XML 80 R60.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.20.4

Investments (Net Realized Gains (Losses) on Invesments) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 3 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2020 | Sep. 30, 2020 | Jun. 30, 2020 | Mar. 31, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Sep. 30, 2019 | Jun. 30, 2019 | Mar. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2020 | Dec. 31, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2018
Gain (Loss) on Securities [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Credit losses (1) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ (94,560) |  |
Increase in allowance for credit losses |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (15,447) |  |
Recovery of specific allowance |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 712 |  |
Net realized gains (losses) on investments |  | $ (12,135) | $ (22,321) | $ (25,888) | $ (20,336) | $ 7,029 | $ 4,328 | $ (3,832) | $ (563) | (80,680) | $ 6,962 | $ (37,178)
Available For Sale Fixed Maturity Securities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain (Loss) on Securities [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gross realized gains |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 305,170 | 21,449 | 12,245
Gross realized losses |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (276,847) | (6,397) | (47,974)
Credit losses (1) | [1] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (94,560) | 0 | 0
Realized gains (losses) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (66,237) | 15,052 | (35,729)
Other Investments |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain (Loss) on Securities [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gross realized gains |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | 7,296 | 0
Gross realized losses |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | (14,446) | 0
Realized gains (losses) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 | (7,150) | 0
Mortgage Loans on Real Estate |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain (Loss) on Securities [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Increase in allowance for credit losses |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (15,447) | (940) | (3,165)
Recovery of specific allowance |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 712 | 0 | 1,592
Gain on sale of mortgage loans |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 292 | 0 | 124
Change in allowance for credit losses and recoveries |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ (14,443) | $ (940) | $ (1,449)
[1] | (1) Prior to adopting authoritative guidance effective January 1, 2020, credit losses on available for sale fixed maturity securities were classified as other than temporary impairments and reported in a separate line item in the Consolidated statements of operations. We recognized $18.7 million and $36.7 million, respectively, of other than temporary impairments during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018.

X
- Definition Amount of gain on sale or disposal of an equity method investment. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_EquityMethodInvestmentRealizedGainonDisposal
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of loss on sale or disposal or an equity method investment. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ael_EquityMethodInvestmentRealizedLossonDisposal
Namespace Prefix: | ael_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

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 Amount of expense for credit loss on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), for which no credit loss was previously recorded. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118955579&loc=SL82922900-210455 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAllowanceForCreditLossNotPreviouslyRecorded
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of realized gain on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118939692&loc=d3e27357-111563 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleRealizedGain
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of realized gain (loss) on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), excluding other-than-temporary impairment (OTTI). + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleRealizedGainLossExcludingOtherThanTemporaryImpairment
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of realized loss on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), excluding other-than-temporary impairment (OTTI). + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleRealizedLossExcludingOtherThanTemporaryImpairment
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of gain (loss) on sale or disposal of an equity method investment. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3602-108585 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03(b)(7)(c)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116634182&loc=SL114868664-224227 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03(b)(9)(a)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116634182&loc=SL114868664-224227 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_EquityMethodInvestmentRealizedGainLossOnDisposal
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/exampleRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 55 -Paragraph 79 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118955255&loc=SL82922352-210448 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03(7)(d)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 326 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 13 -Subparagraph (e) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=119407570&loc=SL82919249-210447 Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 11B -Subparagraph (c)(4) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118936363&loc=SL6953423-111524 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAllowanceForCreditLossesRecovery
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investment. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 10 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118939692&loc=d3e27405-111563 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 220 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.7(c),9(a)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116634182&loc=SL114868664-224227 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/recommendedDisclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&loc=d3e3602-108585 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_GainLossOnInvestments
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Reflects the net positive or negative amount derived from subtracting from net proceeds of sale and the carrying amounts, net of allocated reserves, of financial assets transferred to third parties in transactions that qualify for sales treatment. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 860 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118948506&loc=d3e107425-111719 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LoansAndLeasesReceivableGainLossOnSalesNet
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
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://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 310 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 11B -Subparagraph (c)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118936363&loc=SL6953423-111524 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 220 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.11) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116637391&loc=SL114874048-224260 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=118932676&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: | us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_FixedMaturitiesMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

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

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