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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 Variable Interest Entities (Detail) (Variable Interest Entity [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | Jun. 30, 2013 Successor Ambac [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Predecessor Ambac [Member] | Jun. 30, 2013 Global Structured Finance [Member] Successor Ambac [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Global Structured Finance [Member] Predecessor Ambac [Member] | Jun. 30, 2013 Global Public Finance [Member] Successor Ambac [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Global Public Finance [Member] Predecessor Ambac [Member] | Jun. 30, 2013 Collateralized Debt Obligations [Member] Global Structured Finance [Member] Successor Ambac [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Collateralized Debt Obligations [Member] Global Structured Finance [Member] Predecessor Ambac [Member] | Jun. 30, 2013 Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member] Global Structured Finance [Member] Successor Ambac [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member] Global Structured Finance [Member] Predecessor Ambac [Member] | Jun. 30, 2013 Mortgage-Backed-Commercial [Member] Global Structured Finance [Member] Successor Ambac [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Mortgage-Backed-Commercial [Member] Global Structured Finance [Member] Predecessor Ambac [Member] | Jun. 30, 2013 Other Consumer Asset-Backed [Member] Global Structured Finance [Member] Successor Ambac [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Other Consumer Asset-Backed [Member] Global Structured Finance [Member] Predecessor Ambac [Member] | Jun. 30, 2013 Other Commercial Asset-Backed [Member] Global Structured Finance [Member] Successor Ambac [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Other Commercial Asset-Backed [Member] Global Structured Finance [Member] Predecessor Ambac [Member] | Jun. 30, 2013 Other [Member] Global Structured Finance [Member] Successor Ambac [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Other [Member] Global Structured Finance [Member] Predecessor Ambac [Member]
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Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | $ 79,667,048 | $ 93,517,995 | $ 43,152,587 | $ 56,421,767 | $ 35,514,461 | $ 37,096,228 | $ 4,068,252 | $ 10,176,522 | $ 20,574,099 | $ 24,008,616 | $ 600,821 | $ 643,387 | $ 5,601,315 | $ 5,895,377 | $ 7,856,942 | $ 10,192,858 | $ 4,451,158 | $ 5,505,007
Insurance Assets | 1,725,360 | 1,840,265 | 1,208,555 | 1,298,086 | 516,805 | 542,179 | 6,725 | 9,673 | 593,246 | 603,867 |  |  | 90,288 | 101,494 | 400,539 | 451,048 | 117,757 | 132,004
Insurance Liabilities | 6,604,469 | 7,463,635 | 6,009,806 | 6,830,277 | 594,663 | 633,358 | 10,081 | 13,328 | 3,844,796 | 3,969,336 |  |  | 1,048,836 | 1,042,522 | 552,786 | 1,215,074 | 553,307 | 590,017
Derivative Liabilities | $ 215,868 | $ 201,434 | $ 185,073 | $ 172,771 | $ 30,795 | $ 28,663 | $ 109,703 | $ 113,057 |  |  | $ 849 | $ 2,418 | $ 58,136 | $ 45,610 | $ 10,627 | $ 7,293 | $ 5,758 | $ 4,393

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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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Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
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Balance Type: | debit
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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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Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

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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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Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
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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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Period Type: | instant

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- Details
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