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Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	5 Months Ended		5 Months Ended	3 Months Ended	4 Months Ended	9 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013 Insurance Intangible Asset [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Successor Ambac [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Successor Ambac [Member]	Apr. 30, 2013 Successor Ambac [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Successor Ambac [Member] Insurance Intangible Asset [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Predecessor Ambac [Member]	Apr. 30, 2013 Predecessor Ambac [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Predecessor Ambac [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Maximum [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Loss Reserves [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Loss Reserves [Member]
Insurance [Line Items]
Weighted average risk-free interest rate	2.90%	2.60%										2.90%	1.60%
Weighted average period of future premiums	10 years 1 month 6 days	9 years 7 months 6 days
Transactions with non-investment grade internal ratings	45.00%	45.00%
Non-investment grade RMBS on total premiums receivable	7.00%	7.00%
Percentage of student loan transactions on total premium receivables	7.00%	9.00%
Percentage related to asset-backed transaction	16.00%	15.00%
Premium receivables relating to a non-investment obligation deemed uncollectible	$ 14,800	$ 118,961
Past due premiums on policies insuring non-investment grade obligations amount											500
Accelerated premium revenue for retired obligations				19,698	32,747			34,381	36,433	86,037
Total net loss expense reserves	125,341	136,790
Reinsurance recoveries of losses included in losses and loss expenses				(17,418)	(12,355)			5,502	3,889	27,354
Losses and loss expense reserves ceded to reinsurers	123,425	147,409
Subrogation recoveries	2,361,856	2,523,225
Subrogation recoveries, net of reinsurance	2,336,676	2,497,233
Weighted-average amortization period			9 years 4 months 24 days
Intangible amortization expense				37,473	62,425		62,425
Insurance intangible asset				1,620,952	1,620,952	1,658,972	1,620,952
Accumulated amortization on insurance intangible asset							$ 63,006

X

- Definition

Accumulated Amortization on Intangible Asset

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ambc_
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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

This element represents the reduction to gross claim liability for subrogation on insured RMBS financial obligations with credit deterioration.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

X

- Definition

This element represents the reduction to gross claim liability for subrogation on insured RMBS financial obligations with credit deterioration, net of reinsurance.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ambc_BalanceOfRmbsSubrogationRecoveriesNetOfReinsurance
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X

- Definition

Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts Premium Receivable Deemed Uncollectible

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	ambc_
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Balance Type:	debit
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X

- Details

Name:	ambc_InsuranceLineItems
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

The known and estimated amount recoverable as of the balance sheet date from reinsurers for claims paid or incurred by the ceding insurer.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

X

- Definition

Percentage of financial guarantee premiums receivable related to RMBS insured transactions with non-investment grade internal ratings.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ambc_PercentageOfPremiumsReceivableRelatedToNonInvestmentGradeRmbsTransactions
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Percentage of financial guarantee premiums receivable related to Student Loan insured transactions with non-investment grade internal ratings.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ambc_PercentageOfPremiumsReceivableRelatedToStudentLoanTransactions
Namespace Prefix:	ambc_
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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Percentage Premiums Receivable Related To Asset Backed Transactions

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Percentage of financial guarantee premiums receivable related to insured transactions with non-investment grade internal ratings.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Past due premiums on policies insuring internally rated non-investment grade obligations.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Loss adjustment expense reserves, net of reinsurance, represent the costs estimated to be incurred in the settlement of unpaid claims.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ambc_ReserveForLossAdjustmentExpenses
Namespace Prefix:	ambc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
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X

- Definition

The weighted average amortization period of insurance intangible asset.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

The aggregate expense charged against earnings to allocate the cost of intangible assets (nonphysical assets not used in production) in a systematic and rational manner to the periods expected to benefit from such assets. As a noncash expense, this element is added back to net income when calculating cash provided by or used in operations using the indirect method.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

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- Definition

This element represents the amount of premium revenue on financial guarantee insurance contracts recognized during the period that was accelerated for revenue recognition purposes.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 605

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4

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X

- Definition

This element represents the weighted average risk free rate used to discount the claim liability related to financial guarantee insurance contracts.

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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- Definition

Weighted average period over which premium receivable for financial guarantee insurance contracts is collected where premium is received over the contract period, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

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-SubTopic 310

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- Definition

Sum of the carrying amounts of all intangible assets, excluding goodwill, as of the balance sheet date, net of accumulated amortization and impairment charges.

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- Definition

Amount of reduction of provision for policy benefits and costs incurred for policies ceded.

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

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