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Fair Values of Financial Instruments (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2014
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]      
Assets, Level 1 to Level 2 transfers, amount $ 0us-gaap_FairValueAssetsLevel1ToLevel2TransfersAmount   $ 0us-gaap_FairValueAssetsLevel1ToLevel2TransfersAmount
Liabilities, Level 1 to Level 2 transfers, amount 0us-gaap_FairValueLiabilitiesLevel1ToLevel2TransfersAmount   0us-gaap_FairValueLiabilitiesLevel1ToLevel2TransfersAmount
Assets, Level 2 to Level 1 transfers, amount 0us-gaap_FairValueAssetsLevel2ToLevel1TransfersAmount   0us-gaap_FairValueAssetsLevel2ToLevel1TransfersAmount
Liabilities, Level 2 to Level 1 transfers, amount 0us-gaap_FairValueLiabilitiesLevel2ToLevel1TransfersAmount   0us-gaap_FairValueLiabilitiesLevel2ToLevel1TransfersAmount
Assets, transfers into Level 3, amount 0us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetTransfersIntoLevel3 0us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetTransfersIntoLevel3  
Liabilities, transfers into Level 3, amount 0us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationLiabilityTransfersIntoLevel3 0us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationLiabilityTransfersIntoLevel3  
Assets, transfers out of Level 3, amount 0us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetTransfersOutOfLevel3 0us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationRecurringBasisAssetTransfersOutOfLevel3  
Liabilities, transfers out of Level 3, amount 0us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationLiabilityTransfersOutOfLevel3 0us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementWithUnobservableInputsReconciliationLiabilityTransfersOutOfLevel3  
Other investments 285,177,000us-gaap_OtherInvestments   286,726,000us-gaap_OtherInvestments
Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring [Member]      
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]      
Other investments 0us-gaap_OtherInvestments
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember		    
Fair Value, Sensitivity, Increase in Discount Rate by 10 Percent [Member]      
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]      
Fair value, sensitivity, discount rate adjustment (basis points) 100ael_FairValueSensitivityDiscountRateAdjustment
/ ael_FairValueLiabilitiesSensitivityAnalysisUnobservableInputsAxis
= ael_FairValueSensitivityIncreaseInDiscountRateBy10PercentMember		    
Fixed index annuities embedded derivative, adjustment due to change in discount rate (405,600,000)ael_FixedIndexAnnuitiesEmbeddedDerivativeFairValueDisclosureAdjustmentDuetoChangeinDiscountRate
/ ael_FairValueLiabilitiesSensitivityAnalysisUnobservableInputsAxis
= ael_FairValueSensitivityIncreaseInDiscountRateBy10PercentMember		    
Deferred policy scquisition costs and deferred sales inducements, combined balance, adjustment due to change in discount rate (238,000,000)ael_DeferredPolicyAcquisitionCostsandDeferredSalesInducementsAdjustmentDuetoChangeinDiscountRateCombinedBalance
/ ael_FairValueLiabilitiesSensitivityAnalysisUnobservableInputsAxis
= ael_FairValueSensitivityIncreaseInDiscountRateBy10PercentMember		    
Fair Value, Sensitivity, Decrease in Discount Rate by 10 Percent [Member]      
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]      
Fair value, sensitivity, discount rate adjustment (basis points) 100ael_FairValueSensitivityDiscountRateAdjustment
/ ael_FairValueLiabilitiesSensitivityAnalysisUnobservableInputsAxis
= ael_FairValueSensitivityDecreaseInDiscountRateBy10PercentMember		    
Fixed index annuities embedded derivative, adjustment due to change in discount rate 454,200,000ael_FixedIndexAnnuitiesEmbeddedDerivativeFairValueDisclosureAdjustmentDuetoChangeinDiscountRate
/ ael_FairValueLiabilitiesSensitivityAnalysisUnobservableInputsAxis
= ael_FairValueSensitivityDecreaseInDiscountRateBy10PercentMember		    
Deferred policy scquisition costs and deferred sales inducements, combined balance, adjustment due to change in discount rate $ 261,000,000ael_DeferredPolicyAcquisitionCostsandDeferredSalesInducementsAdjustmentDuetoChangeinDiscountRateCombinedBalance
/ ael_FairValueLiabilitiesSensitivityAnalysisUnobservableInputsAxis
= ael_FairValueSensitivityDecreaseInDiscountRateBy10PercentMember