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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

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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

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+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
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-Subparagraph (c)(2)(iii)(2)
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-Section 50
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

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+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
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-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

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