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Earnings (Loss) Per Share and Stockholders' Equity (Stockholders' Equity Narrative) (Details)	1 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2015 occasions $ / shares shares
Forward Contract Indexed to Issuer's Equity [Line Items]
Public offering related to equity forward transaction, shares	8,600,000
Forward rate per share | $ / shares	$ 25.25
Shares subject to forward sale agreement	4,300,000
Optional shares available to underwriters	1,290,000
Minimum [Member]
Forward Contract Indexed to Issuer's Equity [Line Items]
Number of potential issuances under the forward sale agreement | occasions	1
Maximum [Member]
Forward Contract Indexed to Issuer's Equity [Line Items]
Forward sale agreement maturity	12 months

X

- Definition

Represents the number of shares in connection with public offering under the equity forward transaction.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The number of times of potential issuances under the forward sale agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The number of shares that the underwriters have an option to purchase for a definite time period after close of forward equity transaction.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ael_
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Period remaining until the derivative contract matures, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The per share price of the Company's stock at which the contract holder of the freestanding contract has the right to purchase or sell the Company's stock at a future date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 40
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6445032&loc=d3e90205-114008

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 480
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (f)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6940734&loc=d3e22047-110879

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

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

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
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Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The maximum number of shares that could be issued to net share settle a contract, if applicable. If a contract does not have a fixed or determinable maximum number of shares that may be required to be issued, disclose the fact that a potentially infinite number of shares could be issued to settle the contract.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 815
-SubTopic 40
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (b)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6445032&loc=d3e90205-114008

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

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- Details

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- Details

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