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Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts - Summary of Gross Premium Receivable Roll-Forward (Direct and Assumed Contracts) (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 8 Months Ended | 4 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2013 Successor Ambac [Member] | Apr. 30, 2013 Predecessor Ambac [Member] | Dec. 31, 2012 Predecessor Ambac [Member]
Insurance [Line Items] |  |  |
Beginning premium receivable | $ 1,531,631 | $ 1,620,621 | $ 2,028,479
Premium receipts | (82,071) | (48,296) | (155,626)
Adjustments for changes in expected and contractual cash flows | (91,241) | (28,237) | (299,906)
Accretion of premium receivable discount | 26,184 | 14,740 | 50,407
Deconsolidation of certain VIEs | 45,883 |  |
Uncollectible premiums | (15,262) | (634) | (28,031)
Other adjustments (including foreign exchange) | 37,897 | (26,563) | 25,298
Ending premium receivable | $ 1,453,021 | $ 1,531,631 | $ 1,620,621

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- Definition Financial guarantee insurance contracts premium receivable deconsolidation of certain variable interest entity. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ambc_FinancialGuaranteeInsuranceContractsPremiumReceivableDeconsolidationOfCertainVariableInterestEntity
Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

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- Details
Name: | ambc_InsuranceLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of increase (decrease) in the allowance for doubtful accounts. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AllowanceForDoubtfulAccountsReceivablePeriodIncreaseDecrease
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Amount of the premium receivable for financial guarantee insurance contracts reported in the statement of financial position. This element primarily would consist of those financial guarantee insurance contracts which premiums are to be collected over the contract period, but may, on occasion, include premiums which are to be collected in full at inception, but which straddle a financial reporting period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 310 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (c)(1),(5) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6933075&loc=SL5748726-161290 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancialGuaranteeInsuranceContractsPremiumReceivable
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition Amount of premium payments received during the period for premiums receivable on financial guarantee insurance contracts. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 310 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (c)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6933075&loc=SL5748726-161290 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancialGuaranteeInsuranceContractsPremiumReceivablePremiumPaymentsReceived
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition This element represents the accretion of the discount for premiums receivable on financial guarantee insurance contracts. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 310 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (c)(4)(iii) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6933075&loc=SL5748726-161290 + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition This element represents adjustments to the premium receivable related to financial guarantee insurance contracts due to changes in the period of the contract. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 310 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (c)(4)(i) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6933075&loc=SL5748726-161290 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_FinancialGuaranteeInsuranceContractsPremiumsReceivableAdjustmentChangeInPeriodOfContract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition This element represents other adjustments to premiums receivable on financial guarantee insurance contracts. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 310 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph (c)(4)(iv) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6933075&loc=SL5748726-161290 + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration