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Reinsurance and Policy Provisions (Equitrust Coinsurance Agreements) (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) coinsurance_agreement	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)
Ceded Credit Risk [Line Items]
Coinsurance deposits	$ 4,639,492	$ 3,187,470
Equitrust Coinsurance Agreements, All Periods [Member]
Ceded Credit Risk [Line Items]
Number of coinsurance agreements | coinsurance_agreement	2
Coinsurance deposits	$ 700,000	800,000
Reinsurance payable	$ 9,700	$ 2,500
Equitrust Coinsurance Agreement, August 1, 2001 to December 31, 2001 [Member]
Ceded Credit Risk [Line Items]
Coninsurance percentage on certain annuities	70.00%
Equitrust Coinsurance Agreement, January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2003 [Member]
Ceded Credit Risk [Line Items]
Coninsurance percentage on certain annuities	40.00%
Equitrust Coinsurance Agreement, January 1, 2004 to July 31, 2004 [Member]
Ceded Credit Risk [Line Items]
Coninsurance percentage on certain annuities	20.00%

X

- Definition

Item represents the percentage of coinsurance provided under the coinsurance agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_ConinsurancePercentageOnCertainAnnuities
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Number of coinsurance agreements.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_NumberOfCoinsuranceAgreements
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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_CededCreditRiskLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount of the reinsurer's funds held on its behalf by the ceding insurer, including funds held in trust, under reinsurance treaties or contracts with the assuming insurer as security for the payment of the obligations thereunder.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.2,10)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FundsHeldUnderReinsuranceAgreementsAsset
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

The carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of the known and estimated amounts owed to insurers under reinsurance treaties or other arrangements.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.13(a)(3),(c))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

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

X

- Details

Name:	ael_CoinsuranceAgreementsAxis=ael_EquitrustCoinsuranceAgreementsAllPeriodsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	ael_CoinsuranceAgreementsAxis=ael_EquitrustCoinsuranceAgreementAugust12001ToDecember312001Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	ael_CoinsuranceAgreementsAxis=ael_EquitrustCoinsuranceAgreementJanuary12002ToDecember312003Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	ael_CoinsuranceAgreementsAxis=ael_EquitrustCoinsuranceAgreementJanuary12004ToJuly312004Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: