Investments (Other Than Temporary Impairments by Asset Type) (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($) Securities	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) Securities	Sep. 30, 2018 USD ($) Securities	Sep. 30, 2017 USD ($) Securities
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments [Abstract]
Other than temporary impairment, number of securities \| Securities	20		25	9
Total OTTI losses	$ (14,373)	$ (273)	$ (16,025)	$ (273)
Portion of OTTI losses recognized in (from) other comprehensive income	0	(191)	(1,651)	(1,281)
Net OTTI losses recognized in operations	$ (14,373)	$ (464)	$ (17,676)	$ (1,554)
Corporate Securities \| Capital Goods
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments [Abstract]
Other than temporary impairment, number of securities \| Securities	1		1
Total OTTI losses	$ (719)		$ (719)
Portion of OTTI losses recognized in (from) other comprehensive income	0		0
Net OTTI losses recognized in operations	$ (719)		$ (719)
Corporate Securities \| Consumer Discretionary
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments [Abstract]
Other than temporary impairment, number of securities \| Securities	6		7
Total OTTI losses	$ (5,968)		$ (6,875)
Portion of OTTI losses recognized in (from) other comprehensive income	0		0
Net OTTI losses recognized in operations	$ (5,968)		$ (6,875)
Corporate Securities \| Energy
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments [Abstract]
Other than temporary impairment, number of securities \| Securities	2		2
Total OTTI losses	$ (1,212)		$ (1,212)
Portion of OTTI losses recognized in (from) other comprehensive income	0		0
Net OTTI losses recognized in operations	$ (1,212)		$ (1,212)
Corporate Securities \| Financials
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments [Abstract]
Other than temporary impairment, number of securities \| Securities	5		5
Total OTTI losses	$ (3,495)		$ (3,495)
Portion of OTTI losses recognized in (from) other comprehensive income	0		0
Net OTTI losses recognized in operations	$ (3,495)		$ (3,495)
Corporate Securities \| Information Technology
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments [Abstract]
Other than temporary impairment, number of securities \| Securities	1		1
Total OTTI losses	$ (550)		$ (550)
Portion of OTTI losses recognized in (from) other comprehensive income	0		0
Net OTTI losses recognized in operations	$ (550)		$ (550)
Corporate Securities \| Telecommunications
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments [Abstract]
Other than temporary impairment, number of securities \| Securities	2		2
Total OTTI losses	$ (249)		$ (249)
Portion of OTTI losses recognized in (from) other comprehensive income	0		0
Net OTTI losses recognized in operations	$ (249)		$ (249)
Corporate Securities \| Transportation
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments [Abstract]
Other than temporary impairment, number of securities \| Securities	1		1
Total OTTI losses	$ (178)		$ (178)
Portion of OTTI losses recognized in (from) other comprehensive income	0		0
Net OTTI losses recognized in operations	$ (178)		$ (178)
Corporate Securities \| Utilities
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments [Abstract]
Other than temporary impairment, number of securities \| Securities	1		1
Total OTTI losses	$ (94)		$ (94)
Portion of OTTI losses recognized in (from) other comprehensive income	0		0
Net OTTI losses recognized in operations	$ (94)		$ (94)
Residential Mortgage Backed Securities
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments [Abstract]
Other than temporary impairment, number of securities \| Securities		3	3	8
Total OTTI losses		$ (273)	$ (63)	$ (273)
Portion of OTTI losses recognized in (from) other comprehensive income		(191)	(295)	(994)
Net OTTI losses recognized in operations		$ (464)	$ (358)	$ (1,267)
Commercial Mortgage Backed Securities
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments [Abstract]
Other than temporary impairment, number of securities \| Securities	1		1
Total OTTI losses	$ (1,908)		$ (1,908)
Portion of OTTI losses recognized in (from) other comprehensive income	0		0
Net OTTI losses recognized in operations	$ (1,908)		$ (1,908)
Other Asset Backed Securities
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments [Abstract]
Other than temporary impairment, number of securities \| Securities			1	1
Total OTTI losses			$ (682)	$ 0
Portion of OTTI losses recognized in (from) other comprehensive income			(1,356)	(287)
Net OTTI losses recognized in operations			$ (2,038)	$ (287)

Item represents the number of securites for which other than temporary impairment was recognized.

No definition available.

Name:	ael_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentNumberOfSecurities
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount by which the fair value of an investment is less than the amortized cost basis or carrying amount of that investment at the balance sheet date and the decline in fair value is deemed to be other than temporary, before considering whether or not such amount is recognized in earnings or other comprehensive income.

+ 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=98514028&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 35
-Paragraph 34
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82895926&loc=d3e25351-111560

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairmentOfInvestments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount before tax of other than temporary impairment loss (OTTI) on investments in available-for-sale and held-to-maturity debt securities, recognized in other comprehensive loss and attributable to parent entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 11
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84228862&loc=d3e637-108580

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1A
-Subparagraph (c)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84161450&loc=SL4573702-111684

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 14A
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84228862&loc=SL7669686-108580

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 220
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 10A
-Subparagraph (g)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=84228862&loc=SL7669646-108580

Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 810
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 20
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=96868048&loc=SL4569643-111683

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLossesInvestmentsPortionInOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossBeforeTaxPortionAttributableToParent
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses on equity securities, OTTI related to credit losses on debt securities, and OTTI losses on debt securities when the entity intends to sell the securities or it is more likely than not that the entity will be required to sell the securities before recovery of its amortized cost basis. Additionally, this item includes OTTI losses recognized during the period on 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 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8B
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82897076&loc=SL6284393-111563

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLossesInvestmentsPortionRecognizedInEarningsNet
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_CorporateDebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	invest_InvestmentSectorAxis=ael_CapitalGoodsSectorMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	invest_InvestmentSectorAxis=ael_ConsumerDiscretionarySectorMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	invest_InvestmentSectorAxis=ael_EnergySectorMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	invest_InvestmentSectorAxis=ael_FinanceSectorMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	invest_InvestmentSectorAxis=ael_InformationTechnologySectorMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	invest_InvestmentSectorAxis=ael_TelecommunicationsSectorMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	invest_InvestmentSectorAxis=ael_TransportationSectorMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	invest_InvestmentSectorAxis=ael_UtilitiesSectorMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_CommercialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=us-gaap_AssetBackedSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: