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Reinsurance and Policy Provisions (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2011
Reinsurance and Policy Provisions [Line Items] |  |  |
Coinsurance deposits | $ 2,999,618,000 | $ 2,910,701,000 |
Equitrust Coinsurance Agreements, All Periods [Member] |  |  |
Reinsurance and Policy Provisions [Line Items] |  |  |
Number of coinsurance agreements | 2 |  |
Coinsurance deposits | 900,000,000 | 1,000,000,000 |
Reinsurance payable | 20,700,000 | 9,200,000 |
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% |  |
Athene Coinsurance Agreements, All Periods [Member] |  |  |
Reinsurance and Policy Provisions [Line Items] |  |  |
Number of coinsurance agreements | 2 |  |
Coinsurance deposits | 2,100,000,000 | 1,900,000,000 |
Reinsurance payable | 27,300,000 | 14,000,000 |
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 Agreement, July 1, 2009 to Current [Member] |  |  |
Reinsurance and Policy Provisions [Line Items] |  |  |
Coninsurance percentage on certain annuities | 80.00% |  |
Hannover Reinsurance Agreement, All Agreements [Member] |  |  |
Reinsurance and Policy Provisions [Line Items] |  |  |
Number of reinsurance agreements | 2 |  |
2011 Hannover Reinsurance Agreement [Member] |  |  |
Reinsurance and Policy Provisions [Line Items] |  |  |
Duration of statutory surplus benefit reduction | 5 years |  |
Net pretax statutory surplus benefit | 49,200,000 |  |
Reduction in pretax statutory surplus | 11,300,000 | 11,800,000 | 9,200,000
Reduction in pretax statutory surplus due in one year | 10,800,000 |  |
Reduction in pretax statutory surplus due in two years | 10,300,000 |  |
Reduction in pretax statutory surplus due in three years | 2,500,000 |  |
Risk charge rate | 1.25% |  |
Risk charges | 1,300,000 | 1,800,000 | 1,700,000
2013 Hannover Reinsurance Agreement [Member] |  |  |
Reinsurance and Policy Provisions [Line Items] |  |  |
Risk charge rate | 1.25% |  |
Risk charges | 7,000,000 |  |
Waived surrender charges on penalty free withdrawals and deaths on certain business, percentage | 45.60% |  |
Reserve credit | 288,200,000 |  |
2008 Hannover Reinsurance Agreement [Member] |  |  |
Reinsurance and Policy Provisions [Line Items] |  |  |
Net pretax statutory surplus benefit | 29,500,000 |  |
Reduction in pretax statutory surplus | 6,900,000 | 6,800,000 |
Risk charge rate | 1.25% |  |
Risk charges | 100,000 | 500,000 | 800,000
2005 Hannover Reinsurance Agreement [Member] |  |  |
Reinsurance and Policy Provisions [Line Items] |  |  |
Risk charges | 5,400,000 | 9,900,000 | 8,600,000
Waived surrender charges on penalty free withdrawals and deaths on certain business, percentage | 47.00% |  |
Reserve credit |  | $ 180,300,000 |

X
- Definition Item represents the percentage of coinsurance provided under the coinsurance agreement. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Number of coinsurance agreements. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Number of reinsurance agreements. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Details
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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
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- Definition Item represents the reduction to pretax statutory surplus expected to be recorded in three years based upon Loss Carry Forward schedule, interest rate, and risk charges per the subject reinsurance agreement. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_ReinsuranceReductionInPretaxStatutorySurplusDueInThreeYears
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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
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- 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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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
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- Definition Based on the reinsurance agreement, the period of time the statutory surplus benefit is reduced over. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Item represents the number of years under coinsurance agreements that business in not eligible for recapture. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Amount of the reinsurer's funds held on its behalf by the ceding insurer, including funds held in trust, under reinsurance treaties or contracts with the assuming insurer as security for the payment of the obligations thereunder. + 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 + Details
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- 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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