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Notes Payable and Amounts Due Under Repurchase Agreements (2029 Notes Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2009
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Change in fair value of embedded derivatives	$ (32,321,000)us-gaap_EmbeddedDerivativeGainLossOnEmbeddedDerivativeNet	$ (133,968,000)us-gaap_EmbeddedDerivativeGainLossOnEmbeddedDerivativeNet	$ (286,899,000)us-gaap_EmbeddedDerivativeGainLossOnEmbeddedDerivativeNet
Interest expense on convertible notes	36,370,000us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt	38,870,000us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt	28,479,000us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt
Convertible Debt [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Interest expense on convertible notes	9,000,000us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_ConvertibleDebtMember	26,400,000us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_ConvertibleDebtMember	28,500,000us-gaap_InterestExpenseDebt / us-gaap_LongtermDebtTypeAxis = us-gaap_ConvertibleDebtMember
2029 Notes Embedded Conversion Derivative [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Change in fair value of embedded derivatives	(3,809,000)us-gaap_EmbeddedDerivativeGainLossOnEmbeddedDerivativeNet / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = ael_EmbeddedConversionDerivative2029NotesMember	0us-gaap_EmbeddedDerivativeGainLossOnEmbeddedDerivativeNet / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = ael_EmbeddedConversionDerivative2029NotesMember	0us-gaap_EmbeddedDerivativeGainLossOnEmbeddedDerivativeNet / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = ael_EmbeddedConversionDerivative2029NotesMember
Mandatory Redemption [Member] | 2029 Notes Embedded Conversion Derivative [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Change in fair value of embedded derivatives	(3,800,000)us-gaap_EmbeddedDerivativeGainLossOnEmbeddedDerivativeNet / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = ael_EmbeddedConversionDerivative2029NotesMember / ael_ExtinguishmentofDebtAgreementTypeAxis = ael_MandatoryRedemptionMember
December 2029 Notes [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of convertible senior notes payable at issuance				115,800,000ael_PrincipalAmountOfConvertibleSeniorNotesPayableAtIssuance / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = ael_ConvertibleDebtIssuedIn2009Member
Adjustments to additional paid in capital, equity component of convertible debt	15,600,000us-gaap_AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalEquityComponentOfConvertibleDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = ael_ConvertibleDebtIssuedIn2009Member
Deferred income tax liability, equity component of convertible debt	11,000,000ael_DeferredIncomeTaxLiabilityEquityComponentOfConvertibleDebt / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = ael_ConvertibleDebtIssuedIn2009Member
Interest rate	5.25%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = ael_ConvertibleDebtIssuedIn2009Member
Extinguishment of debt, amount		47,500,000us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = ael_ConvertibleDebtIssuedIn2009Member
Extinguishment of debt, cash paid		74,800,000ael_ExtinguishmentofDebtCashPaid / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = ael_ConvertibleDebtIssuedIn2009Member
Extinguishment of debt, cash paid for shares of common stock		34,900,000ael_ExtinguishmentOfDebtCashPaidForSharesOfCommonStock / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = ael_ConvertibleDebtIssuedIn2009Member
Extinguishment of debt, shares issued		1,629,677ael_ExtinguishmentOfDebtSharesIssued / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = ael_ConvertibleDebtIssuedIn2009Member
Extinguishment of debt, carrying value at extinguishment		44,500,000ael_ExtinguishmentOfDebtCarryingValueAtExtinguishment / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = ael_ConvertibleDebtIssuedIn2009Member
Extinguishment of debt, gain (loss), net of tax		(5,200,000)us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtGainLossNetOfTax / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = ael_ConvertibleDebtIssuedIn2009Member
Interest rate, effective percentage	11.90%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateEffectivePercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = ael_ConvertibleDebtIssuedIn2009Member
December 2029 Notes [Member] | Private Exchange Offers [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Extinguishment of debt, amount	36,200,000us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = ael_ConvertibleDebtIssuedIn2009Member / ael_ExtinguishmentofDebtAgreementTypeAxis = ael_PrivateExchangeOffersMember
