XML 44 R29.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.5.0.2

Investments (Narrative) (Details) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($) Securities	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 Securities
Investments [Abstract]
Fixed income securities with call features, percentage	35.00%
Fixed income securities with call features, currently callable, percentage	0.20%
Fixed income securities with call features, currently callable, amount	$ 77,200
Fixed income securities with call features, callable during next 12 months, percentage	2.90%
Fixed income securities with call features, callable during next 12 months, amount	$ 1,100,000
Fixed income securities with call features, not callable until within 6 months of stated maturity, percentage	68.00%
Percentage of fixed maturity portfolio rated investment grade based on NAIC designations	97.00%		98.00%
Number of individual securities with unrealized losses | Securities	411		1,246
Percentage of unrealized losses on fixed maturity securities where securities are rated investment grade	56.00%		84.00%
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Scheduled principal repayments, calls and tenders for available for sale securities	$ 1,421,976	$ 886,573
Fixed Maturity Securities [Member]
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Scheduled principal repayments, calls and tenders for available for sale securities	1,200,000	643,800
Available For Sale Securities [Member]
Investment Holdings [Line Items]
Proceeds from sales of available for sale securities	$ 186,100	$ 242,800

X

- Definition

Represents the percentage of debt securities in the investment portfolio with call features that permit the issuer of the debt to repay before the stated maturity date (early retirement date) and are callable over the next 12 months.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_FixedIncomeSecuritiesWithCallFeaturesCallableDuringNext12MonthsPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Represents the percentage of debt securities in the investment portfolio with call features that permit the issuer of the debt to repay before the stated maturity date (early retirement date) and are currently callable.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_FixedIncomeSecuritiesWithCallFeaturesCurrentlyCallablePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Represents the percentage of debt securities in the investment portfolio with call features that permit the issuer of the debt to repay before the stated maturity date (early retirement date).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_FixedIncomeSecuritiesWithCallFeaturesPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Represents the amount of debt securities in the investment portfolio with call features that permit the issuer of the debt to repay before the stated maturity date (early retirement date) and are callable during the next 12 months.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_FixedIncomeSecuritieswithCallFeaturesCallableDuringNext12MonthsAmount
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Represents the amount of debt securities in the investment portfolio with call features that permit the issuer of the debt to repay before the stated maturity date (early retirement date) and are currently callable.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_FixedIncomeSecuritieswithCallFeaturesCurrentlyCallableAmount
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Represents the percentage of debt securities in the investment portfolio with call features that permit the issuer of the debt to repay before the stated maturity date (early retirement date) and are not callable until within 6 months of their stated maturities.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_FixedIncomeSecuritieswithCallFeaturesNotCallableUntilWithin6MonthsofStatedMaturityPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

This item represents the percentage of unrealized losses on fixed maturity securities that is on securities classified as investment grade.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_FixedMaturitySecuritiesUnrealizedLossPositionClassifiedAsInvestmentGrade
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Represents the number of individual securities in an unrealized loss position as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_IndividualSecuritiesWithUnrealizedLosses
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Represents the percentage of fixed income securities at fair value rated investment grade (NAIC 1 or 2) compared to the entire fixed income security portfolio at fair value.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_PercentageOfInvestmentGradeFixedMaturitySecuritiesAtFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
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_InvestmentHoldingsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The cash inflow associated with maturities (principal being due), prepayments and calls (requests of early payments) on securities not classified as either held-to-maturity securities or trading securities which are classified as available-for-sale securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (a),(b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3179-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 11
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49167202&loc=d3e26853-111562

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Investing Activities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromMaturitiesPrepaymentsAndCallsOfAvailableForSaleSecurities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The cash inflow associated with the sale of debt and equity securities classified as available-for-sale securities.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Investing Activities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 11
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49167202&loc=d3e26853-111562

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (a),(b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3179-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfAvailableForSaleSecurities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_FixedMaturitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentSecondaryCategorizationAxis=us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: