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Commitments and Contingencies - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |
Number of RMBS Trustees Filing Suit | 3 ambc_NumberofRMBSTrusteesFilingSuit
Number of Cash Claim Payments by Ambac Assurance | 2 ambc_NumberofCashClaimPaymentsbyAmbacAssurance
Number of California Municipal Entities | 5 ambc_NumberofCaliforniaMunicipalEntities
Number of Olympic Club Actions | 3 ambc_NumberofOlympicClubActions
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due, Next Twelve Months | $ 5,679,000 us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueCurrent
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Two Years | 533,000 us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInTwoYears
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Three Years | 533,000 us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInThreeYears
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Four Years | 533,000 us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFourYears
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due in Five Years | 416,000 us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueInFiveYears
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments, Due Thereafter | 324,000 us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDueThereafter
Operating Leases, Future Minimum Payments Due | 8,018,000 us-gaap_OperatingLeasesFutureMinimumPaymentsDue
Gain (Loss) Related to Litigation Settlement | 7,768,000 us-gaap_GainLossRelatedToLitigationSettlement
Ambac [Member] |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |
Premium Income Due From Summary Judgment | 2,700 ambc_PremiumIncomeDueFromSummaryJudgment / dei_LegalEntityAxis = ambc_AmbacMember
Ambac Assurance [Member] |
Loss Contingencies [Line Items] |
Litigation Settlement, Expense | 207 us-gaap_LitigationSettlementExpense / dei_LegalEntityAxis = ambc_AmbacAssuranceMember
Loss Contingency, Damages Sought, Value | 800,000 us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtValue / dei_LegalEntityAxis = ambc_AmbacAssuranceMember
Litigation settlement amount | $ 7,760,000 us-gaap_LitigationSettlementAmount / dei_LegalEntityAxis = ambc_AmbacAssuranceMember

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- Definition Number of California Municipal Entities + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Number of Cash Claim Payments by Ambac Assurance + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Number of Olympic Club Actions + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Number of RMBS Trustees Filing Suit + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The amount of premium due from a court granted summary judgment. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Amount of gain (loss) recognized in settlement of litigation and insurance claims. Excludes claims within an insurance entity's normal claims settlement process. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14326-108349 + Details
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- Definition Amount of judgment or settlement awarded to (against) the entity in respect of litigation. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The value (monetary amount) of the award the plaintiff seeks in the legal matter. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14326-108349 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14435-108349 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14557-108349 + Details
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- Definition Amount of required minimum rental payments for leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable letter-terms in excess of one year. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6453985&loc=d3e41502-112717 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 40 -Subparagraph (Note 3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584154&loc=d3e38371-112697 + Details
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- Definition Amount of required minimum rental payments for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable lease term in excess of one year due in the next fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6453985&loc=d3e41502-112717 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 40 -Subparagraph (Note 3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584154&loc=d3e38371-112697 + Details
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- Definition Amount of required minimum rental payments for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable lease term in excess of one year due in the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6453985&loc=d3e41502-112717 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 40 -Subparagraph (Note 3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584154&loc=d3e38371-112697 + Details
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- Definition Amount of required minimum rental payments for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable lease term in excess of one year due in the fourth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6453985&loc=d3e41502-112717 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 40 -Subparagraph (Note 3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584154&loc=d3e38371-112697 + Details
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- Definition Amount of required minimum rental payments for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable lease term in excess of one year due in the third fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6453985&loc=d3e41502-112717 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 40 -Subparagraph (Note 3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584154&loc=d3e38371-112697 + Details
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- Definition Amount of required minimum rental payments for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable lease term in excess of one year due in the second fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6453985&loc=d3e41502-112717 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 40 -Subparagraph (Note 3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584154&loc=d3e38371-112697 + Details
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- Definition Amount of required minimum rental payments for operating leases having an initial or remaining non-cancelable lease term in excess of one year due after the fifth fiscal year following the latest fiscal year. Excludes interim and annual periods when interim periods are reported on a rolling approach, from latest balance sheet date. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6453985&loc=d3e41502-112717 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 840 -SubTopic 10 -Section 55 -Paragraph 40 -Subparagraph (Note 3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6584154&loc=d3e38371-112697 + Details
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