Mortgage Loans on Real Estate (Narrative) (Details) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021 USD ($) loans portfolio_segment	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($) loans	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($)
Loans and Leases Receivable Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of portfolio segments that make up financing receivables \| portfolio_segment	3
Commitments outstanding	$ 370,400
Real estate held in Other Investments	$ 0	$ 0
Non-accrual status, number of loans \| loans	13	1
Interest income recognized on non-accrual loans	$ 65	$ 0	$ 0
Financing receivable, modifications, period of time of delaying principal and/or interest (months)	3 months
Number of TDRs \| loans	0	0
Minimum
Loans and Leases Receivable Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of days past due, nonperforming	90 days
Commercial Mortgage Loans
Loans and Leases Receivable Disclosure [Line Items]
Accrued interest receivable written off	$ 0	$ 0
Residential Mortgage Loans
Loans and Leases Receivable Disclosure [Line Items]
Accrued interest receivable written off	0	0
Agricultural Mortgage Loans
Loans and Leases Receivable Disclosure [Line Items]
Accrued interest receivable written off	$ 0	$ 0

Financing receivable, modifications, period of time of delaying principal and / or interest.

No definition available.

Name:	ael_FinancingReceivableModificationsPeriodofTimeofDelayingPrincipalAndOrInterest
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of loans in nonaccrual status.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_FinancingReceivableNonaccrualNumberOfLoans
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of portfolio segments which make up financing receivables.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_FinancingReceivableNumberofPortfolioSegments
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Threshold period for when financing receivable is considered nonperforming.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_FinancingReceivableThresholdPeriodNonperforming
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of writeoff of accrued interest on financing receivable recognized by reversing interest income.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3D
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124255953&loc=SL120267969-210447

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableAccruedInterestWriteoff
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of undisbursed portion of financing receivable balance. Excludes financing receivable covered under loss sharing agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123577603&loc=d3e5066-111524

+ Details

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

- Definition

Number of financing receivables that have been modified by troubled debt restructurings.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 33
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123577603&loc=SL6953676-111524

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableModificationsNumberOfContracts2
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of interest income on financing receivable on nonaccrual status.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 16
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124255953&loc=SL82919258-210447

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivableNonaccrualInterestIncome
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- 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_LoansAndLeasesReceivableDisclosureLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Carrying amount as of the balance sheet date of land and buildings obtained through foreclosure proceedings or defeasance in full or partial satisfaction of a debt arrangement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 11
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123577603&loc=d3e5162-111524

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 310
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 3
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124259787&loc=d3e4437-111522

+ Details

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

- Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=us-gaap_CommercialRealEstatePortfolioSegmentMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=us-gaap_ResidentialMortgageMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FinancingReceivablePortfolioSegmentAxis=ael_AgriculturalMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: