XML 99 R84.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.8.0.1

Derivative Instruments (Schedule of Call Options by Counterparty) (Details) - Call Options [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016
--- | --- | ---
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Notional amount | $ 35,498,003 | $ 31,048,082
Fair value | 1,568,380 | 830,519
Bank of America [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Notional amount | 4,645,366 | 5,958,884
Fair value | 237,955 | 178,477
Barclays [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Notional amount | 4,135,537 | 3,441,832
Fair value | 154,127 | 89,721
BNP Paribas [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Notional amount | 1,411,989 | 1,199,265
Fair value | 73,650 | 19,598
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Notional amount | 2,808,030 | 0
Fair value | 84,268 | 0
Citibank, N.A. [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Notional amount | 4,104,666 | 4,038,528
Fair value | 219,900 | 97,094
Credit Suisse [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Notional amount | 3,538,855 | 2,130,710
Fair value | 137,384 | 44,242
Deutsche Bank [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Notional amount | 0 | 25,935
Fair value | 0 | 892
J.P. Morgan [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Notional amount | 1,753,649 | 1,785,583
Fair value | 109,689 | 19,645
Morgan Stanley [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Notional amount | 3,408,179 | 2,543,421
Fair value | 184,323 | 64,425
Royal Bank of Canada [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Notional amount | 3,027,469 | 3,384,310
Fair value | 104,141 | 103,510
SunTrust [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Notional amount | 2,331,168 | 2,375,418
Fair value | 90,399 | 72,990
Wells Fargo [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Notional amount | 4,036,255 | 3,850,842
Fair value | 162,781 | 130,545
Exchange Traded [Member] |  |
Derivative [Line Items] |  |
Notional amount | 296,840 | 313,354
Fair value | $ 9,763 | $ 9,380

X
- Definition Aggregate notional amount specified by the derivative(s). Expressed as an absolute value. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Article 12 -Section 13 -Sentence Column B + Details
Name: | invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
Namespace Prefix: | invest_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Fair value, before effects of master netting arrangements, of a financial asset or other contract with one or more underlyings, notional amount or payment provision or both, and the contract can be net settled by means outside the contract or delivery of an asset. Includes assets elected not to be offset. Excludes assets not subject to a master netting arrangement. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51824906&loc=SL20225862-175312 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 815 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4B -Subparagraph (a),(c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84234895&loc=SL5624163-113959 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 20 -Section 55 -Paragraph 7 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82849420&loc=SL20226000-175313 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 860 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4D -Subparagraph (c)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82924980&loc=SL51823488-111719 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeAsset
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
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_DerivativeLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_CallOptionMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=ael_DerivativeCounterpartyBankOfAmericaMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=ael_DerivativeCounterpartyBarclaysMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=ael_DerivativeCounterpartyBnpParibasMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=ael_DerivativeCounterpartyCanadianImperialBankofCommerceMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=ael_DerivativeCounterpartyCitibankN.A.Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=ael_DerivativeCounterpartyCreditSuisseMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=ael_DerivativeCounterpartyDeutscheBankMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=ael_DerivativeCounterpartyJPMorganMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=ael_DerivativeCounterpartyMorganStanleyMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=ael_DerivativeCounterpartyRoyalBankofCanadaMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=ael_DerivativeCounterpartySuntrustMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=ael_DerivativeCounterpartyWellsFargoMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_CounterpartyNameAxis=ael_DerivativeCounterpartyExchangeTradedMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |