Amount of outstanding call options and warrants settled pursuant to agreement, percentage

No definition available.

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- Definition

The price per share that we will be entitled to receive if we opt to exercise the call options of the 2015 notes hedge.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Number of shares that is the basis for the amount of cash that we are entitled to if we exercise the call options in the 2015 notes hedge.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Represents the number of years the interest rate swaps and caps have until maturity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of counterparties.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of counterparties related to partial unwind agreements.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage of outstanding warrants reclassified from equity to a derivative liability upon entering into unwind agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The principal amount of convertible senior notes payable at the time the securities were issued.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The number of shares of common stock currently deliverable under warrants outstanding.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ael_WarrantsDeliverable
Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Outstanding stock warrants that were originally issued with the intention to share settle if holder exercised before expiration, which resulted in the proceeds from the sale of the warrants to be recognized as equity. These warrants subsequently were assigned to a partial unwind agreement to be net cash settled, which required reclassification at fair value from equity to a derivative liability.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ael_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Exercise price of the warrants.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Article 12

-Section 13

-Sentence Column A

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	invest_
Data Type:	num:perShareItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The specified number of securities that each class of warrants or rights outstanding give the holder the right but not the obligation to purchase from the issuer at a specific price, on or before a certain date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(i)(2))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6881521&loc=d3e23780-122690

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 08

-Paragraph i

-Subparagraph 2

-Article 4

+ Details

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

- Definition

Maximum amount of loss due to credit risk that, based on the gross fair value of the financial instrument, the entity would incur if parties to the financial instruments that make up the concentration failed completely to perform according to the terms of the contracts and the collateral or other security, if any, for the amount due proved to be of no value to the entity.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 825

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 21

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7491637&loc=d3e13537-108611

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 107

-Paragraph 15A

-Subparagraph b

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Interest rate stated in the contractual debt agreement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 22

-Article 5

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(1))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

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- Definition

Cap rate on an interest rate derivative such as an interest rate cap or collar. If market rates exceed the cap rate, a payment or receipt is triggered on the contract.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of the obligation to return cash collateral under master netting arrangements that have not been offset against net derivative instrument positions.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 815

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 8

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7476318&loc=d3e41678-113959

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

- Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The cash inflow from issuance of rights to purchase common shares at predetermined price (usually issued together with corporate debt).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Glossary Financing Activities

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6513228

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 95

-Paragraph 18

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 14

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6943989&loc=d3e3255-108585

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 95

-Paragraph 19

-Subparagraph a

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

+ Details

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Period Type:	duration

Derivative Instruments (Narrative) (Details) (USD $) Share data in Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended				1 Months Ended	9 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Oct. 22, 2013	Aug. 26, 2013 counterparties	Sep. 30, 2010 2015 Notes Hedges [Member] counterparties	Sep. 30, 2010 2015 Warrants [Member] counterparties	Sep. 30, 2013 2015 Warrants [Member]	Sep. 30, 2010 September 2015 Notes [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 SunTrust [Member] Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 SunTrust [Member] Three Month London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]
Derivative [Line Items]
Derivative collateral	$ 622,000,000		$ 328,700,000							$ 5,200,000
Credit risk, maximum exposure	48,000,000		93,700,000
Derivative, cap interest rate											2.50%
Interest rate swaps and caps, duration										7 years
Principal amount of convertible senior notes payable at issuance									200,000,000
Debt instrument, interest rate, stated percentage									3.50%
Number of counterparties						2	2
Derivative, conversion spread, shares						16.0
Derivative, asset, strike price						$ 12.50
Warrants, number of securities called by warrants							16.0	16.2
Warrants, strike price							$ 16.00	$ 15.81
Warrants, deliverable							11.6
Proceeds from issuance of warrants							15,600,000
Number of counterparties, partial unwind agreements					2
Percentage of outstanding call options and warrants settled pursuant to agreement				50.00%	50.00%
Warrants reclassified from equity to liability, at fair value	$ (41,878,000)	$ 0
Percentage of outstanding warrants reclassified from equity to derivative liabilities upon entering into unwind agreement					50.00%