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Special Purpose Entities, Including Variable Interest Entities - Summary of Carrying Amount of Assets, Liabilities and Maximum Exposure to Loss of Ambac's Variable Interests in Non-Consolidated VIEs (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | Sep. 30, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2011
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Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | $ 97,133,176 | [1] | $ 111,748,270 | [1]
Insurance Assets | 1,968,000 | [2] | 2,196,161 | [2]
Insurance Liabilities | 8,742,567 | [3] | 9,207,107 | [3]
Derivative Liabilities | 177,386 | [4] | 183,666 | [4]
Collateralized debt obligations [Member] |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 11,429,975 | [1] | 14,093,243 | [1]
Insurance Assets | 11,698 | [2] | 15,096 | [2]
Insurance Liabilities | 18,144 | [3] | 105,219 | [3]
Derivative Liabilities | 103,538 | [4] | 120,614 | [4]
Residential Mortgage-backed securities [Member] |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 24,927,285 | [1] | 30,307,753 | [1]
Insurance Assets | 683,370 | [2] | 783,329 | [2]
Insurance Liabilities | 4,666,502 | [3] | 5,396,711 | [3]
Commercial Mortgage-backed securities [Member] |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 634,636 | [1] | 685,870 | [1]
Derivative Liabilities | 2,451 | [4] | 6,241 | [4]
Other consumer asset-backed [Member] |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 6,607,902 | [1] | 7,851,980 | [1]
Insurance Assets | 121,136 | [2] | 129,234 | [2]
Insurance Liabilities | 1,205,301 | [3] | 1,315,146 | [3]
Derivative Liabilities | 37,747 | [4] | 35,583 | [4]
Other commercial asset-backed securities [Member] |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 10,676,275 | [1] | 13,363,434 | [1]
Insurance Assets | 464,962 | [2] | 559,884 | [2]
Insurance Liabilities | 1,562,914 | [3] | 1,045,477 | [3]
Derivative Liabilities | 6,945 | [4] | 4,541 | [4]
Other [Member] |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 5,619,718 | [1] | 7,552,264 | [1]
Insurance Assets | 132,539 | [2] | 139,586 | [2]
Insurance Liabilities | 606,137 | [3] | 643,864 | [3]
Derivative Liabilities | 3,455 | [4] | 1,837 | [4]
Global Structured Finance [Member] |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 59,895,791 | [1] | 73,854,544 | [1]
Insurance Assets | 1,413,705 | [2] | 1,627,129 | [2]
Insurance Liabilities | 8,058,998 | [3] | 8,506,417 | [3]
Derivative Liabilities | 154,136 | [4] | 168,816 | [4]
Global Public Finance [Member] |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 37,237,385 | [1] | 37,893,726 | [1]
Insurance Assets | 554,295 | [2] | 569,032 | [2]
Insurance Liabilities | 683,569 | [3] | 700,690 | [3]
Derivative Liabilities | $ 23,250 | [4] | $ 14,850 | [4]
[1] | Maximum exposure to loss represents the gross maximum future payments of principal and interest on insured obligations and credit derivative contracts. Ambac's maximum exposure to loss does not include the benefit of any financial instruments (such as reinsurance or hedge contracts) that Ambac may utilize to mitigate the risks associated with these variable interests.
[2] | Insurance assets represent the amount recorded in "Premium receivables" and "Subrogation recoverable" for financial guarantee contracts on Ambac's Consolidated Balance Sheets.
[3] | Insurance liabilities represent the amount recorded in "Losses and loss expense reserve" and "Unearned premiums" for financial guarantee contracts on Ambac's Consolidated Balance Sheets.
[4] | Derivative liabilities represent the fair value recognized on credit derivative contracts on Ambac's Consolidated Balance Sheets.

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- Definition The net carrying amount of derivative assets or liabilities in the reporting entity's statement of financial position that relate to the entity's variable interests in Variable Interest Entities (VIEs) where the VIEs are not consolidated. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The carrying amount of insurance assets in the reporting entity's statement of financial position that relate to the entity's variable interests in Variable Interest Entities (VIEs) where the VIEs are not consolidated. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The carrying amount of insurance liabilities in the reporting entity's statement of financial position that relate to the entity's variable interests in Variable Interest Entities (VIEs) where the VIEs are not consolidated. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The reporting entity's maximum amount of exposure to loss as a result of its involvement with the Variable Interest Entity (VIE). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph b -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7880789&loc=d3e5728-111685 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7880789&loc=d3e5747-111685 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name FASB Staff Position (FSP) -Number FAS140-4/FIN46(R) -Paragraph C6 -Subparagraph b -LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy. + Details
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