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Fresh Start Financial Statement Reporting - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 6 Months Ended |  | 6 Months Ended | 4 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
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Jun. 30, 2013 | Apr. 30, 2013 | Jun. 30, 2013 Reorganization Items [Member] | Jun. 30, 2013 5.1% Notes Due 2045 [Member] | Jun. 30, 2013 Maximum [Member] | Jun. 30, 2013 Minimum [Member] | Apr. 30, 2013 Ambac Financial Group, Inc Parent Company Only [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Ambac Financial Group, Inc Parent Company Only [Member]
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information, Nonrecurring Adjustment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Percentage of voting shares received from emerging entity |  |  |  |  | 50.00% |  |  |
Enterprise value | $ 185,000 | $ 185,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Reorganization value, methodology and assumptions | The enterprise value was based on a discounted cash flow analysis using estimates of after-tax free cash flows through 2045. The terminal date of 2045 was used as the expected run-off of Ambac Assurance’s insurance operations will be substantially completed by 2045. The valuation uses a range of discount rates between 12% and 17%, which considered the cost of capital associated with a set of comparable insurance holding companies, indicative ranges suggested by third parties during Ambac’s 2008 capital raise process and discussions with financial professionals knowledgeable about the insurance industry. |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Discount rate |  |  |  |  | 17.00% | 12.00% |  |
Reimbursement of operating expenses |  |  | 5,000 |  |  |  |  |
Upfront cash | 30,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other operating payments | 15,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Junior surplus notes |  |  |  | 350,000 |  |  |  |
Interest on junior surplus notes |  |  |  | 5.10% |  |  |  |
Following May 2017, additional operating expenses | 4,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Capital investment |  |  |  |  | 190,000 | 135,000 |  |
Rate of return on investment |  |  |  |  | 8.00% | 6.00% |  |
Discount rate of investment |  |  |  |  | 35.00% | 25.00% |  |
Expiry year of securities | 2030 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Life of securities | 20 years |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Discontinued Liabilities subject to compromise |  |  |  |  |  |  | 239,468 |
Liabilities subject to compromise contractual interest on debt |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 27,572 | $ 85,371

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