XML 125 R111.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.6.0.2

Retirement and Share-based Compensation Plans (2014 Independent Insurance Agent Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Unit Plan) (Details) - 2014 Independent Insurance Agent Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Unit Plan [Member] - USD ($) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items] |  |  |
Number of shares authorized | 1,800,000 |  |
Restricted Stock Units [Member] | Share-based Compensation Award, Tranche One [Member] |  |  |
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items] |  |  |
Award vesting rights, percentage | 20.00% |  |
Award vesting period | 1 year |  |
Retirement Eligible Agent [Member] | Restricted Stock Units [Member] | Share-based Compensation Award, Tranche Two [Member] |  |  |
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items] |  |  |
Award vesting rights, percentage | 80.00% |  |
Award vesting period | 4 years |  |
Non-Retirement Eligible Agent [Member] | Restricted Stock Units [Member] | Share-based Compensation Award, Tranche Two [Member] |  |  |
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items] |  |  |
Award vesting rights, percentage | 80.00% |  |
Non-Retirement Eligible Agent [Member] | Restricted Stock Units [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Share-based Compensation Award, Tranche Two [Member] |  |  |
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items] |  |  |
Award vesting period | 5 years |  |
2016 American Equity Life Agent Grant [Member] |  |  |
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items] |  |  |
Commission expense | $ 2.6 |  |
2016 American Equity Life Agent Grant [Member] | Restricted Stock Units [Member] |  |  |
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items] |  |  |
Equity instruments granted | 363,624 |  |
2015 American Equity Life Agent Grant [Member] |  |  |
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items] |  |  |
Commission expense | $ 1.7 | $ 3.5 |
2015 American Equity Life Agent Grant [Member] | Restricted Stock Units [Member] |  |  |
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items] |  |  |
Equity instruments granted |  | 650,683 |
Award vested in period | 246,532 |  |
2014 American Equity Life Agent Grant [Member] |  |  |
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items] |  |  |
Commission expense | $ 0.6 | $ 1.3 | $ 1.9
2014 American Equity Life Agent Grant [Member] | Retirement Eligible Agent [Member] | Restricted Stock [Member] |  |  |
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items] |  |  |
Equity instruments granted |  |  | 27,985
2014 American Equity Life Agent Grant [Member] | Non-Retirement Eligible Agent [Member] | Restricted Stock Units [Member] |  |  |
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items] |  |  |
Equity instruments granted |  |  | 221,489
Award vested in period | 36,609 | 85,104 |
2014 American Equity Life Agent Grant [Member] | Non-Retirement Eligible Agent [Member] | Restricted Stock Units [Member] | Share-based Compensation Award, Tranche One [Member] |  |  |
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items] |  |  |
Award vesting rights, percentage | 20.00% |  |
Award vesting period | 1 year |  |
2014 American Equity Life Agent Grant [Member] | Non-Retirement Eligible Agent [Member] | Restricted Stock Units [Member] | Share-based Compensation Award, Tranche Two [Member] |  |  |
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items] |  |  |
Award vesting rights, percentage | 80.00% |  |
2014 American Equity Life Agent Grant [Member] | Non-Retirement Eligible Agent [Member] | Restricted Stock Units [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Share-based Compensation Award, Tranche Two [Member] |  |  |
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items] |  |  |
Award vesting period | 5 years |  |

X
- Definition Fair value of share-based compensation granted to nonemployees as payment for services rendered or acknowledged claims. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66902209&loc=d3e3602-108585 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_IssuanceOfStockAndWarrantsForServicesOrClaims
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Period which an employee's right to exercise an award is no longer contingent on satisfaction of either a service condition, market condition or a performance condition, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingPeriod1
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The number of equity-based payment instruments, excluding stock (or unit) options, that vested during the reporting period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c)(2)(iii)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriod
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:sharesItemType
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
Name: | us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Net number of non-option equity instruments granted to participants. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c)(1)(iv)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNonOptionEquityInstrumentsGranted
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) originally approved (usually by shareholders and board of directors), net of any subsequent amendments and adjustments, for awards under the equity-based compensation plan. As stock or unit options and equity instruments other than options are awarded to participants, the shares or units remain authorized and become reserved for issuance under outstanding awards (not necessarily vested). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Percentage of vesting of share-based compensation awards. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 718 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingRightsPercentage
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=ael_A2014IndependentInsuranceAgentRestrictedStockAndRestrictedStockUnitPlanMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_VestingAxis=us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationAwardTrancheOneMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis=ael_RetirementEligibleAgentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_VestingAxis=us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationAwardTrancheTwoMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_TitleOfIndividualAxis=ael_NonRetirementEligibleAgentMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_AwardDateAxis=ael_AmericanEquityLifeAgentGrant2016Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_AwardDateAxis=ael_AmericanEquityLifeAgentGrant2015Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_AwardDateAxis=ael_AmericanEquityLifeAgentGrant2014Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |