XML 69 R55.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.6.0.2

Fair Values of Financial Instruments (Assumptions Used in Estimating Fair Value) (Details)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Long-Duration Contracts, Assumptions by Product and Guarantee [Line Items]
Expected cost of annual call options	3.10%	3.10%
Mortality rate assumption	65.00%
Fixed Index Annuities [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Contract Duration (Years), Group 1 [Member]
Long-Duration Contracts, Assumptions by Product and Guarantee [Line Items]
Contract duration (years)	1 year	1 year
Fixed Index Annuities [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Contract Duration (Years), Group 2 [Member]
Long-Duration Contracts, Assumptions by Product and Guarantee [Line Items]
Contract duration (years)	6 years	6 years
Fixed Index Annuities [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Contract Duration (Years), Group 3 [Member]
Long-Duration Contracts, Assumptions by Product and Guarantee [Line Items]
Contract duration (years)	11 years	11 years
Fixed Index Annuities [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Contract Duration (Years), Group 4 [Member]
Long-Duration Contracts, Assumptions by Product and Guarantee [Line Items]
Contract duration (years)	16 years	16 years
Fixed Index Annuities [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Contract Duration (Years), Group 5 [Member]
Long-Duration Contracts, Assumptions by Product and Guarantee [Line Items]
Contract duration (years)	20 years	20 years
Fixed Index Annuities [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Contract Duration (Years), Group 1 [Member]
Long-Duration Contracts, Assumptions by Product and Guarantee [Line Items]
Contract duration (years)	5 years	5 years
Fixed Index Annuities [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Contract Duration (Years), Group 2 [Member]
Long-Duration Contracts, Assumptions by Product and Guarantee [Line Items]
Contract duration (years)	10 years	10 years
Fixed Index Annuities [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Contract Duration (Years), Group 3 [Member]
Long-Duration Contracts, Assumptions by Product and Guarantee [Line Items]
Contract duration (years)	15 years	15 years
Fixed Index Annuities [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Contract Duration (Years), Group 4 [Member]
Long-Duration Contracts, Assumptions by Product and Guarantee [Line Items]
Contract duration (years)	20 years	20 years
Fixed Index Annuities [Member] | Weighted Average [Member] | Contract Duration (Years), Group 1 [Member]
Long-Duration Contracts, Assumptions by Product and Guarantee [Line Items]
Average lapse rates	1.76%	1.58%
Average partial withdrawal rates	3.30%	3.08%
Fixed Index Annuities [Member] | Weighted Average [Member] | Contract Duration (Years), Group 2 [Member]
Long-Duration Contracts, Assumptions by Product and Guarantee [Line Items]
Average lapse rates	6.58%	8.55%
Average partial withdrawal rates	3.30%	3.55%
Fixed Index Annuities [Member] | Weighted Average [Member] | Contract Duration (Years), Group 3 [Member]
Long-Duration Contracts, Assumptions by Product and Guarantee [Line Items]
Average lapse rates	11.25%	12.01%
Average partial withdrawal rates	3.32%	3.59%
Fixed Index Annuities [Member] | Weighted Average [Member] | Contract Duration (Years), Group 4 [Member]
Long-Duration Contracts, Assumptions by Product and Guarantee [Line Items]
Average lapse rates	12.04%	12.99%
Average partial withdrawal rates	3.18%	3.22%
Fixed Index Annuities [Member] | Weighted Average [Member] | Contract Duration (Years), Group 5 [Member]
Long-Duration Contracts, Assumptions by Product and Guarantee [Line Items]
Average lapse rates	11.68%	12.54%
Average partial withdrawal rates	3.18%	3.22%

X

- Definition

The expected cost of annual call options to be purchased in the future to fund index credits beyond the next policy anniversary date, which are based on estimated account value growth and historical review of our actual option costs.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

X

- Definition

Period the instrument, asset or liability is expected to be outstanding, 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 820
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (bbb)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66048111&loc=d3e19207-110258

+ Details

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

X

- Definition

Anticipated rate of future terminations of contracts in force as of the balance sheet date, which is included in determining the amount of the specified guaranteed benefit obligation as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6588021&loc=d3e7104-158389

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 40
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6482852&loc=d3e14931-158439

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 80
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6484115&loc=d3e19393-158473

+ Details

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

X

- Definition

Actuarially determined death rate of policyholders, which is included in determining the amount of the specified guaranteed benefit obligation as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 15
-Subparagraph (d)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6588021&loc=d3e7104-158389

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 80
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6484115&loc=d3e19393-158473

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 40
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6482852&loc=d3e14931-158439

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongDurationContractsAssumptionsByProductAndGuaranteeMortalityRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Anticipated rate, classified as other, for assumptions included in determining the amount of the specified guaranteed benefit obligation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 80
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6484115&loc=d3e19393-158473

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 40
-Section 50
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6482852&loc=d3e14931-158439

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 20
-Section 55
-Paragraph 15
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6588021&loc=d3e7104-158389

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongDurationContractsAssumptionsByProductAndGuaranteeOtherRate
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=us-gaap_FixedAnnuityMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	ael_ContractDurationRangeAxis=ael_ContractDurationGroup1Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	ael_ContractDurationRangeAxis=ael_ContractDurationGroup2Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	ael_ContractDurationRangeAxis=ael_ContractDurationGroup3Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	ael_ContractDurationRangeAxis=ael_ContractDurationGroup4Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	ael_ContractDurationRangeAxis=ael_ContractDurationGroup5Member
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_RangeAxis=us-gaap_WeightedAverageMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: