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Statutory Financial Information and Dividend Restrictions (Narrative and Statutory Accounting Practices Tables) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Statutory Financial Information and Dividend Restrictions [Abstract]
American Equity Life, statutory net income	$ 340,000,000us-gaap_StatutoryAccountingPracticesStatutoryNetIncomeAmount	$ 205,202,000us-gaap_StatutoryAccountingPracticesStatutoryNetIncomeAmount	$ 82,039,000us-gaap_StatutoryAccountingPracticesStatutoryNetIncomeAmount
American Equity Life, statutory capital and surplus balance	2,172,455,000us-gaap_StatutoryAccountingPracticesStatutoryCapitalAndSurplusBalance	1,870,728,000us-gaap_StatutoryAccountingPracticesStatutoryCapitalAndSurplusBalance
Total adjusted capital	2,327,335,000ael_StatutoryAccountingPracticesStatutoryCapitalAndSurplusTotalAjdustedBalance	1,995,658,000ael_StatutoryAccountingPracticesStatutoryCapitalAndSurplusTotalAjdustedBalance
Company Action Level RBC	625,373,000ael_StatutoryAccountingPracticesStatutoryCapitalAndSurplusCompanyActionLevel	580,085,000ael_StatutoryAccountingPracticesStatutoryCapitalAndSurplusCompanyActionLevel
Ratio of adjusted capital to Company Action Level RBC	372.00%us-gaap_CapitalToRiskWeightedAssets	344.00%us-gaap_CapitalToRiskWeightedAssets
Statutory Accounting Practices, Statutory Amount Available for Dividend Payments [Abstract]
Statutory amount available for dividend payments without regulatory approval	343,300,000us-gaap_StatutoryAccountingPracticesStatutoryAmountAvailableForDividendPaymentsWithoutRegulatoryApproval
Dividends paid by insurance subsidiaries	$ 0ael_StatutoryAccountingPracticesDividendsPaidByInsuranceSubsidiaries	$ 0ael_StatutoryAccountingPracticesDividendsPaidByInsuranceSubsidiaries	$ 0ael_StatutoryAccountingPracticesDividendsPaidByInsuranceSubsidiaries

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- Definition

Statutory accounting practices, dividends paid by insurance subsidiaries

+ References

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- Definition

Capital and surplus level that would require corporate action.

+ References

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- Definition

Represents the total adjusted capital and surplus balance for purposes of calculating risk based capital.

+ References

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- Definition

Total Capital divided by risk weighted assets as defined in the regulations.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 505

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1H

-Subparagraph (c)(2)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35709795&loc=d3e65071-112826



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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 942

-SubTopic 505

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (c)(1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35709795&loc=SL5958568-112826

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- Definition

Amount of dividends that can be declared or paid without approval of regulatory agency.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(e))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690



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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 08

-Paragraph e

-Article 4

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The amount of statutory capital and surplus (stockholders' equity) as of the balance sheet date using prescribed or permitted statutory accounting practices (rather than GAAP, if different) of the state or country.

+ 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 210.7-03.23(c))

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



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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 505

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6486098&loc=d3e24708-158529



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

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 03

-Paragraph 24

-Subparagraph c

-Article 7

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- Definition

Amount of net income for the period determined using accounting principles prescribed or permitted by insurance regulators.

+ 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 210.7-03.23(c))

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



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-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

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-Article 7

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