XML 58 R43.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.4.0.3

Mortgage Loans on Real Estate (Mortgage Loan Portfolio Summarized by Geographic Region and Property Type) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | Mar. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015
--- | --- | ---
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items] |  |
Principal outstanding | $ 2,483,782 | $ 2,449,909
Percent | 100.00% | 100.00%
Office [Member] |  |
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items] |  |
Principal outstanding | $ 399,139 | $ 396,154
Percent | 16.10% | 16.20%
Medical Office [Member] |  |
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items] |  |
Principal outstanding | $ 76,686 | $ 77,438
Percent | 3.10% | 3.20%
Retail [Member] |  |
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items] |  |
Principal outstanding | $ 773,741 | $ 790,158
Percent | 31.10% | 32.20%
Industrial/Warehouse [Member] |  |
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items] |  |
Principal outstanding | $ 698,385 | $ 686,400
Percent | 28.10% | 28.00%
Hotel [Member] |  |
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items] |  |
Principal outstanding | $ 3,308 | $ 3,361
Percent | 0.10% | 0.10%
Apartment [Member] |  |
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items] |  |
Principal outstanding | $ 362,222 | $ 352,971
Percent | 14.60% | 14.40%
Mixed Use/Other [Member] |  |
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items] |  |
Principal outstanding | $ 170,301 | $ 143,427
Percent | 6.90% | 5.90%
East [Member] |  |
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items] |  |
Principal outstanding | $ 697,469 | $ 698,113
Percent | 28.10% | 28.50%
Middle Atlantic [Member] |  |
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items] |  |
Principal outstanding | $ 158,337 | $ 160,261
Percent | 6.40% | 6.60%
Mountain [Member] |  |
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items] |  |
Principal outstanding | $ 243,453 | $ 252,442
Percent | 9.80% | 10.30%
New England [Member] |  |
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items] |  |
Principal outstanding | $ 13,053 | $ 13,161
Percent | 0.50% | 0.50%
Pacific [Member] |  |
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items] |  |
Principal outstanding | $ 382,616 | $ 355,268
Percent | 15.40% | 14.50%
South Atlantic [Member] |  |
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items] |  |
Principal outstanding | $ 470,729 | $ 456,227
Percent | 18.90% | 18.60%
West North Central [Member] |  |
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items] |  |
Principal outstanding | $ 324,748 | $ 313,120
Percent | 13.10% | 12.80%
West South Central [Member] |  |
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Line Items] |  |
Principal outstanding | $ 193,377 | $ 201,317
Percent | 7.80% | 8.20%

X
- Definition Represents the specific geographic distribution or property type distribution amount as a percentabe of the total amortzed cost of mortgage loans. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_PercentOfMortgageLoans
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount before allowance of commercial loans issued to businesses to acquire, develop, construct, improve, or refinance land or building. Includes deferred interest and fees, undisbursed portion of loan balance, unamortized costs and premiums and discounts from face amounts. Excludes loans covered under loss sharing agreements. + 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 210.9-03.7(a)) -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 210.7-03.1(c)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49124121&loc=d3e5066-111524 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LoansReceivableCommercialRealEstate
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
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_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis=us-gaap_OfficeBuildingMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis=ael_MortgageLoansMedicalOfficePropertyTypeMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis=us-gaap_RetailSiteMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis=ael_MortgageLoansIndustrialAndWarehousePropertyTypeMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis=us-gaap_HotelMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis=us-gaap_ApartmentBuildingMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_MortgageLoansOnRealEstateDescriptionTypeOfPropertyAxis=us-gaap_OtherPropertyMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=ael_EastUnitedStatesRegionMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=ael_MiddleAtlanticUnitedStatesRegionMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=ael_MountainUnitedStatesRegionMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=ael_NewEnglandUnitedStatesRegionMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=ael_PacificUnitedStatesRegionMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=ael_SouthAtlanticUnitedStatesRegionMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=ael_WestNorthCentralUnitedStatesRegionMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=ael_WestSouthCentralUnitedStatesRegionMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |