XML 38 R81.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9

Derivative Instruments (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) Share data in Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014 partial_unwind_agreement	Sep. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013 partial_unwind_agreement	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2014 partial_unwind_agreement	Dec. 31, 2013 partial_unwind_agreement	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2010
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]
Credit risk, maximum exposure									$ 47,400,000us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskCreditRiskFinancialInstrumentMaximumExposure	$ 71,700,000us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskCreditRiskFinancialInstrumentMaximumExposure
Number of partial unwind agreements	5ael_NumberOfPartialUnwindAgreements				3ael_NumberOfPartialUnwindAgreements				5ael_NumberOfPartialUnwindAgreements	3ael_NumberOfPartialUnwindAgreements
Net cash received from counterparties for settlement of call options and warrants									16,600,000ael_NetCashReceivedFromCounterpartiesForSettlementofCallOptionsandWarrants	22,200,000ael_NetCashReceivedFromCounterpartiesForSettlementofCallOptionsandWarrants
Warrants reclassified from equity to a derivative liability, at fair value									(51,257,000)ael_WarrantsReclassifiedFromEquitytoLiabilityAtFairValue	(47,991,000)ael_WarrantsReclassifiedFromEquitytoLiabilityAtFairValue
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative collateral	743,000,000us-gaap_DerivativeCollateralObligationToReturnCash				818,200,000us-gaap_DerivativeCollateralObligationToReturnCash				743,000,000us-gaap_DerivativeCollateralObligationToReturnCash	818,200,000us-gaap_DerivativeCollateralObligationToReturnCash
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
Net income	31,217,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	67,815,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	36,744,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	(9,753,000)us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	50,958,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	56,181,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	120,113,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	26,031,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	126,023,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	253,283,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	57,798,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
2015 Notes Hedges [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Number of counterparties												2ael_NumberofCounterparties / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_OptionOnSecuritiesMember
Conversion spread, shares of common stock	1.8ael_DerivativeConversionSpreadShares / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_OptionOnSecuritiesMember								1.8ael_DerivativeConversionSpreadShares / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_OptionOnSecuritiesMember			16.0ael_DerivativeConversionSpreadShares / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_OptionOnSecuritiesMember
Derivative asset, strike price	$ 12.25ael_DerivativeAssetStrikePrice / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_OptionOnSecuritiesMember								$ 12.25ael_DerivativeAssetStrikePrice / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_OptionOnSecuritiesMember			$ 12.50ael_DerivativeAssetStrikePrice / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_OptionOnSecuritiesMember
2015 Warrants [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Number of securities called by warrants												16.0us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightNumberOfSecuritiesCalledByWarrantsOrRights / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_WarrantMember
Warrants, exercise price									$ 15.68invest_InvestmentWarrantsExercisePrice / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_WarrantMember			$ 16.00invest_InvestmentWarrantsExercisePrice / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_WarrantMember
Proceeds from issuance of warrants												15,600,000us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfWarrants / us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis = us-gaap_WarrantMember
September 2015 Notes [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Principal amount of convertible senior notes payable at issuance												200,000,000ael_PrincipalAmountOfConvertibleSeniorNotesPayableAtIssuance / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = ael_ConvertibleDebtIssuedIn2010Member
Interest rate	3.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = ael_ConvertibleDebtIssuedIn2010Member								3.50%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage / us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis = ael_ConvertibleDebtIssuedIn2010Member
SunTrust [Member] | Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative instruments, interest rate swaps and caps, duration									7 years
SunTrust [Member] | Three Month London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] | Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Cap rate	2.50%us-gaap_DerivativeCapInterestRate / us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis = ael_DerivativeCounterpartySuntrustMember / us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis = us-gaap_NondesignatedMember / us-gaap_VariableRateAxis = ael_ThreeMonthLondonInterbankOfferedRateLIBORMember								2.50%us-gaap_DerivativeCapInterestRate / us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis = ael_DerivativeCounterpartySuntrustMember / us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis = us-gaap_NondesignatedMember / us-gaap_VariableRateAxis = ael_ThreeMonthLondonInterbankOfferedRateLIBORMember
Change in Assumptions for Fair Value [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Change in fair value of embedded derivatives									(62,600,000)us-gaap_EmbeddedDerivativeGainLossOnEmbeddedDerivativeNet / us-gaap_ChangeInAccountingEstimateByTypeAxis = ael_ChangeinAssumptionsforFairValueMember
Net income									$ 14,800,000us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss / us-gaap_ChangeInAccountingEstimateByTypeAxis = ael_ChangeinAssumptionsforFairValueMember
Call Options [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Investment maturity period									1 year

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- Definition

The price per share that we will be entitled to receive if we opt to exercise the call options of the 2015 notes hedge.

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Net cash received from counterparties for settlement of call options and warrants.

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Number of partial unwind agreements entered into.

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

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Outstanding stock warrants that were originally issued with the intention to share settle if holder exercised before expiration, which resulted in the proceeds from the sale of the warrants to be recognized as equity. These warrants subsequently were assigned to a partial unwind agreement to be net cash settled, which required reclassification at fair value from equity to a derivative liability.

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- Definition

Exercise price of the warrants.

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Number of securities into which the class of warrant or right may be converted. For example, but not limited to, 500,000 warrants may be converted into 1,000,000 shares.

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Maximum amount of loss due to credit risk that, based on the gross fair value of the financial instrument, the entity would incur if parties to the financial instruments that make up the concentration failed completely to perform according to the terms of the contracts and the collateral or other security, if any, for the amount due proved to be of no value to the entity.

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

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Amount of obligation to return cash collateral under master netting arrangements that have not been offset against derivative assets.

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