Extinguishment of debt, cash paid	66,700,000ael_ExtinguishmentofDebtCashPaid / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = ael_ConvertibleDebtIssuedIn2009Member / ael_ExtinguishmentofDebtAgreementTypeAxis = ael_PrivateExchangeOffersMember
Extinguishment of debt, cash paid for shares of common stock	23,200,000ael_ExtinguishmentOfDebtCashPaidForSharesOfCommonStock / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = ael_ConvertibleDebtIssuedIn2009Member / ael_ExtinguishmentofDebtAgreementTypeAxis = ael_PrivateExchangeOffersMember
Extinguishment of debt, shares issued	946,793ael_ExtinguishmentOfDebtSharesIssued / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = ael_ConvertibleDebtIssuedIn2009Member / ael_ExtinguishmentofDebtAgreementTypeAxis = ael_PrivateExchangeOffersMember
Extinguishment of debt, carrying value at extinguishment	34,600,000ael_ExtinguishmentOfDebtCarryingValueAtExtinguishment / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = ael_ConvertibleDebtIssuedIn2009Member / ael_ExtinguishmentofDebtAgreementTypeAxis = ael_PrivateExchangeOffersMember
Extinguishment of debt, gain (loss), net of tax	(2,500,000)us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtGainLossNetOfTax / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = ael_ConvertibleDebtIssuedIn2009Member / ael_ExtinguishmentofDebtAgreementTypeAxis = ael_PrivateExchangeOffersMember
December 2029 Notes [Member] | Mandatory Redemption [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Extinguishment of debt, amount	32,100,000us-gaap_ExtinguishmentOfDebtAmount / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = ael_ConvertibleDebtIssuedIn2009Member / ael_ExtinguishmentofDebtAgreementTypeAxis = ael_MandatoryRedemptionMember
Extinguishment of debt, cash paid	69,400,000ael_ExtinguishmentofDebtCashPaid / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = ael_ConvertibleDebtIssuedIn2009Member / ael_ExtinguishmentofDebtAgreementTypeAxis = ael_MandatoryRedemptionMember
Extinguishment of debt, cash paid for shares of common stock	24,600,000ael_ExtinguishmentOfDebtCashPaidForSharesOfCommonStock / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = ael_ConvertibleDebtIssuedIn2009Member / ael_ExtinguishmentofDebtAgreementTypeAxis = ael_MandatoryRedemptionMember
Extinguishment of debt, shares issued	897,548ael_ExtinguishmentOfDebtSharesIssued / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = ael_ConvertibleDebtIssuedIn2009Member / ael_ExtinguishmentofDebtAgreementTypeAxis = ael_MandatoryRedemptionMember
Equity reclassified to an embedded derivative liability	$ 58,100,000ael_ConvertibleDebtEquityComponentEquityReclassifiedToAnEmbeddedDerivativeLiability / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = ael_ConvertibleDebtIssuedIn2009Member / ael_ExtinguishmentofDebtAgreementTypeAxis = ael_MandatoryRedemptionMember

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- Definition

The fair value of the convertible debt equity component at the date the holders were notified they had the option to settle the conversion option in cash. At the date of notification, the fair value of the conversion option was reclassified to an embedded derivative liability.

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The income tax effect of recognizing the equity component of a convertible debt issuance.

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The amount of cash paid to extinguish outstanding debt that has not reached its maturity date.

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The principal amount of convertible senior notes payable at the time the securities were issued.

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-SubTopic 20

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Effective interest rate for the funds borrowed under the debt agreement considering interest compounding and original issue discount or premium.

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Contractual interest rate for funds borrowed, under the debt agreement.

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Net Increase or Decrease in the fair value of the embedded derivative or group of embedded derivatives included in earnings in the period.

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Gross amount of debt extinguished.

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The difference between the reacquisition price and the net carrying amount of the extinguished debt recognized currently as a component of income in the period of extinguishment, net of tax.

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Amount of the cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest expense for debt.

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