American National (ANG-PB) 10-K 2007 FY Annual report

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Exhibit 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

The Board of Directors
American Equity Investment Life Holding Company

        We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statements (No. 333-148681, No. 333-129694, No. 333-123862 and No. 333-113630) on Form S-3 and the Registration Statement (No. 333-127001) on Form S-8 of American Equity Investment Life Holding Company and subsidiaries (the Company) of our report dated March 14, 2008, with respect to the consolidated balance sheets of the Company as of December 31, 2007 and 2006, and the related consolidated statements of income, changes in stockholders' equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the three-year period ended December 31, 2007, and all related financial statement schedules, and the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2007, which report appears in the December 31, 2007 annual report on Form 10-K of American Equity Investment Life Holding Company.

        Our report dated March 14, 2008, expresses our opinion that the Company did not maintain effective internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2007 because of the effect of a material weakness on the achievement of the objectives of the control criteria and contains an explanatory paragraph that states that a material weakness exists at December 31, 2007, in the Company's internal control over accounting for policy benefit reserves for index annuities in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 133,Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities. Our report dated March 14, 2008, also contains an explanatory paragraph that states the Company has adopted American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Statement of Position 05-01,Accounting by Insurance Enterprises for Deferred Acquisition Costs in Connection with Modifications or Exchanges in Insurance Contracts, effective January 1, 2007, Financial Accounting Standards Board Interpretation No. 48,Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes—an interpretation of FASB Statement 109, effective January 1, 2007, and in 2006 the Company adopted Securities and Exchange Commission Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 108,Considering the Effects of Prior Year Misstatements when Quantifying Misstatements in the Current Year Financial Statements.

	/s/ KPMG LLP
Des Moines, Iowa
March 14, 2008

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Exhibit 23.1

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM