XML 117 R103.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.3.1.900

Notes Payable and Amounts Due Under Repurchase Agreements (Line of Credit Narrative) (Details) - 2013 Line of Credit [Member] $ in Thousands | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) guarantor banks occasions | Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items] |  |
Line of credit, maximum borrowing capacity | $ 140,000 |
Line of credit, number of banks in agreement | banks | 5 |
Line of credit, interest rate, floating, applicable margin | 0.75% |
Line of credit, interest rate, floating, adjusted LIBOR | 1.75% |
Line of credit, unused capacity, commitment fee percentage | 0.30% |
Minimum risk-based capital ratio | 275.00% |
Maximum debt to capital ratio | 0.35 |
Minimum capital to be retained | 80.00% |
Minimum portion of net income to be retained | 50.00% |
Minimum capital contributions to be retained | 50.00% |
Line of credit, number of occasions borrowing capacity can be increased | occasions | 3 |
Line of credit, additional borrowing capacity, aggregate amount | $ 50,000 |
Line of credit, duration of maturity date extension available, years | 1 year |
Line of credit, number of guarantors | guarantor | 0 |
Line of credit, amount outstanding | $ 0 | $ 0
Cash in excess of amount required by covenants | $ 472,400 |

X
- Definition The amount of cash and cash equivalents reported on the balance sheet that is in excess of the amount required to be held by debt or credit agreement covenants. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_CashInExcessOfRequiredByCovenants
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Represents the minimum risk-based capital ratio required under debt covenants. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_DebtCovenantsMinimumRiskBasedCapitalRatio
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Line of credit, additional borrowing capacity, aggregate amount + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_LineOfCreditAdditionalBorrowingCapacityAggregateAmount
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The variable interest rate on a revolving line of credit that is equal to an alternate base rate (as defined in the drecit agreement) plus the adjusted LIBOR rate that is equal to this value. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_LineOfCreditInterestRateFloatingAdjustedLibor
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The variable interest rate on a revolving line of credit that is equal to an alternate base rate (as defined in the credit agreement) plus the applicable margin that is equal to this value. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_LineOfCreditInterestRateFloatingApplicableMargin
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Line of credit, maturity date extension + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_LineOfCreditMaturityDateExtension
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The number of banks listed in the revolving line of credit agreement. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_LineOfCreditNumberOfBanksInAgreement
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Line of credit, number of occasions borrowing capacity can be increased + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_LineOfCreditNumberOfOccasionsBorrowingCapacityCanBeIncreased
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Line of credit, number of guarantors + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_LineOfCreditNumberofGuarantors
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Represents the maximum debt to capital ratio in relation to the 2011 line of credit agreement. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_MaximumDebtToCapitalRatio
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | xbrli:decimalItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Represents the minimum captial contributions subsequent to 9/30/10 that are to be retained under the debt coventants related to the 2011 line of credit agreement. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_MinimumCapitalContributionsToBeRetained
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Represents the percentage of minimum capital that must be retained from the balance at 12/31/10 under the debt coventants for the 2011 line of credit agreement. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_MinimumCapitalToBeRetained
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Represents the minimum portion of net income that is to be retained subsequent to 12/31/10 under the debt covenants related to the 2011 line of credit agreement. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_MinimumPortionOfNetIncomeToBeRetained
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the current and noncurrent portions of long-term obligations drawn from a line of credit, which is a bank's commitment to make loans up to a specific amount. Examples of items that might be included in the application of this element may consist of letters of credit, standby letters of credit, and revolving credit arrangements, under which borrowings can be made up to a maximum amount as of any point in time conditional on satisfaction of specified terms before, as of and after the date of drawdowns on the line. Includes short-term obligations that would normally be classified as current liabilities but for which (a) postbalance sheet date issuance of a long term obligation to refinance the short term obligation on a long term basis, or (b) the enterprise has entered into a financing agreement that clearly permits the enterprise to refinance the short-term obligation on a long term basis and the following conditions are met (1) the agreement does not expire within 1 year and is not cancelable by the lender except for violation of an objectively determinable provision, (2) no violation exists at the BS date, and (3) the lender has entered into the financing agreement is expected to be financially capable of honoring the agreement. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 19, 20, 22 -Article 5 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LineOfCredit
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The fee, expressed as a percentage of the line of credit facility, for available but unused credit capacity under the credit facility. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityUnusedCapacityCommitmentFeePercentage
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityAxis=ael_LineofCredit2013Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |