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Schedule II - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $) | 12 Months Ended | 1 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Apr. 30, 2013 | May 01, 2013
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Date of incorporation | Apr. 29, 1991 |  |  |
Capital stock, shares authorized |  |  | 150,000,000 ambc_CapitalStockAuthorized |
Common stock, shares authorized | 130,000,000 us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized | 130,000,000 us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized | 130,000,000 us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized |
Common stock, par value | $ 0.01 us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare | $ 0.01 us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare | $ 0.01 us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare |
Preferred stock, shares authorized | 20,000,000 us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesAuthorized | 20,000,000 us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesAuthorized | 20,000,000 us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesAuthorized |
Preferred stock, par value | $ 0.01 us-gaap_PreferredStockParOrStatedValuePerShare | $ 0.01 us-gaap_PreferredStockParOrStatedValuePerShare | $ 0.01 us-gaap_PreferredStockParOrStatedValuePerShare |
Common stock, shares issued | 45,005,932 us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued | 45,003,461 us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued | 45,000,000 us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued |
Class of Warrant or Right, Number of Securities Called by Warrants or Rights |  |  | 5,047,138 us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightNumberOfSecuritiesCalledByWarrantsOrRights |
Warrants issued exercise price |  |  | $ 16.67 us-gaap_ClassOfWarrantOrRightExercisePriceOfWarrantsOrRights1 |
Warrant Exercised From Inception Shares | 7,261 ambc_WarrantExercisedFromInceptionShares |  |  |
Warrant exercised | 949 ambc_WarrantExercisedDuringPeriodShares | 6,312 ambc_WarrantExercisedDuringPeriodShares |  |
Amount transferred to escrow account |  |  | $ 30,000,000 ambc_MediationAgreementCashGrant |
Junior surplus note of Ambac Assurance Segregated Account |  |  |  | 350,000,000 ambc_Ambc_JuniorSurplusNotesIssued
Junior Surplus Note Fair Value on Issuance | 167,020,000 ambc_JuniorSurplusNoteFairValueonIssuance |  |  |
Percentage of voting rights, common stock | 10.00%ambc_CommonStockVotingRestrictions | 10.00%ambc_CommonStockVotingRestrictions |  |
Common Stock Voting Restriction Less One Vote | 10.00%ambc_CommonStockVotingRestrictionLessOneVote |  |  |
Holder's ownership | 5.00%ambc_CommonStockTransferRestrictions |  |  |
Change in holder's ownership | 5.00%ambc_CommonStockAdditionalTransferRestrictions |  |  |
Voting shares of the emerging entity |  |  | 50.00%us-gaap_BusinessAcquisitionPercentageOfVotingInterestsAcquired |
Stock Issued From Inception From Exercise Of Warrants | 3,473 ambc_StockIssuedFromInceptionFromExerciseOfWarrants |  |  |
Par Value of Owner Trust Certificate | 74,794,000 ambc_ParValueofOwnerTrustCertificate |  |  |
Par Value of Private Placement | 299,175,000 ambc_ParValueofPrivatePlacement |  |  |
Private Placement Par Value Proceeds | 80.00%ambc_PrivatePlacementParValueProceeds |  |  |
Private Placement Maturity Date | Aug. 28, 2039 |  |  |
Interest Rate on Private Placement Obligations | 5.10%ambc_InterestRateonPrivatePlacementObligations |  |  |
Ambac Financial Group, Inc Parent Company Only [Member] |  |  |  |
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Common stock, shares authorized | 130,000,000 us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember | 130,000,000 us-gaap_CommonStockSharesAuthorized / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember |  |
Common stock, par value | $ 0.01 us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember | $ 0.01 us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember |  |
Preferred stock, shares authorized | 20,000,000 us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesAuthorized / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember | 20,000,000 us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesAuthorized / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember |  |
Preferred stock, par value | $ 0.01 us-gaap_PreferredStockParOrStatedValuePerShare / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember | $ 0.01 us-gaap_PreferredStockParOrStatedValuePerShare / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember |  |
Common stock, shares issued | 45,005,932 us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember | 45,003,461 us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued / dei_LegalEntityAxis = us-gaap_ParentCompanyMember |  |
Ambac Assurance [Member] |  |  |  |
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Reimbursement of operating expenses |  |  | 5,000,000 ambc_MaximumReimbursementOfOperatingExpenses / dei_LegalEntityAxis = ambc_AmbacAssuranceMember |
Ambac Assurance [Member] | 2017 [Member] |  |  |  |
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Maximum Reimbursement Of Operating Expenses after 2017 |  |  | $ 4,000,000 ambc_MaximumReimbursementOfOperatingExpensesafter2017 / dei_LegalEntityAxis = ambc_AmbacAssuranceMember / us-gaap_RestructuringCostAndReserveAxis = ambc_TwoThousandAndSeventeenMember |

X
- Definition Junior Surplus Notes issued by the Segregated Account of Ambac Assurance to Ambac upon Ambac's emergence from bankruptcy. These Junior Surplus notes will be includable in surplus for statutory accounting purposes as prescribed or permitted by state laws and regulations. + References No definition available. + Details
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Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition The maximum number of capital stock permitted to be issued by Ambac's Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation. + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
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Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Transfer restrictions on any person or group of persons already owning this percentage of common stock. + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
Data Type: | num:percentItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Transfer restrictions on any person or group of persons accumulating this percentage of common stock. + References No definition available. + Details
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Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Ability to vote has been restricted for any person owning at least this percentage of common stock to be this percentage minus one vote. + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
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Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Voting restrictions on any person owning at least this percentage of common stock. + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
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Balance Type: | na
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X
- Definition Reflects the effective annual interest rate on the privately placed Notes issued by the Trust to third party investors. Payments on these Notes will only be made to the extent that the Segregated Account of Ambac Assurance makes payment on the Junior Surplus Notes that serve as collateral for these Notes + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Junior Surplus Note Fair Value on Issuance + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition In accordance with the provisions of the Cost Allocation Agreement, this element represents allowable reimbursements for reasonable operating expenses through March 2017. + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition In accordance with the provisions of the Cost Allocation Agreement, this element represents allowable reimbursements for reasonable operating expenses after 2017. + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Cash grant released from escrow as part of Mediation Agreement. Balance distributed from Ambac Assurance to Ambac upon emergence from bankruptcy. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ambc_MediationAgreementCashGrant
Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Face (par) amount of Owner Trust Certificate at time of issuance. This Owner Trust Certificate was issued by the Trust to Ambac Financial Group, Inc. Trust assets consist of Junior Surplus Notes issued by the Segregated Account of Ambac Assurance. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ambc_ParValueofOwnerTrustCertificate
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Balance Type: | debit
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X
- Definition Face (par) amount of Private Placement instrument at time of issuance. This private placement was issued by the Trust to third party investors. Trust assets consist of Junior Surplus Notes issued by the Segregated Account of Ambac Assurance. + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
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Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition The stated maturity date of the private placement notes issued by the Trust. + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
Data Type: | xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The percentage of the proceeds of the private placement of the par plus accrued and unpaid interest on the junior surplus notes. + References No definition available. + Details
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Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Stock Issued From Inception From Exercise Of Warrants + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
Data Type: | xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition Warrant Exercised During Period Shares + References No definition available. + Details
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Balance Type: | na
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- Definition Warrant Exercised From Inception Shares + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Date when an entity was incorporated + References No definition available. + Details
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Balance Type: | na
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- Definition Percentage of voting equity interests acquired at the acquisition date in the business combination. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25497992&loc=d3e1392-128463 + Details
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Balance Type: | na
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X
- Definition Exercise price per share or per unit of warrants or rights outstanding. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(i)(4)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690 + Details
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X
- Definition Number of securities into which the class of warrant or right may be converted. For example, but not limited to, 500,000 warrants may be converted into 1,000,000 shares. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(i)(2)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26873400&loc=d3e23780-122690 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 08 -Paragraph i -Subparagraph 2 -Article 4 + Details
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- Definition Face amount or stated value per share of common stock. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.29) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 30 -Article 5 + Details
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- Definition The maximum number of common shares permitted to be issued by an entity's charter and bylaws. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.29) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 30 -Article 5 + Details
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- Definition Total number of common shares of an entity that have been sold or granted to shareholders (includes common shares that were issued, repurchased and remain in the treasury). These shares represent capital invested by the firm's shareholders and owners, and may be all or only a portion of the number of shares authorized. Shares issued include shares outstanding and shares held in the treasury. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.29) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 30 -Article 5 + Details
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- Details
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- Definition Face amount or stated value per share of preferred stock nonredeemable or redeemable solely at the option of the issuer. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.28) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 29 -Article 5 + Details
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- Definition The maximum number of nonredeemable preferred shares (or preferred stock redeemable solely at the option of the issuer) permitted to be issued by an entity's charter and bylaws. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.28) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 29 -Article 5 + Details
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- Details
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- Details
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