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Investments - Summary of Net Investment Income (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 3 Months Ended | 5 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 4 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2013 Successor Ambac [Member] | Sep. 30, 2013 Successor Ambac [Member] | Sep. 30, 2012 Predecessor Ambac [Member] | Apr. 30, 2013 Predecessor Ambac [Member] | Sep. 30, 2012 Predecessor Ambac [Member]
Investment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |
Fixed income securities | $ 53,301 | $ 83,732 | $ 85,364 | $ 118,097 | $ 292,483
Short-term investments | 626 | 788 | 431 | 677 | 1,188
Loans | 109 | 193 | 137 | 146 | 558
Investment expense | (2,260) | (3,726) | (1,854) | (2,549) | (4,198)
Securities available-for-sale and short-term | 51,776 | 80,987 | 84,078 | 116,371 | 290,031
Other investments | 350 | (2,665) |  | 369 |
Total net investment income | $ 52,126 | $ 78,322 | $ 84,078 | $ 116,740 | $ 290,031

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- Definition Amount of operating dividend and interest income, including amortization and accretion of premiums and discounts, on available-for-sale securities. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Available-for-Sale Securities -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6505594 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 225 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Paragraph 2 -Article 9 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 35 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27723805&loc=d3e24721-111560 + Details
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