XML 24 R9.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v2.3.0.15

Background And Basis Of Presentation | 9 Months Ended
--- | ---
Sep. 30, 2011
Background And Basis Of Presentation [Abstract] |
Background And Basis Of Presentation | (1) Background and Basis of Presentation Ambac Financial Group, Inc. ("Ambac" or the "Company"), headquartered in New York City, is a holding company incorporated in the state of Delaware. Ambac was incorporated on April 29, 1991. On November 8, 2010 (the "Petition Date"), Ambac filed a voluntary petition for relief (the "Bankruptcy Filing") under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code ("Bankruptcy Code") in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York ("Bankruptcy Court"). Ambac will continue to operate in the ordinary course of business as "debtor-in-possession" under the jurisdiction of the Bankruptcy Court and in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Bankruptcy Code and the orders of the Bankruptcy Court. Ambac's common stock trades on the over-the-counter market under the symbol ABKFQ. Ambac Assurance Corporation ("Ambac Assurance") is Ambac's principal operating subsidiary, which provided financial guarantees and financial services to clients in both the public and private sectors around the world. In March 2010, Ambac Assurance established a segregated account pursuant to Wisc. Stat. §611.24(2) (the "Segregated Account") to segregate certain segments of Ambac Assurance's liabilities. The Office of the Commissioner of Insurance for the State of Wisconsin ("OCI" (which term shall be understood to refer to such office as regulator of Ambac Assurance and to refer as well to the Commissioner of Insurance for the State of Wisconsin as rehabilitator of the Segregated Account (the "Rehabilitator"), as the context requires)) commenced rehabilitation proceedings with respect to the Segregated Account (the "Segregated Account Rehabilitation Proceedings") in order to permit the OCI to facilitate an orderly run-off and/or settlement of the liabilities allocated to the Segregated Account pursuant to the provisions of the Wisconsin Insurers Rehabilitation and Liquidation Act. The Rehabilitator is Theodore Nickel, the Commissioner of Insurance of the State of Wisconsin. The deterioration of Ambac Assurance's financial condition resulting from losses in its insured portfolio has made it impossible for it to write new business, which will negatively impact Ambac's future operations and financial results. Ambac Assurance's ability to pay dividends and, as a result, Ambac's liquidity have been significantly restricted by the deterioration of Ambac Assurance's financial condition, by the rehabilitation of the Segregated Account and by the terms of a settlement agreement entered into in 2010 with counterparties to CDO of ABS transactions, which is described in more detail in Ambac's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010. Ambac's principal business strategy is to reorganize its capital structure and financial obligations through the bankruptcy process and to increase the residual value of its financial guarantee business by mitigating losses on poorly performing transactions (including through the pursuit of recoveries in respect of paid claims, litigation to recover losses or mitigate future losses, commutations of policies and repurchases of surplus notes) and maximizing the return on its investment portfolio. The execution of such strategy with respect to policies allocated to the Segregated Account will be subject to the authority of the Rehabilitator of the Segregated Account to control the management of the Segregated Account. In exercising such authority, the Rehabilitator will act for the benefit of policyholders, and will not take into account the interests of Ambac. Similarly, by operation of the contracts executed in connection with the establishment, and subsequent rehabilitation, of the Segregated Account, the Rehabilitator retains rights to oversee and approve certain actions taken in respect of Ambac Assurance. This oversight by the Rehabilitator could impair Ambac's ability to execute the foregoing strategy. As a result of uncertainties associated with the aforementioned factors, management has concluded that there is substantial doubt about the ability of the Company to continue as a going concern. The Company's financial statements as of September 30, 2011 and December 31, 2010 and for the three and nine month periods ended September 30, 2011 and 2010 are prepared assuming the Company continues as a going concern and do not include any adjustment that might result from its inability to continue as a going concern. Ambac's liquidity and solvency are largely dependent on its current cash and investments of $46,312 at September 30, 2011 (excluding $2,500 of restricted cash), consummation of the Reorganization Plan (as defined below), and on the residual value of Ambac Assurance. It is highly unlikely that Ambac Assurance will be able to make dividend payments to Ambac for the foreseeable future. The principal uses of liquidity will be the payment of operating expenses, professional advisory fees incurred in connection with the bankruptcy and expenses related to pending litigation. While management believes that Ambac will have sufficient liquidity to satisfy its needs until it emerges from the bankruptcy proceeding, no assurance can be given as to the timing or certainty of such emergence. If its cash and investments run out prior to emergence from bankruptcy, a liquidation of Ambac pursuant to Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code will occur. While the Company's net operating losses ("NOLs") could be used to offset income of Ambac Assurance realized prior to a completion of a liquidation (and/or by Ambac in the event that a transaction allocating NOLs to Ambac is completed), the NOLs would not be available following the liquidation or sale of Ambac's assets. As a result, in the event of a Chapter 7 liquidation, the Company would likely be unable to utilize a substantial portion of its NOLs. Chapter 11 Reorganization Ambac has filed and will continue to file various documents with, and provide certain information to, the Bankruptcy Court, including statements of financial affairs, schedules of assets and liabilities and monthly operating reports in forms prescribed by federal bankruptcy law. While these documents and information accurately provide then-current information required under federal bankruptcy law, they are nonetheless unconsolidated, unaudited and are prepared in a format different from that used in Ambac's US GAAP basis consolidated financial statements filed under the securities laws. Accordingly, Ambac believes that the substance and format do not allow meaningful comparison with its publicly-disclosed US GAAP basis consolidated financial statements. Moreover, the materials filed with the Bankruptcy Court are not prepared for the purpose of providing a basis for an investment decision relating to Ambac's securities, or for comparison with other financial information filed with the SEC. Shortly after the Petition Date, Ambac began notifying current or potential creditors of the Bankruptcy Filing. Subject to certain exceptions under the Bankruptcy Code, the Bankruptcy Filing automatically enjoined, or stayed, the continuation of any judicial or administrative proceedings or other actions against Ambac. Thus, for example, most creditor actions to obtain possession of property from Ambac, or to create, perfect or enforce any lien against the property of Ambac, or to collect on monies owed or otherwise exercise rights or remedies to a claim arising prior to the Petition Date are enjoined unless and until the Bankruptcy Court lifts the automatic stay. Vendors are being paid for goods furnished and services provided after the Petition Date in the ordinary course of business. The Company, as debtor and debtor-in-possession, filed a Plan of Reorganization on July 6, 2011, a First Amended Plan of Reorganization on September 21, 2011, and a Second Amended Plan of Reorganization on September 30, 2011 (such Second Amended Plan of Reorganization, as it may be further amended, the "Reorganization Plan"). Simultaneously with the filing of the Second Amended Plan of Reorganization, on September 30, 2011, the Company also filed with the Bankruptcy Court that certain Second Amended Disclosure Statement of Ambac Financial Group, Inc. (the "Disclosure Statement"). Under the Reorganization Plan, Ambac's debt holders and other creditors will receive all of the equity in the reorganized company. Additionally, the Reorganization Plan sets forth the revised capital structure of a newly reorganized Ambac and provides for corporate governance subsequent to emergence from bankruptcy. The Reorganization Plan also reflects a resolution of certain issues (the "Amended Plan Settlement") among the Company, the statutory committee of creditors appointed by the United States Trustee on November 17, 2010 (the "Creditors' Committee"), Ambac Assurance, the Segregated Account and OCI (as regulator of Ambac Assurance and as Rehabilitator of the Segregated Account) related to (i) the NOLs of the consolidated tax group of which the Company is the parent and Ambac Assurance is a member (the "Ambac Consolidated Group"), (ii) certain tax refunds received in respect thereof (the "Tax Refunds") and (iii) the sharing of expenses between the Company and Ambac Assurance. The terms of the Amended Plan Settlement are memorialized in the Mediation Agreement dated as of September 21, 2011 (the "Mediation Agreement"), among such parties. In accordance with the Amended Plan Settlement, the Company shall retain ownership of Ambac Assurance, and except as otherwise approved by OCI, the Company shall use its best efforts to preserve the use of NOLs as contemplated by the Amended Plan Settlement, including but not limited to refraining from taking any action that would result in, and taking such affirmative steps as are appropriate to avoid, any event that results in neither Ambac Assurance nor any entity that succeeds to the tax attributes of Ambac Assurance being characterized as an includible corporation with the affiliated group of corporations of which Ambac (or any successor thereto) is the common parent (the "Ambac Consolidated Group"), all within the meaning of the Internal Revenue Code (a "Deconsolidation Event"). Additionally, the Amended Plan Settlement contemplates (i) the execution of the Amended TSA (as defined below), Cost Allocation Agreement (as defined below), and Cooperation Agreement Amendment (as defined below), (ii) the settlement of certain claims among the Company and Ambac Assurance, OCI (as regulator of Ambac Assurance and as Rehabilitator of the Segregated Account) and the Segregated Account, and (iii) broad releases of the Company, Ambac Assurance, the Segregated Account, OCI, the board of directors and board committees of the Company and Ambac Assurance, all current and former individual directors, officers, or employees of the Company and Ambac Assurance, the Creditors' Committee and the individual members thereof, and certain other released parties. Pursuant to the Mediation Agreement, the Company and Ambac Assurance agreed to, and agreed to cause their affiliates to, enter into an amended and restated tax sharing agreement (the "Amended TSA"), which agreement shall become effective upon on the later of (a) the date on which an order is entered by the Bankruptcy Court confirming Ambac's Reorganization Plan (the "Confirmation Date" and such order, the "Confirmation Order") and (b) the date on which a non-stayed order is entered by the Circuit Court of Dane County, Wisconsin in which the Segregated Account Rehabilitation Proceedings are pending (the "Rehabilitation Court") approving the transactions contemplated by the Mediation Agreement (such date, the "Plan Settlement Effective Date"). The Amended TSA shall replace, supersede and nullify in its entirety the existing tax sharing agreement among the Company and its affiliates. The Amended TSA shall address certain issues including, but not limited to, the allocation of NOLs among members of the Ambac Consolidated Group; payments to be made by Ambac Assurance to the Company, and by the Company to Ambac Assurance, in connection with the utilization of NOLs; and certain actions to be taken to preserve the use of the NOLs for the benefit of the parties, including upon the occurrence of a Deconsolidation Event. Amounts payable by Ambac Assurance under the Amended TSA shall be paid no later than the date on which the applicable tax return is filed, provided that any such amounts due prior to the Plan Settlement Closing Date (as defined below) shall be deposited in an escrow account and transferred to the Company on the Plan Settlement Closing Date. The Mediation Agreement further provides that the Company, Ambac Assurance and their affiliates will enter into an expense sharing and cost allocation agreement (the "Cost Allocation Agreement"), which agreement shall become effective on the Plan Settlement Effective Date. The Cost Allocation Agreement shall provide for the allocation of costs and expenses among the Company, Ambac Assurance and their affiliates and shall include an undertaking by Ambac Assurance to pay operating expenses of the Company subject to certain limitations and conditions. The Mediation Agreement also provides for sharing by the Company and Ambac Assurance of the expenses incurred since November 1, 2010 in connection with the litigation with the IRS described in Note 12 to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements contained in this Form 10-Q. As part of the Amended Plan Settlement, the Company, Ambac Assurance, the Segregated Account and OCI (as Rehabilitator of the Segregated Account) also agreed, pursuant to the Mediation Agreement, to enter into an amendment, effective as of the Plan Settlement Effective Date (the "Cooperation Agreement Amendment"), of that certain Cooperation Agreement, dated as of March 24, 2010, by and between the Segregated Account and Ambac Assurance. The Cooperation Agreement Amendment shall provide for the Rehabilitator to have certain rights with respect to (a) the tax positions taken by the Company in its consolidated tax return; (b) the acceptance by Ambac Assurance of the repayment of intercompany loans or the modification of the terms thereof; (c) changes by Ambac Assurance in the assumptions or vendors utilized in determining loss reserves determined in accordance with SAP (as defined in Item 2 of Part I of this Form 10-Q); and (d) changes to Ambac Assurance's investment policy and transfer of the investment management function for Ambac Assurance's investment portfolio. The Mediation Agreement provides that Ambac Assurance shall transfer $30,000 to an escrow account on the Plan Settlement Effective Date (the "Cash Grant"), and further provides that such amount shall be released from escrow to the Company on the "Plan Settlement Closing Date," which is defined in the Mediation Agreement as a date that shall occur no later than ten business days following the date on which each of the following conditions has been satisfied or waived by each of the parties to the Amended Plan Settlement: (i) entry of a final order by the Rehabilitation Court approving the transactions contemplated by the Amended Plan Settlement; (ii) entry of a final, nonappealable Confirmation Order by the Bankruptcy Court; (iii) resolution of the matters that are the subject of the adversary proceeding initiated by Ambac in the Bankruptcy Court against the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") captioned Ambac Financial Group, Inc. vs. United States of America, Case No. 10-04210 (the "IRS Dispute") without (A) any member of the AAC Subgroup (as defined below) having to make a payment to the IRS of more than $100,000 and (B) a reduction of the NOLs allocated to the AAC Subgroup pursuant to the Amended TSA by more than 10%; and (iv) a determination that neither an Ownership Change (as defined below) with respect to Ambac Assurance nor a Deconsolidation Event occurred during the 2010 taxable year. Pursuant to the Amended TSA, in consideration of the payment of the Cash Grant Ambac Assurance shall receive credits of up to $15,000 against certain payments due to the Company with respect to the utilization of NOLs. As used herein, "AAC Subgroup" means Ambac Assurance and any direct or indirect subsidiary of Ambac Assurance that would be treated as an includable corporation of an affiliated group of corporations under the Internal Revenue Code if Ambac Assurance were the common parent of such affiliated group. The Mediation Agreement further provides that the Segregated Account shall issue $350,000 of junior surplus notes to the Company on the Plan Settlement Closing Date and that Ambac Assurance commits to undertake commercially reasonable efforts to transfer to the Company a more than insignificant amount of an active trade or business, subject to (a) OCI's determination that such a transfer does not violate the law, is reasonable and fair to the interests of Ambac Assurance and the Segregated Account, and protects and is equitable to the interests of Ambac Assurance and the Segregated Account policyholders generally, and (b) the Company's receipt of a tax opinion stating that it is at least more likely than not that such transfer satisfies the requirements of Internal Revenue Code section 269. Additionally, in accordance with the Amended Plan Settlement, upon the reasonable request of Ambac Assurance at any time on or after the Plan Settlement Closing Date, OCI commits to allow Ambac Assurance to repurchase surplus notes, preferred stock or other securities or other consideration issued pursuant to the Segregated Account Rehabilitation Plan (as defined below) (whether issued by Ambac Assurance or the Segregated Account) subject to OCI's determination in its sole and absolute discretion that such repurchases do not violate the law, are reasonable and fair to the interests of Ambac Assurance and the Segregated Account, and protect and are equitable to the interests of Ambac Assurance and the Segregated Account policyholders generally. The Reorganization Plan provides for broad releases of the Company, Ambac Assurance, the Segregated Account, OCI (as regulator and Rehabilitator), the board of directors and board committees of the Company and Ambac Assurance, all current and former individual directors, officers or employees of the Company and Ambac Assurance, the Creditors' Committee and the individual members thereof, the trustees under the indentures governing Ambac's debt securities, the ad hoc group of creditors represented by Akin Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld LLP in connection with the Reorganization Plan and the individual members thereof, and each of their respective representatives (each of the foregoing in its individual capacity as such). Additionally, pursuant to the Amended Plan Settlement, effective as of the Plan Settlement Closing Date, the Company and the Creditors' Committee shall provide an unconditional, full and complete release of OCI (as regulator and Rehabilitator), Ambac Assurance and the Segregated Account from all claims and causes of action arising prior to the Plan Settlement Closing Date, and Ambac Assurance, OCI (as regulator and Rehabilitator) and the Segregated Account shall provide an unconditional, full and complete release of the Company and members of the Creditors' Committee from all claims and causes of action arising prior to the Plan Settlement Closing Date. A hearing to determine whether the Disclosure Statement contains "adequate information," as defined in the Bankruptcy Code, to enable Ambac's creditors to decide how to vote on the Reorganization Plan, was held on October 5, 2011. At the conclusion of such hearing the Bankruptcy Court entered an order approving the Disclosure Statement for use in connection with soliciting acceptances or rejections of the Reorganization Plan. The current deadline for voting to accept or reject the Reorganization Plan is November 23, 2011 at 5:00 p.m. (prevailing Pacific Time). The hearing at which the Bankruptcy Court will consider confirmation of the Reorganization Plan is currently scheduled for December 8, 2011 at 10:00 a.m. (prevailing Eastern Time). The current deadline for filing an objection to the Reorganization Plan with the Bankruptcy Court is November 23, 2011 at 4:00 p.m. (prevailing Eastern Time). By order of the Bankruptcy Court entered on August 10, 2011, Ambac's exclusive right to solicit votes to accept or reject a plan of reorganization was extended to December 5, 2011. By motion dated October 24, 2011, Ambac requested a further extension of such exclusive period to February 3, 2012. On November 7, 2011, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order granting such motion. If Ambac's exclusivity period lapses, any party in interest would be able to file and solicit votes to accept or reject a plan of reorganization with respect to Ambac. In addition to being approved by at least one class of holders of impaired claims, a plan of reorganization must satisfy certain requirements of the Bankruptcy Code and must be confirmed by the Bankruptcy Court in order to become effective. A plan of reorganization will be deemed accepted by holders of claims against and equity interests in Ambac if (1) at least one-half in number and two-thirds in dollar amount of claims actually voting in each impaired class of claims have voted to accept the plan and (2) at least two-thirds in amount of equity interests actually voting in each impaired class of equity interests has voted to accept the plan. Under certain circumstances set forth in Section 1129(b) of the Bankruptcy Code, however, the Bankruptcy Court may confirm a plan even if such plan has not been accepted by all impaired classes of claims and equity interests. A class of claims or equity interests that does not receive or retain any property under the plan on account of such claims or interests is deemed to have voted to reject the plan. The precise requirements and evidentiary showing for confirming a plan, notwithstanding its rejection by one or more impaired classes of claims or equity interests, depends upon a number of factors, including, without limitation, the status and seniority of the claims or equity interests in the rejecting class (i.e., secured claims or unsecured claims, subordinate or senior claims, preferred or common stock). Generally, with respect to common stock interests, a plan may be "crammed down" even if the stockholders receive no recovery if the proponent of the plan demonstrates that (1) no class junior to the common stock is receiving or retaining property under the plan and (2) no class of claims or interests senior to the common stock is being paid more than in full. Consummation of the Reorganization Plan is subject to the satisfaction or waiver of the following conditions: (i) the Bankruptcy Court shall have entered an order confirming the Reorganization Plan and such order shall have become final in accordance with the Reorganization Plan; (ii) the Bankruptcy Court shall have approved any supplement filed with respect to the Reorganization Plan; (iii) new organizational documents of the Company shall have been effected; (iv) the Company shall have executed and delivered all documents necessary to effectuate the issuance of the common stock and warrants (if applicable) pursuant to the Reorganization Plan; (v) all authorizations, consents and regulatory approvals required, if any, in connection with the consummation of the Reorganization Plan shall have been obtained; (vi) the Stipulation (as defined in Note 12 to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements contained in this Form 10-Q) shall have become effective; (vii) the IRS Dispute shall have been resolved