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Earnings (Loss) Per Share (Schedule of Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings (Loss) Per Share) (Details) (Stock Options [Member], USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Number of shares	1,277,650	3,200
Minimum [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Range of exercise prices	$ 24.79	$ 14.34
Maximum [Member]
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Range of exercise prices	$ 24.79	$ 14.62

X

- Definition

Item represents the range of exercise prices for stock options excluded from the diluted earnings per share calculation because the exercise price is in excess of the average market price of the entity's common stock.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

X

- Definition

Securities (including those issuable pursuant to contingent stock agreements) that could potentially dilute basic earnings per share (EPS) or earnings per unit (EPU) in the future that were not included in the computation of diluted EPS or EPU because to do so would increase EPS or EPU amounts or decrease loss per share or unit amounts for the period presented.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 260

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257



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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Antidilution

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6505113



Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Diluted Earnings Per Share

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6510752



Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Contingent Stock Agreement

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6508534

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration