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Mortgage Loans on Real Estate (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
loans
portfolio_segment
Dec. 31, 2013
loans
Dec. 31, 2012
loans
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Abstract]      
Mortgage loans on real estate $ 2,434,580,000us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateCommercialAndConsumerNet $ 2,581,082,000us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateCommercialAndConsumerNet  
Commitments outstanding 61,300,000us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableCommercialLoansInProcess    
Number of portfolio segments that make up financing receivables 1ael_FinancingReceivableNumberofPortfolioSegments    
Number of loans satisfied by foreclosure 7ael_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateNumberOfLoansSatisfiedByForeclosure 5ael_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateNumberOfLoansSatisfiedByForeclosure 13ael_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateNumberOfLoansSatisfiedByForeclosure
Impaired mortgage loans, workout terms, interest only payments, six month terms 6 months    
Impaired mortgage loans, workout terms, interest only payments, twelve month terms 12 months    
Impaired mortgage loans, workout terms, cash flow sweep, number of months 12 months    
Number of days past due, delinquent status 60 days    
Number of days past due, non-accrual status 90 days    
Outstanding principal of non-accrual loans $ 6,000,000us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentNonaccrualStatus $ 8,200,000us-gaap_FinancingReceivableRecordedInvestmentNonaccrualStatus