in a manner satisfactory to the Company, Ambac Assurance, OCI and the Creditors' Committee; (viii) the Bankruptcy Court shall have entered an order finding that neither an Ownership Change with respect to Ambac Assurance nor a Deconsolidation Event occurred during the 2010 taxable year, unless the Company and the IRS enter into an agreement to such effect; (ix) the aggregate face amount of allowed and disputed general unsecured claims shall be less than $50,000; (x) the Rehabilitation Court shall have approved the transactions contemplated in the Reorganization Plan; (xi) the Cash Grant shall have been paid or paid into escrow as provided in the Mediation Agreement; (xii) the Amended TSA, the Cooperation Agreement Amendment and the Cost Allocation Agreement shall have been executed; and (xiii) all other actions, documents, certificates and agreements necessary to implement the Reorganization Plan shall have been effected or executed and delivered. A significant consideration for any restructuring or reorganization is the impact, if any, on Ambac's estimated $6,896,679 U.S. net operating loss tax carry forward as of September 30, 2011. Ambac considers the NOLs to be a valuable asset. However, Ambac's ability to use the NOLs could be substantially limited if there were an "ownership change" as defined under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code") (an "Ownership Change"). In general, an ownership change would occur if shareholders owning 5% or more of Ambac's stock increased their percentage ownership (by value) in Ambac to 50% or more, as measured over a rolling three year period beginning with the last ownership change. These provisions can be triggered by new issuances of stock, merger and acquisition activity or normal market trading. On February 2, 2010, Ambac entered into a Tax Benefit Preservation Plan to reduce the risk of an ownership change resulting from the trading of Ambac's stock. Moreover, on November 30, 2010, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order restricting certain transfers of equity interests in, and claims against, Ambac in order to mitigate the possibility of an ownership change occurring upon consummation of the Reorganization Plan and to increase the likelihood that Ambac will be able to utilize a special exception under Section 382 of the Code for ownership changes occurring as a result of a bankruptcy plan of reorganization. On July 21, 2011, the Company filed a notice (the "Reporting Notice") requiring that any entity holding claims against the Company in an amount that equals or exceeds $55,000 (each, a "Substantial Claimholder") to serve upon the Company and its counsel a "Substantial Claimholder Notice" in the form attached to the Reporting Notice. Each Substantial Claimholder could, in certain circumstances, be required to sell a portion of its claims pursuant to a further order of the Bankruptcy Court. See Note 12 to the Unaudited Consolidated Financial Statements contained in this Form 10-Q for additional information about potential changes to the amount of NOLs. Segregated Account Pursuant to the Plan of Operation for the Segregated Account, Ambac Assurance has allocated to the Segregated Account (1) certain policies insuring or relating to credit default swaps; (2) residential mortgage-backed securities ("RMBS") policies; (3) certain Student Loan Policies; and (4) other policies insuring obligations with substantial projected impairments or relating to transactions which have contractual triggers based upon Ambac Assurance's financial condition or the commencement of rehabilitation, which triggers are potentially damaging (collectively, the "Segregated Account Policies"). The policies described in (4) above include (a) certain types of securitizations, including commercial asset-backed transactions, consumer asset-backed transactions and other types of structured transactions; (b) the policies relating to Las Vegas Monorail Company; (c) policies relating to debt securities purchased by, and the debt securities issued by, Juneau Investments, LLC and Aleutian Investments, LLC, which are both finance companies owned by Ambac Assurance; (d) policies relating to leveraged lease transactions; and (e) policies relating to interest rate, basis, and/or currency swap or other swap transactions. Claims on Segregated Account Policies remain subject to a payment moratorium until the Segregated Account Rehabilitation Plan (as defined below) becomes effective. Insurance claims presented during the moratorium of $2,451,233 for policies allocated to the Segregated Account have not yet been paid. Net par exposure as of September 30, 2011 for policies allocated to the Segregated Account is $39,066,212. Ambac Assurance also allocated the following to the Segregated Account: (i) all