Reinsurance and Policy Provisions (Equitrust Coinsurance Agreements) (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) coinsurance_agreement	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Ceded Credit Risk [Line Items]
Coinsurance deposits	$ 4,954,068	$ 4,858,289
Equitrust Coinsurance Agreements, All Periods
Ceded Credit Risk [Line Items]
Number of coinsurance agreements \| coinsurance_agreement	2
Coinsurance deposits	$ 560,800	649,900
Reinsurance payable	$ 2,200	$ 11,000
Equitrust Coinsurance Agreement, August 1, 2001 to December 31, 2001
Ceded Credit Risk [Line Items]
Coninsurance percentage on certain annuities	70.00%
Equitrust Coinsurance Agreement, January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2003
Ceded Credit Risk [Line Items]
Coninsurance percentage on certain annuities	40.00%
Equitrust Coinsurance Agreement, January 1, 2004 to July 31, 2004
Ceded Credit Risk [Line Items]
Coninsurance percentage on certain annuities	20.00%

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

No definition available.

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

- 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

- 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

- 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

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount, after valuation allowance, recoverable under reinsurance contracts including premium paid under reinsurance contracts. Examples include, but are not limited to, settled and unsettled claims, incurred but not reported losses, loss adjustment expense, premium paid, policy benefits and policy reserves.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.(a),6)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99397103&loc=d3e6824-158387

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 310
-Section 45
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99404803&loc=d3e21409-158489

+ Details

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

- Details

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- Details

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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CededCreditRiskAxis=ael_EquitrustCoinsuranceAgreementJanuary12002ToDecember312003Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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- Details

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