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Investments - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 3 Months Ended |  | 3 Months Ended |  | 3 Months Ended |  |  |  | 3 Months Ended | 5 Months Ended |  |  |  |  |  |
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Mar. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Mar. 31, 2014 Successor Ambac [Member] | Dec. 31, 2013 Successor Ambac [Member] | Mar. 31, 2013 Predecessor Ambac [Member] | Mar. 31, 2014 Below Investment Grade Securities and Non-Rated Securities [Member] | Dec. 31, 2013 Below Investment Grade Securities and Non-Rated Securities [Member] | Mar. 31, 2014 Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member] | Mar. 31, 2014 Ambac Wrapped Securities [Member] | Mar. 31, 2014 Asset-backed Securities [Member] | Mar. 31, 2014 Asset Backed, Military Housing, Fixed Rate Securities [Member] Security | Mar. 31, 2014 Gains (losses) on securities held as of reporting date [Member] Successor Ambac [Member] | Mar. 31, 2013 Gains (losses) on securities held as of reporting date [Member] Successor Ambac [Member] | Mar. 31, 2013 National Century Financial Enterprises, Inc. [Member] | Sep. 30, 2013 National Century Financial Enterprises, Inc. [Member] | Mar. 31, 2014 Fixed Income Securities [Member] Successor Ambac [Member] | Dec. 31, 2013 Fixed Income Securities [Member] Successor Ambac [Member] | Mar. 31, 2014 Fixed Income Securities [Member] Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member] Successor Ambac [Member] | Dec. 31, 2013 Fixed Income Securities [Member] Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member] Successor Ambac [Member] | Mar. 31, 2014 Fixed Income Securities [Member] Asset-backed Securities [Member] Successor Ambac [Member] | Dec. 31, 2013 Fixed Income Securities [Member] Asset-backed Securities [Member] Successor Ambac [Member]
Investment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Fair value of below investment grade securities and non-rated securities |  |  |  |  |  | $ 595,247 | $ 826,969 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Gross unrealized loss |  |  |  |  |  | 33,433 | 36,946 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Payment of permitted policy claim (percent) | 25.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Future payment of permitted policy claim (percent) | 45.00% |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Unrealized losses on securities |  |  | 83,446 | 116,634 |  |  |  | 20,408 | 16,258 | 24,618 | 24,333 |  |  |  |  | 83,446 | 116,634 | 20,408 | 18,105 | 24,618 | 36,598
Number of securities in unrealized loss position |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Investment realized losses |  |  | 16,289 |  | 46,060 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash recoveries | 7,760 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 39,978 | 1,441 |  |  |  |  |  |
Securities fair value | 6,811 | 6,799 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Fair value of securities held by bankruptcy remote trust | 236,674 | 240,150 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Other investments |  |  | $ 1,994 |  | $ (543) |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 2,449 | $ 614 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

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- Definition Amount of accumulated pre-tax unrealized loss on investments in available-for-sale securities that have been in a loss position for less than twelve months impacting investments. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Aggregate losses of below investment grade securities and non rated securities in a continuous unrealized loss position. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Percentage of the Segregated Account of Ambac Assurance's permitted policy claims that are expected to be paid in cash after approved by the Rehabilitation Court. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Percentage of the Segregated Account of Ambac Assurance's permitted policy claims that are currently being paid in cash. + 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 Number of investment positions in available-for-sale investments in a continuous unrealized loss position for less than one year or normal operating cycle, if longer, for which an other-than-temporary impairment (OTTI) has not been recognized in the income statement. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The net realized gains or losses on investments during the period, not including gains or losses on securities separately or otherwise categorized as trading, available-for-sale, or held-to-maturity. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 225 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.3(a)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879464&loc=d3e573970-122913 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 325 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6485959&loc=d3e22529-158502 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 04 -Paragraph 3 -Subparagraph a -Article 7 + Details
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