remediation claims, defenses, offsets, and/or credits (except with respect to recoveries arising from remediation efforts or reimbursement or collection rights), if any, in respect of the Segregated Account Policies, (ii) Ambac Assurance's disputed contingent liability under the subsequently settled long-term lease with One State Street, LLC ("OSS"), and its contingent liability (as guarantor), if any, under the subsequently terminated Ambac Assurance UK Limited ("Ambac UK") lease with British Land, (iii) Ambac Assurance's limited liability interests in Ambac Credit Products, LLC ("ACP"), Ambac Conduit Funding LLC, Aleutian Investments, LLC ("Aleutian") and Juneau Investments, LLC ("Juneau") and (iv) all of Ambac Assurance's liabilities as reinsurer under reinsurance agreements (except for reinsurance assumed from Everspan). Effective November 7, 2010, the Plan of Operation for the Segregated Account was amended for the purpose of allocating to the Segregated Account (i) any and all liabilities (including contingent liabilities) it has or may have, now or in the future, to Ambac, or any successor to Ambac, in regard to, or respecting, tax refunds and/or the July 18, 1991 Tax Sharing Agreement, as amended (other than any liability to Ambac pertaining to any possible misallocation of up to $38,486 of tax refunds received by Ambac Assurance in September 2009 and February 2010), (ii) any and all liabilities (including contingent liabilities) it has or may have, now or in the future, to the IRS and/or the United States Department of the Treasury (the "U.S. Treasury") in regard to, or in respect of, taxes imposed under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Federal Taxes"), for taxable periods ending on or prior to December 31, 2009 and, (iii) to the extent not described in clause (ii), any and all liabilities (including contingent liabilities) Ambac Assurance has or may have, now or in the future, to the IRS and/or the U.S. Treasury in regard to, or respect of, any Federal Tax refunds that were received prior to November 7, 2010 by Ambac Assurance, Ambac or their affiliates (each of clauses (i), (ii) and (iii), the "Allocated Disputed Contingent Liabilities"). In addition, on November 8, 2010, the rehabilitation court issued an order for temporary supplemental injunctive relief (the "State Court Injunction") enjoining Ambac, any successor-in-interest, any state court receiver of Ambac, all persons purporting to be creditors of Ambac, the IRS and all other federal and state governmental entities from commencing or prosecuting any actions, claims, lawsuits or other formal legal proceedings relating to the Allocated Disputed Contingent Liabilities. Policy obligations not allocated to the Segregated Account remain in the General Account, and such policies in the General Account are not subject to and, therefore, will not be directly impacted by the Segregated Account Rehabilitation Plan. Ambac Assurance is not, itself, in rehabilitation proceedings. On October 8, 2010, the Rehabilitator filed a plan of rehabilitation for the Segregated Account (the "Segregated Account Rehabilitation Plan") in Rehabilitation Court. The Rehabilitation Court confirmed the Segregated Account Rehabilitation Plan on January 24, 2011. The effective date of the Segregated Account Rehabilitation Plan will be determined by the Rehabilitator. The Segregated Account Rehabilitation Plan also makes permanent the injunctions issued by the Rehabilitation Court on March 24, 2010. The confirmed Segregated Account Rehabilitation Plan provides that holders of permitted policy claims will receive 25% of their permitted claims in cash and 75% in surplus notes issued by the Segregated Account. The issuance of surplus notes by both Ambac Assurance, and by the Segregated Account as contemplated by the current Segregated Account Rehabilitation Plan, could subject Ambac Assurance to the risk of deconsolidation from Ambac for tax purposes, which may also result in a Section 382 limitation with respect to Ambac Assurance's NOLs or an attribution of NOLs to Ambac, or could subject Ambac Assurance to the risk of recognizing significant cancellation of indebtedness income ("CODI"). Any of these consequences would likely have a material adverse effect on the financial condition of Ambac Assurance and the Segregated Account. As such, the Rehabilitator is considering substantial amendments to the Segregated Account Rehabilitation Plan and/or the initiation of rehabilitation proceedings with respect to Ambac Assurance. Such amendments to the Segregated Account Rehabilitation Plan (and, presumably, any rehabilitation plan with respect to Ambac Assurance) could include the elimination of the issuance of surplus notes by the Segregated Account and/or the imposition of transfer restrictions on any surplus notes issued by the Segregated Account. In March 2011, the Segregated Account issued Segregated Account Surplus Notes with a par value of $3,000 in connection with the commutation of insurance policies allocated to the Segregated Account. At September 30, 2011, the Segregated Account had outstanding Segregated Account Surplus Notes in an aggregate par amount of $53,000, which are reported in Long-term Debt on the Consolidated Balance Sheet with a carrying value of $5,931 based on an imputed interest rate of 52.8% at the date of issuance and have a scheduled maturity of June 7, 2020. Interest on the Segregated Account Surplus Notes is payable annually in June at the rate of 5.1% on the unpaid principal balance outstanding. All payments of principal and interest on the Segregated Account Surplus Notes are subject to the prior approval of the OCI. If the OCI does not approve the payment of interest on the Segregated Account Surplus Notes, such interest will accrue and compound annually until paid. The Segregated Account Surplus Notes were issued pursuant to a fiscal agency agreement entered into with The Bank of New York Mellon, as fiscal agent. To the extent that interest payments are deferred for more than five years, a portion of the deferred interest may not be a tax deduction until paid or may be disallowed under the applicable high yield debt obligation provisions of the Code. In May 2011, the Segregated Account issued Segregated Account Junior Surplus Notes with a par value of $36,082 in connection with a settlement agreement (the "Settlement Agreement") to terminate Ambac's existing headquarters office lease with One State Street LLC ("OSS"). The Junior Surplus Notes are reported in Long-term Debt on the Consolidated Balance Sheet with a carrying value of $3,710 based on an imputed interest rate of 58.3% at the date of issuance and have a scheduled maturity of June 7, 2020. Interest on the Segregated Account Junior Surplus Notes is payable annually in June at the rate of 5.1% on the unpaid principal balance outstanding. No payment of interest on or principal of the junior surplus notes may be made until all existing and future indebtedness of the Segregated Account, inclusive of Segregated Account Surplus Notes, policy claims and claims having statutory priority have been paid in full. All payments of principal and interest on the Segregated Account Surplus Notes are subject to the prior approval of the OCI. If the OCI does not approve the payment of interest on the Segregated Account Surplus Notes, such interest will accrue and compound annually until paid. The Settlement Agreement settled all claims among Ambac, Ambac Assurance, the Segregated Account of Ambac Assurance Corporation and OSS relating to the terminated lease. Additionally, Ambac Assurance entered into a new lease (the "New Ambac Assurance Lease") with OSS for an initial term commencing on May 19, 2011 through December 31, 2015. The New Ambac Assurance Lease provides for the rental of a reduced amount of space at Ambac's current location, One State Street Plaza. The Settlement Agreement also provides that OSS will have an allowed general unsecured claim in Ambac's bankruptcy case for approximately $14,000 (the "AFG Payment"). The AFG Payment will be made by Ambac in the same form as payment is made to Ambac's other creditors. On June 1, OCI issued its disapproval of the requests of Ambac Assurance and the Rehabilitator of the Segregated Account, acting for and on behalf of the Segregated Account, to pay interest on all outstanding Surplus Notes issued by Ambac and the Segregated Account on the first scheduled interest payment date of June 7, 2011. Reclassifications: Certain reclassifications have been made to prior periods' amounts to conform to the current period's presentation.

X
- Definition Background And Basis Of Presentation [Abstract] + Details
Name: | abk_BackgroundAndBasisOfPresentationAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | abk
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The entire disclosure for the business description and basis of presentation concepts. Business description describes the nature and type of organization including but not limited to organizational structure as may be applicable to holding companies, parent and subsidiary relationships, business divisions, business units, business segments, affiliates and information about significant ownership of the reporting entity. Basis of presentation describes the underlying basis used to prepare the financial statements (for example, US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, Other Comprehensive Basis of Accounting, IFRS). + Details
Name: | us-gaap_BusinessDescriptionAndBasisOfPresentationTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration