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Investments (Schedule of Other Than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Amortized cost	$ 569,508ael_SecuritiesWithNoncreditOtherThanTemporaryImpairmentAtAmortizedCost	$ 679,265ael_SecuritiesWithNoncreditOtherThanTemporaryImpairmentAtAmortizedCost
OTTI recognized in other comprehensive income	(173,494)ael_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLossesInvestmentsCummulativePortionOfRecognizedInComprehensiveIncome	(176,334)ael_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLossesInvestmentsCummulativePortionOfRecognizedInComprehensiveIncome
Change in fair value since OTTI was recognized	215,636ael_ChangeInFairValueOfSecuritiesWithNoncreditOtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLosses	216,081ael_ChangeInFairValueOfSecuritiesWithNoncreditOtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLosses
Fair value	611,650ael_FairValueOfSecuritiesWithNoncreditOtherThanTemporaryImpairments	719,012ael_FairValueOfSecuritiesWithNoncreditOtherThanTemporaryImpairments
Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] | Corporate Securities [Member]
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Amortized cost	0ael_SecuritiesWithNoncreditOtherThanTemporaryImpairmentAtAmortizedCost / us-gaap_DebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_FixedMaturitiesMember	0ael_SecuritiesWithNoncreditOtherThanTemporaryImpairmentAtAmortizedCost / us-gaap_DebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_FixedMaturitiesMember
OTTI recognized in other comprehensive income	0ael_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLossesInvestmentsCummulativePortionOfRecognizedInComprehensiveIncome / us-gaap_DebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_FixedMaturitiesMember	0ael_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLossesInvestmentsCummulativePortionOfRecognizedInComprehensiveIncome / us-gaap_DebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_FixedMaturitiesMember
Change in fair value since OTTI was recognized	11ael_ChangeInFairValueOfSecuritiesWithNoncreditOtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLosses / us-gaap_DebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_FixedMaturitiesMember	20ael_ChangeInFairValueOfSecuritiesWithNoncreditOtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLosses / us-gaap_DebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_FixedMaturitiesMember
Fair value	11ael_FairValueOfSecuritiesWithNoncreditOtherThanTemporaryImpairments / us-gaap_DebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_FixedMaturitiesMember	20ael_FairValueOfSecuritiesWithNoncreditOtherThanTemporaryImpairments / us-gaap_DebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_FixedMaturitiesMember
Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] | Residential Mortgage Backed Securities [Member]
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Amortized cost	569,508ael_SecuritiesWithNoncreditOtherThanTemporaryImpairmentAtAmortizedCost / us-gaap_DebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_FixedMaturitiesMember	679,265ael_SecuritiesWithNoncreditOtherThanTemporaryImpairmentAtAmortizedCost / us-gaap_DebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_FixedMaturitiesMember
OTTI recognized in other comprehensive income	(173,494)ael_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLossesInvestmentsCummulativePortionOfRecognizedInComprehensiveIncome / us-gaap_DebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_FixedMaturitiesMember	(176,334)ael_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLossesInvestmentsCummulativePortionOfRecognizedInComprehensiveIncome / us-gaap_DebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_FixedMaturitiesMember
Change in fair value since OTTI was recognized	215,625ael_ChangeInFairValueOfSecuritiesWithNoncreditOtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLosses / us-gaap_DebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_FixedMaturitiesMember	216,061ael_ChangeInFairValueOfSecuritiesWithNoncreditOtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLosses / us-gaap_DebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_FixedMaturitiesMember
Fair value	$ 611,639ael_FairValueOfSecuritiesWithNoncreditOtherThanTemporaryImpairments / us-gaap_DebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_FixedMaturitiesMember	$ 718,992ael_FairValueOfSecuritiesWithNoncreditOtherThanTemporaryImpairments / us-gaap_DebtSecurityAxis = us-gaap_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember / us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis = us-gaap_FixedMaturitiesMember

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