XML 38 R49.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.0.8

Special Purpose Entities, Including Variable Interest Entities - Supplemental Information about Loans Held as Assets and Long-Term Debt Associated with Consolidated Variable Interest Entities (Detail) (Variable Interest Entities [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013 Successor Ambac [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Predecessor Ambac [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Loans, Estimated fair value	$ 14,762,446	$ 15,359,073
Long-term debt, Estimated fair value	15,265,390	15,200,538
Loans, Unpaid principal balance	13,337,530	13,995,141
Long-term debt, Unpaid principal balance	$ 15,588,904	$ 15,460,530

X

- Definition

This represents the amount of principal outstanding on loans receivable that are presented on the balance sheet at fair value, whether such presentation is as a separate caption or parenthetical disclosure.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

X

- Definition

This represents the amount of principal outstanding on long-term debt that is presented on the balance sheet at fair value, whether such presentation is as a separate caption or parenthetical disclosure.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

X

- Definition

Fair value portion of loan receivable, including, but not limited to, mortgage loans held for investment, finance receivables held for investment, policy loans on insurance contracts.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 310

-SubTopic 10

-Glossary Loan

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6517073

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LoansReceivableFairValueDisclosure
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

The fair value amount of long-term debt whether such amount is presented as a separate caption or as a parenthetical disclosure. Additionally, this element may be used in connection with the fair value disclosures required in the footnote disclosures to the financial statements. The element may be used in both the balance sheet and disclosure in the same submission.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration