Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Grensteiner Ronald James
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
07/08/2009		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
AMERICAN EQUITY INVESTMENT LIFE HOLDING CO [AEL]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
5000 WESTOWN PARKWAY		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Vice President
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

WEST DES MOINES, IA 50265		 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock 49,589
D
 

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Options-Right to Buy 05/05/2000 05/05/2010 Common Stock 15,000 $ 9.67 D  
Options-Right to Buy 12/31/2000 12/31/2010 Common Stock 30,000 $ 9.67 D  
Options-Right to Buy 12/04/2003 12/04/2013 Common Stock 15,000 $ 9 D  
Options-Right to Buy 06/10/2004 06/10/2014 Common Stock 15,000 $ 11 D  
Options-Right to Buy 06/30/2005 12/31/2014 Common Stock 7,500 $ 10.77 D  
Options-Right to Buy 06/11/2011 06/11/2018 Common Stock 10,000 $ 10.85 D  
Options-Right to Buy 05/08/2012 05/08/2019 Common Stock 20,000 $ 7 D  
Deferred Compensation   (1)   (1) Common Stock 4,500 $ 5.33 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Grensteiner Ronald James
5000 WESTOWN PARKWAY
WEST DES MOINES, IA 50265		       Vice President  

Signatures

Debra J. Richardson, By Power of Attorney 07/20/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) Deferred Compensation payment is exercisable within 60 days after the occurrence of the earliest of the following events: (i)employee's termination of employment; (ii)a change in control of company; (iii)action of the Board of Directors; (iv)employee's death

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