Income Taxes (Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Deferred income tax assets:
Policy benefit reserves	$ 2,052,968	$ 1,875,516
Other than temporary impairments	753	901
Investment income items	0us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsDeferredIncome	2,121us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsDeferredIncome
Amounts due reinsurer	680	7,366
Other policyholder funds	7,765	9,200
Litigation settlement accrual	7,100	7,420
Deferred compensation	10,565	13,430
Convertible senior notes	12,281ael_DeferredTaxAssetsConvertibleDebt	34,818ael_DeferredTaxAssetsConvertibleDebt
Net operating loss carryforwards	17,694	24,179
Other	11,685us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther	8,835us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther
Gross deferred tax assets	2,121,491us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross	1,983,786us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross
Deferred income tax liabilities:
Deferred policy acquisition costs and deferred sales inducements	(1,637,607)	(1,475,403)
Net unrealized gains on available for sale fixed maturity and equity securities	(376,314)	(12,742)
Derivative instruments	(94,038)	(193,067)
Investment income items	(14,842)	0
Other	(2,585)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther	(718)us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther
Gross deferred tax liabilities	(2,125,386)us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxLiabilities	(1,681,930)us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxLiabilities
Net deferred income tax (liability) asset	$ (3,895)us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet	$ 301,856us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsLiabilitiesNet

The amount as of the balance sheet date of the estimated future tax effects attributable to differences between the methods used to account for reinsurance arrangements for tax purposes and under generally accepted accounting principles which will decrease future taxable income when such differences reverse.

No definition available.