XML 115 R95.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.20.4

Retirement and Share-based Compensation Plans (2014 Independent Insurance Agent Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Unit Plan) (Details) - 2014 Independent Insurance Agent Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Unit Plan - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Number of shares authorized	1,800,000
Number of shares available for future grant	730,564
2015 and 2016 American Equity Life Agent Grant | Restricted Stock Units | Share-based Compensation Award, Tranche One
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting rights, percentage	20.00%
Award vesting period	1 year
2015 and 2016 American Equity Life Agent Grant | Retirement Eligible Agent | Restricted Stock Units | Share-based Compensation Award, Tranche Two
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting rights, percentage	80.00%
Award vesting period	3 years
2015 and 2016 American Equity Life Agent Grant | Non-Retirement Eligible Agent | Restricted Stock Units | Share-based Compensation Award, Tranche Two
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting rights, percentage	80.00%
2015 and 2016 American Equity Life Agent Grant | Non-Retirement Eligible Agent | Restricted Stock Units | Maximum | Share-based Compensation Award, Tranche Two
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting period	5 years
2016 American Equity Life Agent Grant
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Commission expense	$ 0.9	$ 1.4	$ 1.6
2016 American Equity Life Agent Grant | Restricted Stock Units
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Equity instruments granted				363,624
Award vested in period	41,735	58,617	57,562
2015 American Equity Life Agent Grant
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Commission expense	$ 0.1	$ 2.2	$ 2.4
2015 American Equity Life Agent Grant | Restricted Stock Units
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Equity instruments granted					650,683
Award vested in period	4,042	89,382	89,367
2014 American Equity Life Agent Grant
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Commission expense		$ 0.1	$ 0.9
2014 American Equity Life Agent Grant | Retirement Eligible Agent | Restricted Stock
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Equity instruments granted						27,985
2014 American Equity Life Agent Grant | Non-Retirement Eligible Agent | Restricted Stock Units
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Equity instruments granted						221,489
Award vested in period		2,943	28,575
2014 American Equity Life Agent Grant | Non-Retirement Eligible Agent | Restricted Stock Units | Share-based Compensation Award, Tranche One
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting rights, percentage		20.00%
Award vesting period		1 year
2014 American Equity Life Agent Grant | Non-Retirement Eligible Agent | Restricted Stock Units | Share-based Compensation Award, Tranche Two
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting rights, percentage		80.00%
2014 American Equity Life Agent Grant | Non-Retirement Eligible Agent | Restricted Stock Units | Maximum | Share-based Compensation Award, Tranche Two
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Award vesting period		5 years

X

- Definition

Fair value of share-based compensation granted to nonemployees as payment for services rendered or acknowledged claims.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-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_IssuanceOfStockAndWarrantsForServicesOrClaims
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Period over which grantee's right to exercise award under share-based payment arrangement is no longer contingent on satisfaction of service or performance condition, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. Includes, but is not limited to, combination of market, performance or service condition.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116856206&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingPeriod1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The number of equity-based payment instruments, excluding stock (or unit) options, that vested during the reporting period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(2)(iii)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116856206&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsVestedInPeriod
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
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_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Net number of non-option equity instruments granted to participants.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (c)(1)(iv)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116856206&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNonOptionEquityInstrumentsGranted
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Number of shares authorized for issuance under share-based payment arrangement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116856206&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAuthorized
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

The difference between the maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) authorized for issuance under the plan (including the effects of amendments and adjustments), and the sum of: 1) the number of shares (or other type of equity) already issued upon exercise of options or other equity-based awards under the plan; and 2) shares (or other type of equity) reserved for issuance on granting of outstanding awards, net of cancellations and forfeitures, if applicable.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116856206&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardNumberOfSharesAvailableForGrant
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

Percentage of vesting of award under share-based payment arrangement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116856206&loc=d3e5070-113901

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SharebasedCompensationArrangementBySharebasedPaymentAwardAwardVestingRightsPercentage
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=ael_A2014IndependentInsuranceAgentRestrictedStockAndRestrictedStockUnitPlanMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardDateAxis=ael_AmericanEquityLifeAgentGrant2015and2016Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VestingAxis=us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationAwardTrancheOneMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	srt_TitleOfIndividualAxis=ael_RetirementEligibleAgentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VestingAxis=us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensationAwardTrancheTwoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	srt_TitleOfIndividualAxis=ael_NonRetirementEligibleAgentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	srt_RangeAxis=srt_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardDateAxis=ael_AmericanEquityLifeAgentGrant2016Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardDateAxis=ael_AmericanEquityLifeAgentGrant2015Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardDateAxis=ael_AmericanEquityLifeAgentGrant2014Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: