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Represents the service period for participants to be immediately fully vested in shares issued under the specified retirement and share-based compensation plan.

No definition available.

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The duration of time used for measuring performance and threshold goals.

No definition available.

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Period which an employee's right to exercise an award is no longer contingent on satisfaction of either a service condition, market condition or a performance condition, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

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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.

No definition available.

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

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-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=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

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The maximum number of shares (or other type of equity) originally approved (usually by shareholders and board of directors), net of any subsequent amendments and adjustments, for awards under the equity-based compensation plan. As stock or unit options and equity instruments other than options are awarded to participants, the shares or units remain authorized and become reserved for issuance under outstanding awards (not necessarily vested).

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

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Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
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Period Type:	instant

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.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

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Number of share instruments newly issued under a share-based compensation plan.

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Percentage of vesting of share-based compensation awards.

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
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Period from grant date that an equity-based award expires, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 718
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (a)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6415400&loc=d3e5070-113901

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Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
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Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=ael_EmployeeIncentivePlans2009Member
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Name:	us-gaap_AwardDateAxis=ael_March2010OptionGrantMember
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Data Type:	na
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Name:	us-gaap_PlanNameAxis=ael_EmployeeIncentivePlansMember
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Name:	us-gaap_AwardDateAxis=ael_ReplacementAwardGrantMember
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Data Type:	na
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Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_RestrictedStockUnitsRSUMember
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Data Type:	na
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Name:	us-gaap_VestingAxis=ael_VestingSharebasedPaymentAwardThresholdGoalsVestingPercentageMember
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Data Type:	na
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Name:	us-gaap_AwardTypeAxis=us-gaap_RestrictedStockMember
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