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Fair Value Measurements - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013
Fair Value Of Assets And Liabilities Measured On Non Recurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Credit valuation adjustment included in fair value of credit derivative liabilities | $ 15,978 | $ 38,966
Credit valuation adjustment included in fair value of derivative liabilities other than credit derivatives | 48,481 | 48,425
Percentage of CDS gross par outstanding used in the determination of CDS fair values | 73.00% |
Percentage of CDS derivative liability used in the determination of CDS fair values | 65.00% |
Percentage of CDS gross par outstanding using internally estimated reference obligation prices in determination of fair value | 27.00% |
Percentage of CDS liability using internally estimated reference obligation prices in determination of fair value | 35.00% |
Additional basis point fee need to receive for issuing a CDS on obligation | 0.05% |
Additional basis points fee increase on change of reference obligation spread | 0.15% |
Revised relative change ratio of CDS fee to cash market spread | 73.20% |
Estimated remaining life | 8 years |
Notional outstanding | 1,958,926 | 2,776,103
Derivative liabilities | 82,830 | 94,322
Percentage of profit margin | 17.00% | 17.00%
Weighted average discounted rate of estimated future premium payments to be paid by the VIEs | 4.40% | 5.10%
Credit Derivatives [Member] |  |
Fair Value Of Assets And Liabilities Measured On Non Recurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
CVA percentage | 16.20% | 29.20%
European ABS Transactions [Member] | Level 3 [Member] |  |
Fair Value Of Assets And Liabilities Measured On Non Recurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Fair value of consolidated VIE debt obligations valued using unobservable inputs by asset class | 1,093,259 | 1,329,985
US Commercial ABS Transaction [Member] | Level 3 [Member] |  |
Fair Value Of Assets And Liabilities Measured On Non Recurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Fair value of consolidated VIE debt obligations valued using unobservable inputs by asset class | 195,444 | 184,620
Minimum [Member] |  |
Fair Value Of Assets And Liabilities Measured On Non Recurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Basis point fee received for issuing a CDS on reference obligation base fee | 0.20% |
Credit spread of reference obligation of a base transaction | 0.80% |
Relative change ratio of CDS fee to cash market spread | 25.00% |
Maximum [Member] |  |
Fair Value Of Assets And Liabilities Measured On Non Recurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Basis point fee received for issuing a CDS on reference obligation hypothetical fee | 0.25% |
Relative change ratio of CDS fee to cash market spread | 35.00% |
Credit spread of reference obligation of revised transaction | 1.00% |
Internal Credit Rating [Member] | Minimum [Member] |  |
Fair Value Of Assets And Liabilities Measured On Non Recurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Revised relative change ratio of CDS fee to cash market spread | 33.00% |
Internal Credit Rating [Member] | Maximum [Member] |  |
Fair Value Of Assets And Liabilities Measured On Non Recurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Full relative change ratio of CDS fee to cash market spread | 100.00% |
Successor Ambac [Member] |  |
Fair Value Of Assets And Liabilities Measured On Non Recurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Notional outstanding | 1,958,926 | 2,776,103
Successor Ambac [Member] | Fixed Income Securities [Member] |  |
Fair Value Of Assets And Liabilities Measured On Non Recurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Percentage of investment portfolio valued using dealer quotes | 9.00% | 11.00%
Successor Ambac [Member] | U.S. Agency Obligations [Member] |  |
Fair Value Of Assets And Liabilities Measured On Non Recurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Coupon rate |  | 6.98%
Fair Value Inputs Maturity |  | 1 year 4 months 13 days
Fair Value Inputs Yield |  | 0.39%
Successor Ambac [Member] | U.S. Agency Obligations [Member] | Level 3 [Member] |  |
Fair Value Of Assets And Liabilities Measured On Non Recurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Fair value of investments in corporate obligation securities classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy | 0 | 208
Successor Ambac [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member] |  |
Fair Value Of Assets And Liabilities Measured On Non Recurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Coupon rate | 0.63% | 0.64%
Fair Value Inputs Maturity | 6 years 8 months 9 days | 7 years 1 month 25 days
Fair Value Inputs Yield | 4.72% | 5.17%
Successor Ambac [Member] | Asset-backed Securities [Member] | Level 3 [Member] |  |
Fair Value Of Assets And Liabilities Measured On Non Recurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Fair value of investments in corporate obligation securities classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy | 58,915 | 64,073
Successor Ambac [Member] | Corporate Obligations [Member] |  |
Fair Value Of Assets And Liabilities Measured On Non Recurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Coupon rate | 0.35% | 0.35%
Fair Value Inputs Maturity | 19 years 4 months 21 days | 20 years 1 month 19 days
Fair Value Inputs Yield | 5.23% | 6.30%
Successor Ambac [Member] | Corporate Obligations [Member] | Level 3 [Member] |  |
Fair Value Of Assets And Liabilities Measured On Non Recurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Fair value of investments in corporate obligation securities classified as Level 3 in the fair value hierarchy | 3,745 | 3,502
Successor Ambac [Member] | European ABS Transactions [Member] |  |
Fair Value Of Assets And Liabilities Measured On Non Recurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Coupon rate | 0.33% | 0.72%
Fair Value Inputs Maturity | 21 years 5 months 23 days | 17 years 9 months 40 days
Fair Value Inputs Yield | 9.42% | 8.02%
Successor Ambac [Member] | US Commercial ABS Transaction [Member] |  |
Fair Value Of Assets And Liabilities Measured On Non Recurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Coupon rate | 5.88% | 6.11%
Fair Value Inputs Maturity | 15 years 10 months 18 days | 6 years 9 months 28 days
Fair Value Inputs Yield | 7.36% | 11.95%
Successor Ambac [Member] | Minimum [Member] | Fixed Income Securities [Member] |  |
Fair Value Of Assets And Liabilities Measured On Non Recurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Percentage of investment portfolio valued using internal valuation models | 1.00% | 1.00%
Successor Ambac [Member] | Maximum [Member] | Fixed Income Securities [Member] |  |
Fair Value Of Assets And Liabilities Measured On Non Recurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Percentage of investment portfolio valued using external pricing services | 90.00% | 88.00%
Other Contracts [Member] |  |
Fair Value Of Assets And Liabilities Measured On Non Recurring Basis [Line Items] |  |
Derivative Liability, Fair Value, Amount Not Offset Against Collateral | 1,858 | 1,549
CVA percentage | 2.41% | 8.70%
Notional outstanding | $ 58,801 | $ 146,995

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