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Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs and Deferred Sales Inducements (Deferred Sales Inducements) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Movement in Deferred Sales Inducements [Roll Forward]
Balance at beginning of year	$ 1,875,880us-gaap_DeferredSalesInducementsNet	$ 1,292,341us-gaap_DeferredSalesInducementsNet	$ 1,242,787us-gaap_DeferredSalesInducementsNet
Costs deferred during the year	330,079us-gaap_DeferredSalesInducementsAdditions	337,787us-gaap_DeferredSalesInducementsAdditions	306,659us-gaap_DeferredSalesInducementsAdditions
Amortization	(131,419)us-gaap_DeferredSalesInducementsAmortizationExpense	(253,113)us-gaap_DeferredSalesInducementsAmortizationExpense	(87,157)us-gaap_DeferredSalesInducementsAmortizationExpense
Effect of net unrealized gains/losses	(487,283)ael_DeferredSalesInducementsAmortizationExpenseUnrealizedInvestmentGainsLosses	498,865ael_DeferredSalesInducementsAmortizationExpenseUnrealizedInvestmentGainsLosses	(169,948)ael_DeferredSalesInducementsAmortizationExpenseUnrealizedInvestmentGainsLosses
Balance at end of year	$ 1,587,257us-gaap_DeferredSalesInducementsNet	$ 1,875,880us-gaap_DeferredSalesInducementsNet	$ 1,292,341us-gaap_DeferredSalesInducementsNet

X

- Definition

Amount of amortization of deferred sales inducements due to unrealized investment gains or losses.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ael_
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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The amount of deferred sales inducement costs capitalized during the period.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6481800&loc=d3e11332-158416

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The amount of deferred sales inducement costs charged against earnings during the period.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585



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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6481800&loc=d3e11332-158416

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Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The unamortized carrying amount of deferred sales inducement costs as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6481800&loc=d3e11332-158416

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- Details

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