American Equity Declares Annual Cash Dividend on Common Stock

American Equity Investment Life Holding Company (NYSE: AEL), a leading issuer of fixed index annuities, today announced that its Board of Directors has declared an annual cash dividend of $0.24 per share to owners of its common stock. This is a 9% increase from the $0.22 annual dividend declared on November 19, 2015. This marks the eighteenth consecutive year a cash dividend has been declared and the thirteenth year in a row that the Company has increased its cash dividend.

The dividend will be payable on December 20, 2016 to shareholders of record as of December 5, 2016. There are approximately 88.1 million shares of common stock outstanding as of today.

ABOUT AMERICAN EQUITY

American Equity Investment Life Holding Company, through its wholly-owned operating subsidiaries, issues fixed annuity and life insurance products, with a primary emphasis on the sale of fixed index and fixed rate annuities. American Equity Investment Life Holding Company, a New York Stock Exchange Listed company (NYSE: AEL), is headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa. For more information, please visit www.american-equity.com.

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American Equity Investment Life Holding CompanySteven D. Schwartz, 515-273-3763Vice President - Investor [e-mail]