Retirement and Share-based Compensation Plans (Deferred Compensation Arrangements) (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Deferred Compensation Plans, Certain Officers, Directors and Consultants [Member]
Deferred Compensation Arrangement with Individual, Postretirement Benefits [Line Items]
Shares earned and reserved for future issuance	364,000	366,072
Share-based compensation expense		$ 102,000	$ 127,000
Deferred Compensation Plans, Officer Rabbi Trust [Member]
Deferred Compensation Arrangement with Individual, Postretirement Benefits [Line Items]
Deferred compensation liability	$ 3,500,000	$ 3,700,000
Shares held	102,932	103,251
Deferred Compensation Plans, NMO Deferred Compensation Plan [Member]
Deferred Compensation Arrangement with Individual, Postretirement Benefits [Line Items]
Award vesting period	9 years
Undistributed vested shares	0	223,454
Deferred Compensation Plans, NMO Trust [Member]
Deferred Compensation Arrangement with Individual, Postretirement Benefits [Line Items]
Shares held	15,058	230,012
Shares distributed	215,273	313,108	349,568

Item represents the number of shares that were distributed to participants.

No definition available.

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

- Definition

Item represents the number of shares held as of the end of the reporting period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_DeferredCompensationPlansSharesHeld
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Item represents the number of shares that have vested and remain undistributed at the end of the reporting period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_DeferredCompensationPlansVestedandUndistributedShares
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Item represents the number of shares earned by individuals under deferred compensation plans that have been reserved for issuance at a future date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of expense recognized from equity-based compensation arrangements (for example, shares of stock, unit, stock options or other equity instruments), awarded to key employees or individuals. Excludes amount related to plans that cover generally all employees (for example, but not limited to, qualified pension plans).

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

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

- Definition

Aggregate carrying value as of the balance sheet date of the liabilities for deferred compensation arrangements. Represents currently earned compensation under cash arrangements (such as a profit-sharing plan, rabbi trust, and employee contract--excluding equity-based arrangements) that is not actually paid until a later date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DeferredCompensationCashbasedArrangementsLiabilityCurrentAndNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- 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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=ael_DeferredCompensationPlansCertainOfficersDirectorsAndConsultantsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=ael_DeferredCompensationPlansAmericanEquityOfficerRabbiTrustMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=ael_DeferredCompensationPlansNmoDeferredCompensationPlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=ael_DeferredCompensationPlansNmoRabbiTrustMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: