XML 80 R65.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.8.0.1

Investments (Net Realized Gains (Losses) on Invesments) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2017 | Sep. 30, 2017 | Jun. 30, 2017 | Mar. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Sep. 30, 2016 | Jun. 30, 2016 | Mar. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016 | Dec. 31, 2015
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Net realized gains (losses) on investments, excluding other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses | $ 2,719 | $ 1,579 | $ 3,873 | $ 2,338 | $ 844 | $ 5,256 | $ 2,737 | $ 2,687 | $ 10,509 | $ 11,524 | $ 10,211
Fixed Maturity Securities [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gross realized gains |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 18,254 | 14,132 | 7,230
Gross realized losses |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (9,058) | (4,036) | (5,787)
Gross realized gains (losses), excluding other than temporary impairments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 9,196 | 10,096 | 1,443
Equity Securities [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gross realized gains |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 348 | 0 | 0
Other Investments [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain on sale of real estate |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 56 | 884 | 4,194
Loss on sale of real estate |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | (93) | (575)
Impairment losses on real estate |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 0 | (1,297)
Gain (loss) on other investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 56 | 791 | 2,322
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Decrease (increase) in allowance for credit losses |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 278 | (4,846) | 1,018
Recovery of specific allowance |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 631 | 5,483 | 5,428
Change in allowance for credit losses and recoveries |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 909 | $ 637 | $ 6,446

X
- Definition Financing Receivable, Allowance For Credit Losses, Period (Increase) Decrease, Provision And Recoveries, Total + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossesPeriodIncreaseDecreaseProvisionAndRecoveriesTotal
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Gain (loss) recognized during the period on the assets in our investment porfolio categorized as other investments. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_GainLossonOtherInvestments
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The gain resulting from sales and other disposals of other real estate owned. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_GainsOnSalesOfOtherRealEstate
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The loss resulting from sales and other disposals of other real estate owned. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_LossesOnSalesOfOtherRealEstate
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition This item represents the gross profit realized on the sale of debt or equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82897076&loc=d3e27357-111563 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossRealizedGains
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition This item represents the gross loss realized on the sale of debt or equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82897076&loc=d3e27357-111563 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesGrossRealizedLosses
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition This item represents the difference between the gross realized gains and losses realized on the sale of debt or equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading securities. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 7 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82896770&loc=d3e26805-111562 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AvailableforsaleSecuritiesGrossRealizedGainLossExcludingOtherThanTemporaryImpairments
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of recovery of financing receivables doubtful of collection that were previously charged off. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 11B -Subparagraph (c)(4) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84173941&loc=SL6953423-111524 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossesRecovery
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition This item represents the net total realized and unrealized gain (loss) included in earnings for the period as a result of selling or holding marketable securities categorized as trading, available-for-sale, or held-to-maturity, including the unrealized holding gain (loss) of held-to-maturity securities transferred to the trading security category and the cumulative unrealized gain (loss) which was included in other comprehensive income (a separate component of shareholders' equity) for available-for-sale securities transferred to trading securities during the period. Additionally, this item would include any gains (losses) realized during the period from the sale of investments accounted for under the cost method of accounting. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (b)(7) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20187-122688 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_GainLossOnInvestmentsExcludingOtherThanTemporaryImpairments
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The charge against earnings in the period to reduce the carrying amount of real property to fair value. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84176398&loc=d3e2921-110230 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3602-108585 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ImpairmentOfRealEstate
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of expense related loan transactions, lease transactions, credit loss from transactions other than loan and lease transactions, and other loss based on assessment of uncollectability from the counterparty to reduce the account to their net realizable value. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 11B -Subparagraph (c)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84173941&loc=SL6953423-111524 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 225 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.11) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=98514028&loc=d3e3602-108585 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ProvisionForLoanLeaseAndOtherLosses
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

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

X
- Details
Name: | invest_InvestmentAxis=us-gaap_FixedMaturitiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | invest_InvestmentAxis=us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | invest_InvestmentAxis=us-gaap_OtherInvestmentsMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | invest_InvestmentAxis=us-gaap_MortgagesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |