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Investments (Schedule of Credit Quality of Fixed Maturity Portfolio by NAIC Designation) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Amortized cost	$ 31,519,798ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityAmortizedCost	$ 30,281,478ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityAmortizedCost
Fair value	34,286,625ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityFairValue	32,521,040ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityFairValue
NAIC, Class 1 Designation [Member]
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Amortized cost	19,969,022ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityAmortizedCost / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = ael_NAICClass1DesignationMember	19,223,151ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityAmortizedCost / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = ael_NAICClass1DesignationMember
Fair value	22,027,864ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityFairValue / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = ael_NAICClass1DesignationMember	20,941,634ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityFairValue / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = ael_NAICClass1DesignationMember
NAIC, Class 2 Designation [Member]
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Amortized cost	10,833,446ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityAmortizedCost / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = ael_NAICClass2DesignationMember	10,432,593ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityAmortizedCost / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = ael_NAICClass2DesignationMember
Fair value	11,565,940ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityFairValue / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = ael_NAICClass2DesignationMember	10,981,618ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityFairValue / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = ael_NAICClass2DesignationMember
NAIC, Class 3 Designation [Member]
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Amortized cost	681,662ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityAmortizedCost / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = ael_NAICClass3DesignationMember	602,191ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityAmortizedCost / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = ael_NAICClass3DesignationMember
Fair value	671,393ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityFairValue / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = ael_NAICClass3DesignationMember	583,313ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityFairValue / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = ael_NAICClass3DesignationMember
NAIC, Class 4 Designation [Member]
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Amortized cost	35,082ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityAmortizedCost / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = ael_NAICClass4DesignationMember	22,888ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityAmortizedCost / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = ael_NAICClass4DesignationMember
Fair value	21,074ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityFairValue / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = ael_NAICClass4DesignationMember	14,089ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityFairValue / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = ael_NAICClass4DesignationMember
NAIC, Class 5 Designation [Member]
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Amortized cost	0ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityAmortizedCost / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = ael_NAICClass5DesignationMember	0ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityAmortizedCost / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = ael_NAICClass5DesignationMember
Fair value	0ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityFairValue / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = ael_NAICClass5DesignationMember	0ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityFairValue / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = ael_NAICClass5DesignationMember
NAIC, Class 6 Designation [Member]
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Amortized cost	586ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityAmortizedCost / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = ael_NAICClass6DesignationMember	655ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityAmortizedCost / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = ael_NAICClass6DesignationMember
Fair value	$ 354ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityFairValue / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = ael_NAICClass6DesignationMember	$ 386ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesAvailableForSaleAndHeldToMaturityFairValue / invest_InvestmentSectorAxis = ael_NAICClass6DesignationMember

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