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Income Taxes Income Taxes - NOL Usage Table (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended |  |
--- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014 | Apr. 30, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2010
Net Income Loss Reconciliation [Line Items] |  |  |
TierABCCredit | $ 5,000 ambc_TierABCCredit |  |
TierACreditUsage | 2,297 ambc_TierACreditUsage |  |
NOL allocated amount | 5,401,573 us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards |  |
Ambac Assurance [Member] |  |  |
Net Income Loss Reconciliation [Line Items] |  |  |
AACNetTaxableIncome | 43,743 ambc_AACNetTaxableIncome / dei_LegalEntityAxis = ambc_AmbacAssuranceMember |  |
Ambac [Member] |  |  |
Net Income Loss Reconciliation [Line Items] |  |  |
Bankruptcy Claims, Amount Paid to Settle Claims |  | 1,900 us-gaap_BankruptcyClaimsAmountPaidToSettleClaims / dei_LegalEntityAxis = ambc_AmbacMember |
Amount Of Loss Carry Forward Relinquish By Which Loss Carry Forward Exceed |  |  | 3,400,000 ambc_AmountOfLossCarryForwardRelinquishByWhichLossCarryForwardExceed / dei_LegalEntityAxis = ambc_AmbacMember
Segregated Account [Member] |  |  |
Net Income Loss Reconciliation [Line Items] |  |  |
Bankruptcy Claims, Amount Paid to Settle Claims |  | 100,000 us-gaap_BankruptcyClaimsAmountPaidToSettleClaims / dei_LegalEntityAxis = ambc_SegregatedAccountMember |
Tier A [Member] |  |  |
Net Income Loss Reconciliation [Line Items] |  |  |
NOL allocated amount | 479,000 us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards / us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAxis = ambc_TierAMember |  |
NOL applicable percentage | 15.00%ambc_NetOperatingLossPercentage / us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAxis = ambc_TierAMember |  |
Tier B [Member] |  |  |
Net Income Loss Reconciliation [Line Items] |  |  |
NOL allocated amount | 1,057,000 us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards / us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAxis = ambc_TierBMember |  |
NOL applicable percentage | 40.00%ambc_NetOperatingLossPercentage / us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAxis = ambc_TierBMember |  |
Tier C [Member] |  |  |
Net Income Loss Reconciliation [Line Items] |  |  |
NOL allocated amount | 1,057,000 us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards / us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAxis = ambc_TierCMember |  |
NOL applicable percentage | 10.00%ambc_NetOperatingLossPercentage / us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAxis = ambc_TierCMember |  |
Tier D [Member] |  |  |
Net Income Loss Reconciliation [Line Items] |  |  |
NOL allocated amount | $ 1,057,000 us-gaap_OperatingLossCarryforwards / us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAxis = ambc_TierDMember |  |
NOL applicable percentage | 15.00%ambc_NetOperatingLossPercentage / us-gaap_TaxCreditCarryforwardAxis = ambc_TierDMember |  |

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