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Special Purpose Entities, Including Variable Interest Entities - Summary of Carrying Amount of Assets, Liabilities and Maximum Exposure to Loss of Ambac's Variable Interests in Non-Consolidated Variable Interest Entities (Detail) (Variable Interest Entity [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013 Successor Ambac [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Predecessor Ambac [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Global Structured Finance [Member] Successor Ambac [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Global Structured Finance [Member] Predecessor Ambac [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Global Public Finance [Member] Successor Ambac [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Global Public Finance [Member] Predecessor Ambac [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Collateralized Debt Obligations [Member] Global Structured Finance [Member] Successor Ambac [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Collateralized Debt Obligations [Member] Global Structured Finance [Member] Predecessor Ambac [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member] Global Structured Finance [Member] Successor Ambac [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member] Global Structured Finance [Member] Predecessor Ambac [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Other Consumer Asset-Backed [Member] Global Structured Finance [Member] Successor Ambac [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Other Consumer Asset-Backed [Member] Global Structured Finance [Member] Predecessor Ambac [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Other Commercial Asset-Backed [Member] Global Structured Finance [Member] Successor Ambac [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Other Commercial Asset-Backed [Member] Global Structured Finance [Member] Predecessor Ambac [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Other [Member] Global Structured Finance [Member] Successor Ambac [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Other [Member] Global Structured Finance [Member] Predecessor Ambac [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Mortgage-Backed-Commercial [Member] Global Structured Finance [Member] Predecessor Ambac [Member]
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items]
Maximum Exposure To Loss	$ 74,067,088	$ 93,517,995	$ 38,334,230	$ 56,421,767	$ 35,732,858	$ 37,096,228	$ 2,092,072	$ 10,176,522	$ 19,231,335	$ 24,008,616	$ 5,425,583	$ 5,895,377	$ 7,237,953	$ 10,192,858	$ 4,347,287	$ 5,505,007	$ 643,387
Insurance Assets	1,728,422	1,840,265	1,196,903	1,298,086	531,519	542,179	3,867	9,673	581,498	603,867	68,511	101,494	429,559	451,048	113,468	132,004
Insurance Liabilities	6,662,385	7,463,635	6,058,046	6,830,277	604,339	633,358	7,119	13,328	3,890,937	3,969,336	992,177	1,042,522	559,600	1,215,074	608,213	590,017
Derivative Liabilities	$ 81,432	$ 201,434	$ 54,320	$ 172,771	$ 27,112	$ 28,663	$ 10,092	$ 113,057				$ 45,610	$ 39,916	$ 7,293	$ 4,312	$ 4,393	$ 2,418

X

- Definition

The net carrying amount of derivative assets or liabilities in the reporting entity's statement of financial position that relate to the entity's variable interests in Variable Interest Entities (VIEs) where the VIEs are not consolidated.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

X

- Definition

The carrying amount of insurance assets in the reporting entity's statement of financial position that relate to the entity's variable interests in Variable Interest Entities (VIEs) where the VIEs are not consolidated.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

X

- Definition

The carrying amount of insurance liabilities in the reporting entity's statement of financial position that relate to the entity's variable interests in Variable Interest Entities (VIEs) where the VIEs are not consolidated.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

X

- Definition

The reporting entity's maximum amount of exposure to loss as a result of its involvement with the Variable Interest Entity (VIE).

+ References

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

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 810

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4

-Subparagraph b

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28200181&loc=d3e5728-111685



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 810

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 6

-Subparagraph (c)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=28200181&loc=d3e5747-111685

+ Details

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

X

- Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration