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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], Successor Ambac [Member], USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | Sep. 30, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013
--- | --- | ---
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | $ 65,202,980 | $ 74,067,088
Insurance Assets | 1,558,712 | 1,728,422
Insurance Liabilities | 6,469,223 | 6,662,385
Derivative Liabilities | 70,561 | 81,432
Global Structured Finance [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 32,731,907 | 38,334,230
Insurance Assets | 1,092,789 | 1,196,903
Insurance Liabilities | 5,923,463 | 6,058,046
Derivative Liabilities | 43,936 | 54,320
Global Public Finance [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 32,471,073 | 35,732,858
Insurance Assets | 465,923 | 531,519
Insurance Liabilities | 545,760 | 604,339
Derivative Liabilities | 26,625 | 27,112
Collateralized Debt Obligations [Member] | Global Structured Finance [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 1,317,071 | 2,092,072
Insurance Assets | 1,416 | 3,867
Insurance Liabilities | 4,677 | 7,119
Derivative Liabilities | 4,925 | 10,092
Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member] | Global Structured Finance [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 16,958,514 | 19,231,335
Insurance Assets | 549,303 | 581,498
Insurance Liabilities | 4,029,415 | 3,890,937
Derivative Liabilities |  |
Other Consumer Asset-Backed [Member] | Global Structured Finance [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 5,191,120 | 5,425,583
Insurance Assets | 66,556 | 68,511
Insurance Liabilities | 907,591 | 992,177
Derivative Liabilities | 0 | 0
Other Commercial Asset-Backed [Member] | Global Structured Finance [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 5,069,719 | 7,237,953
Insurance Assets | 376,164 | 429,559
Insurance Liabilities | 402,744 | 559,600
Derivative Liabilities | 36,275 | 39,916
Other [Member] | Global Structured Finance [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 4,195,483 | 4,347,287
Insurance Assets | 99,350 | 113,468
Insurance Liabilities | 579,036 | 608,213
Derivative Liabilities | $ 2,736 | $ 4,312

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- 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
Name: | ambc_VariableInterestEntityNonconsolidatedCarryingAmountDerivativeNetAssetsOrLiabilities
Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

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- 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

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

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- Details
Name: | us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration