XML 51 R81.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.19.3.a.u2

Deferred Policy Acquisition Costs, Deferred Sales Inducements and Liability for Lifetime Income Benefit Riders (Liability for Lifetime Income Benefit Riders) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items] |  |  |
Balance at beginning of year | $ 57,606,009 |  |
Balance at end of year | $ 61,893,945 | $ 57,606,009 |
Experience study on products with lifetime income benefit riders, period | 10 years |  |
Assumptions for future crediting rates, US Treasury rate | 3.80% |  |
Mean reversion period | 20 years |  |
Aggregate spread assumption, rate | 2.60% |  |
Ultimate discount rate assumption | 2.90% |  |
Liability for Lifetime Income Benefit Riders |  |  |
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items] |  |  |
Balance at beginning of year | $ 808,167 | 704,441 | $ 533,391
Benefit expense accrual | 179,901 | 157,333 | 149,442
Impact of unlocking | 315,383 | (53,607) | 21,608
Claim payments | 0 | 0 | 0
Balance at end of year | $ 1,303,451 | $ 808,167 | $ 704,441
Lifetime Income Benefit Rider, Fee Rider |  |  |
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items] |  |  |
Ultimate utilization assumption, rate | 60.00% | 75.00% |
Lifetime Income Benefit Rider, No Fee Rider |  |  |
Liability for Future Policy Benefit, by Product Segment [Line Items] |  |  |
Ultimate utilization assumption, rate | 30.00% | 37.50% |

X
- Definition Aggregate spread assumption rate of interest. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_AggregateSpreadRateAssumption
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Assumptions regarding future crediting rates, US Treasury rate assumption + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_AssumptionsforFutureCreditingRatesUSTreasuryRateAssumption
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Period of time of experience study on products with lifetime income benefit riders. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_ExperienceStudyProductswithLifetimeIncomeBenefitRidersPeriod
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Ultimate utilization assumption rate of interest. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_LiabilityforFuturePolicyBenefitsUltimateUtilizationRateAssumption
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Mean Reversion Period + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_MeanReversionPeriod
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Ultimate discount rate assumption. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_UltimateDiscountRateAssumption
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
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_LiabilityForFuturePolicyBenefitByProductSegmentLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount, before effect of reinsurance, of present value of future benefit to be paid to or on behalf of policyholder and related expense less present value of future net premium receivable under insurance contract. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117419472&loc=d3e14931-158439 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 55 -Paragraph 29E -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117419784&loc=SL117819541-158441 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03(13)(a)(1)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=119400593&loc=d3e572229-122910 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 65 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (g)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117419843&loc=SL117420844-207641 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117419472&loc=d3e14931-158439 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LiabilityForFuturePolicyBenefits
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of other increase (decrease) in accrued obligations to policyholders pertaining to insured events for the period. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (b),(c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116884095&loc=d3e14764-158437 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LiabilityForFuturePolicyBenefitsOtherIncreaseDecrease
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of cash outflow to policyholder from benefit payment for expected future policy benefit and expense component of liability for future policy benefit. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117419472&loc=d3e14931-158439 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 55 -Paragraph 29E -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117419784&loc=SL117819541-158441 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/exampleRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 55 -Paragraph 13I -Subparagraph (d) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117419784&loc=SL117783724-158441 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 40 -Section 65 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (g)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=117419843&loc=SL117420844-207641 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 17 -Subparagraph (f) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3367-108585 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LiabilityForFuturePolicyBenefitsPaymentForBenefits
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of expense (income) recognized due to changes in the accrued obligation to policyholders that relates to insured events. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LiabilityForFuturePolicyBenefitsPeriodExpense
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=ael_LifetimeIncomeBenefitRiderMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=ael_LifetimeIncomeBenefitRiderFeeRiderMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=ael_LifetimeIncomeBenefitRiderNoFeeRiderMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |