XML 59 R46.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.10.0.1

Significant Accounting Policies (Annuity Deposits (Net of Coinsurance), By Product Type) (Details) $ in Thousands | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) NMOs | Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) NMOs | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) NMOs
Product Information [Line Items] |  |  |
Fixed index annuities | $ 3,898,366 | $ 3,668,121 | $ 5,035,818
Annual reset fixed rate annuities | 46,744 | 74,572 | 63,582
Multi-year fixed rate annuities | 22,818 | 22,291 | 256,894
Single premium immediate annuities (SPIA) | 23,813 | 24,946 | 35,851
Annuity deposits, net of coinsurance | $ 3,991,741 | $ 3,789,930 | $ 5,392,145
Customer Concentration Risk |  |  |
Product Information [Line Items] |  |  |
National marketing organizations, number of organizations accounting for more than 10% of annuity deposits collected | NMOs | 2 | 2 | 1
Customer Concentration Risk | National Marketing Organization, Greater than 10%, NMO 1 |  |  |
Product Information [Line Items] |  |  |
National marketing organizations, percent of annuity deposits collected individually | 20.00% | 14.00% | 15.00%
Customer Concentration Risk | National Marketing Organization, Greater than 10%, NMO 2 |  |  |
Product Information [Line Items] |  |  |
National marketing organizations, percent of annuity deposits collected individually | 14.00% | 10.00% |

X
- Definition Fixed Index Annuities + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_FixedIndexAnnuities
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Deposits collected on annual reset fixed rate annuities. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_FixedRateAnnuitiesAnnualReset
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Deposits collected on multi-year fixed rate annuities. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_FixedRateAnnuitiesMultiYear
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Represents the number of organizations whose production exceeded 10% of the annuity deposits collected during the period. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_NationalMarketingOrganizationsNumberOfOrganizationsGreaterThan10
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Premiums and Annuity Deposits + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_PremiumsAndAnnuityDeposits
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Single Premium Immediate Annuity deposits collected during period. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_SinglePremiumImmediateAnnuitiesSpias
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition For an entity that discloses a concentration risk in relation to quantitative amount, which serves as the "benchmark" (or denominator) in the equation, this concept represents the concentration percentage derived from the division. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 18 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99393423&loc=d3e6351-108592 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 20 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109250915&loc=d3e13531-108611 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 825 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 21 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109250915&loc=d3e13537-108611 Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 20 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99393423&loc=d3e6404-108592 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskPercentage1
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
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_ProductInformationLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_ConcentrationRiskByTypeAxis=us-gaap_CustomerConcentrationRiskMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_MajorCustomersAxis=ael_NationalMarketingOrganizationGreaterThan10Nmo1Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_MajorCustomersAxis=ael_NationalMarketingOrganizationGreaterThan10Nmo2Member
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |