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Income Taxes (Components of Income Tax Expense) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Consolidated statements of operations:
Current income taxes	$ 116,545us-gaap_CurrentIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	$ 133,036us-gaap_CurrentIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	$ 80,527us-gaap_CurrentIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Deferred income taxes (benefits)	(46,504)us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	3,013us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	(52,336)us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Total income tax expense included in consolidated statements of operations	70,041us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	136,049us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	28,191us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Stockholders' equity:
Expense (benefit) relating to: change in net unrealized investment losses	363,572us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeAvailableforsaleSecuritiesTaxPortionAttributableToParent	(344,944)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeAvailableforsaleSecuritiesTaxPortionAttributableToParent	123,620us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeAvailableforsaleSecuritiesTaxPortionAttributableToParent
Expense (benefit) relating to: share-based compensation	(5,716)us-gaap_AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalTaxEffectFromShareBasedCompensation	(4,043)us-gaap_AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalTaxEffectFromShareBasedCompensation	(392)us-gaap_AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalTaxEffectFromShareBasedCompensation
Expense (benefit) relating to: extinguishment of convertible debt	(9,284)ael_AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalTaxEffectFromExtinguishmentOfConvertibleDebt	(4,546)ael_AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalTaxEffectFromExtinguishmentOfConvertibleDebt	0ael_AdjustmentsToAdditionalPaidInCapitalTaxEffectFromExtinguishmentOfConvertibleDebt
Total income tax expense (benefit) included in consolidated financial statements	$ 418,613us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefitIntraperiodTaxAllocation	$ (217,484)us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefitIntraperiodTaxAllocation	$ 151,419us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefitIntraperiodTaxAllocation

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Amount of increase in additional paid in capital (APIC) resulting from a tax benefit associated with share-based compensation plan other than an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). Includes, but is not limited to, excess tax benefit.

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Amount of tax expense (benefit), after reclassification adjustments, of appreciation (loss) in value of unsold available-for-sale securities, attributable to parent entity. Excludes amounts related to other than temporary impairment (OTTI) loss.

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