory Surplus, Due in Three Years	(10,300,000)
Reinsurance, Risk Charge Rate	1.25%
Reinsurance, 2008 Hannover Reinsurance Agreement [Member]
Reinsurance and Policy Provisions [Line Items]
Reinsurance, Net Pretax Statutory Surplus Benefit	29,500,000
Reinsurance, Reduction in Pretax Statutory Surplus, Current Period	(6,800,000)	(6,700,000)
Reinsurance, Risk Charge	500,000	800,000	1,100,000
Reinsurance, Reduction in Pretax Statutory Surplus, Due in One Year	(6,900,000)
Reinsurance, Risk Charge Rate	1.25%
Reinsurance, 2005 Hannover Reinsurance Agreement [Member]
Reinsurance and Policy Provisions [Line Items]
Reinsurance, Risk Charge	9,900,000	8,600,000	6,900,000
Reinsurance, Waived Surrender Charges on Penalty Free Withdrawals and Deaths on Certain Business, Percentage	47.00%
Reinsurance, Reserve Credit	$ 180,300,000	$ 162,500,000
Reinsurance, Risk Charge Rate	5.80%

X

- Definition

Item represents the percentage of coinsurance provided under the coinsurance agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	ael_ReinsuranceAndPolicyProvisionsLineItems
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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Item represents the statutory surplus benefit recognized as a result of the reinsurance agreement net of initial expenses for risk charges and reinsurers fee.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_ReinsuranceNetPretaxStatutorySurplusBenefit
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Item represents the reduction to pretax statutory surplus recorded during the current reporting period based upon the Loss Carry Forward schedule, interest rate, and risk charges per the subject reinsurance agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_ReinsuranceReductionInPretaxStatutorySurplusCurrentPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Item represents the reduction to pretax statutory surplus expected to be recorded in one year based upon the Loss Carry Forward schedule, interest rate, and risk charges per the subject reinsurance agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_ReinsuranceReductionInPretaxStatutorySurplusDueInOneYears
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Item represents the reduction to pretax statutory surplus expected to be recorded in three years based upon the Loss Carry Forward schedule, interest rate, and risk charges per the subject reinsurance agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_ReinsuranceReductionInPretaxStatutorySurplusDueInThreeYears
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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X

- Definition

Item represents the reduction to pretax statutory surplus expected to be recorded in two years based upon the Loss Carry Forward schedule, interest rate, and risk charges per the subject reinsurance agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_ReinsuranceReductionInPretaxStatutorySurplusDueInTwoYears
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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X

- Definition

This amount represents a statutory reserve credit taken related to a reinsurance agreement that is accounted for as reinsurance in accordance with statutory accounting principles.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_ReinsuranceReserveCredit
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Item represents a risk charge percentage that is applied to the oustanding loss carry forward (LCF) to determine the amount due at the end of each accounting period (quarter).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_ReinsuranceRiskCharge
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Item represents the rate applied to the outstanding loss carry forward amount at each accounting period (quarterly) to determine the risk charge that is to be paid by the ceding icompany.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_ReinsuranceRiskChargeRate
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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Item represents the percentage of coverage provided by the 2005 Hannover Reinsurance Agreement on certain business of waived surrender charges related to penalty free withdrawals and deaths.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_ReinsuranceWaivedSurrenderChargesOnPenaltyFreeWithdrawalsAndDeathsOnCertainBusinessPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Item represents the number of years under coinsurance agreements that business in not eligible for recapture.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_YearsUntilEligibiltyForRecapture
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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
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X

- Definition

Funds held by the ceding insurer on behalf the reinsurer, including funds held in trust, under reinsurance treaties or contracts with the assuming insurer as security for the payment of the obligations thereunder, which represent an asset for the reinsurer. There is another concept for the corresponding liability of the ceding insurer.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.2,10)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910



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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 2, 10

-Article 7

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

The carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of the known and estimated amounts owed to insurers under reinsurance treaties or other arrangements.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 210

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.13(a)(3),(c))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910



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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 13

-Subparagraph a(3)

-Article 7

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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