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Special Purpose Entities, Including Variable Interest Entities - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 0 Months Ended | 8 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |  |  |  | 8 Months Ended |  |  | 0 Months Ended | 4 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |  | 12 Months Ended |  | 8 Months Ended | 4 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
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Apr. 30, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2013 Entity Assets | Dec. 31, 2012 Entity Assets | Dec. 31, 2013 Asset-Backed Securities and Utility Obligations [Member] | Dec. 31, 2013 Variable Interest Entities [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Variable Interest Entities [Member] | Dec. 31, 2013 Variable Interest Entity [Member] | Dec. 31, 2013 Successor Ambac [Member] | Dec. 31, 2013 Successor Ambac [Member] Variable Interest Entity [Member] | Apr. 30, 2013 Successor Ambac [Member] Variable Interest Entity [Member] | Apr. 30, 2013 Predecessor Ambac [Member] | Apr. 30, 2013 Predecessor Ambac [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Predecessor Ambac [Member] | Apr. 30, 2013 Predecessor Ambac [Member] Variable Interest Entity [Member] | Dec. 31, 2013 Sponsored Variable Interest Entities [Member] Transactions | Dec. 31, 2012 Sponsored Variable Interest Entities [Member] | Dec. 31, 2013 Financial Guarantee [Member] Successor Ambac [Member] | Apr. 30, 2013 Financial Guarantee [Member] Predecessor Ambac [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Financial Guarantee [Member] Predecessor Ambac [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt outstanding to third parties under secured borrowing transaction |  |  |  |  |  | $ 0 | $ 14,588 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Securities fair value |  | 240,150 | 240,150 | 201,329 |  | 240,150 | 201,329 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Fair value of special purpose entities |  | 13,384 | 13,384 | 14,557 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of individual transactions with special purpose entities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 15 |  |  |  |
Number of transactions outstanding with special purpose entities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3 |  |  |  |
Total principal amount of debt outstanding |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 461,355 | 466,938 |  |  |
Weighted average life |  |  |  |  | 7 years 9 months 18 days |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Average rating of assets held by sponsored special purpose entities |  |  | BBB |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Earned premiums for issuing the financial guarantee policies on the assets, MTNs and derivative contracts |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 78 |  |  |  | 40 | 398 |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of assets sold |  |  | 0 | 0 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Assets sold to special purpose entities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2,747 |  |  |  | 1,455 | 14,691 |  |  |  |  |  |
Claims on insurance policies issued to these entities |  |  | 0 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Earned fees for providing other services under its financial guarantee policies |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 7 | 3 | 37
Amount received under derivative contracts |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2,372 |  |  |  |  | 7,356 |  |  |  |  |  |
Amount paid under derivative contracts |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 93 |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of consolidated Variable Interest Entities |  |  | 18 | 18 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Consolidated VIE assets |  | 15,988,697 | 15,988,697 | 17,841,863 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Consolidated VIE liabilities |  | 15,872,770 | 15,872,770 | 17,661,700 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gain on variable interest entity consolidation |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 385,291 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets recorded at fair value | 164,520 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Weighted-average amortization period | 16 years |  | 9 years 4 months 24 days |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Amortization expense for intangible assets |  | 5,015 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Intangible assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 76,140 |  | 76,140 | 164,520 |  |  |  | 164,520 |  |  |  |  |
Reduction to the intangible assets carrying value |  | 83,365 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Variable interest entity deconsolidation loss |  | $ 15,273 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

X
- Definition The expense charged against earnings to allocate the fair value of consolidated VIE intangible assets to the periods expected to benefit from such assets. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Amount paid under derivative contracts entered into with Ambac's sponsored medium term note special purpose entities. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Amount received under derivative contracts entered into with Ambac's sponsored medium term note special purpose entities. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Amounts recovered in respect of previously paid claims on insurance policies issued to Ambac's sponsored special purpose entities. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Assets Transferred To Special Purpose Entities + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The total principal amount of outstanding debt issued by Ambac's sponsored medium term note special purpose entities. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Amount of intangible assets at fair value recorded upon the initial consolidation of a variable interest entity when consolidation occurred during the period(s) reported. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Amount of insurance premiums earned related to financial guarantee policies on the assets, debt and derivative contracts of Ambac's sponsored medium term note special purpose entities. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Number of consolidated variable interest entities. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The number of asset transfer transactions executed with Ambac's sponsored medium term note special purpose entities that are still outstanding at the reporting date. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The number of asset transfer transactions executed with Ambac's sponsored medium term note special purpose entities since the inception of those entities. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Fair Value of securities held to collateralize and fund repayment of debt issued through a resecuritization transaction. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Variable Interest Entity Deconsolidation Gain Loss + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The weighted average remaining life of assets held by Ambac's sponsored medium term note special purpose entities at the reporting date. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Weighted average amortization period of finite-lived intangible assets acquired either individually or as part of a group of assets, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (a)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16265-109275 + Details
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- Definition Amount of write-down of assets recognized in the income statement. Includes, but is not limited to, losses from tangible assets, intangible assets and goodwill. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 360 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=8077374&loc=d3e2420-110228 + Details
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- Definition Fair value portion of investments accounted under the equity method. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -SubTopic 10 -Section 25 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6903542&loc=d3e32014-111567 + Details
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- Definition Amount after amortization of assets, excluding financial assets and goodwill, lacking physical substance with a finite life. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 350 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16323-109275 + Details
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- Definition Fees and other service revenues recognized in the period that are not otherwise specified in the taxonomy. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1(d)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688 + Details
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- Definition Carrying value as of the balance sheet date, including the current and noncurrent portions, of collateralized debt obligations (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle, if longer). Such obligations include mortgage loans, chattel loans, and any other borrowings secured by assets of the borrower. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 03 -Paragraph 16 -Article 9 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 19, 20, 22 -Article 5 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 + Details
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- Definition The carrying amount of the consolidated Variable Interest Entity's assets included in the reporting entity's statement of financial position. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (bb) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28200181&loc=d3e5710-111685 + Details
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- Definition The gain (loss) recognized on initial consolidation of a variable interest entity (VIE) when the VIE is not a business (as defined). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28200181&loc=d3e5710-111685 + Details
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