XML 51 R31.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.4.1.9

Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Currency Translation, Weighted Average Risk Free Discount Rate	2.50%ambc_EstimatedFuturePremiumPaymentsWeightedAverageDiscountedRate		2.70%ambc_EstimatedFuturePremiumPaymentsWeightedAverageDiscountedRate
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Accelerated Premium Revenue, Amount	$ 22,852us-gaap_FinancialGuaranteeInsuranceContractsAcceleratedPremiumRevenueAmount	$ 25,114us-gaap_FinancialGuaranteeInsuranceContractsAcceleratedPremiumRevenueAmount
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Premium Received over Contract Period, Premium Receivable, Weighted Average Collection Period	9 years 7 months 6 days		10 years 1 month 6 days
Successor [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning balance	514,511us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = us-gaap_SuccessorMember
Ending balance	514,511us-gaap_Goodwill / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = us-gaap_SuccessorMember
Reorganization items	$ 0us-gaap_ReorganizationItems / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = us-gaap_SuccessorMember	$ 23us-gaap_ReorganizationItems / us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis = us-gaap_SuccessorMember

X

- Definition

Weighted average discounted rate of estimated future premium payments to be paid by the VIEs.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	ambc_EstimatedFuturePremiumPaymentsWeightedAverageDiscountedRate
Namespace Prefix:	ambc_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

X

- Definition

This element represents the amount of premium revenue on financial guarantee insurance contracts recognized during the period that was accelerated for revenue recognition purposes.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 605

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6933581&loc=SL5749298-161291

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Weighted average period over which premium receivable for financial guarantee insurance contracts is collected where premium is received over the contract period, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 944

-SubTopic 310

-Section 50

-Paragraph 3

-Subparagraph (a)(5)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6933075&loc=SL5748726-161290

+ Details

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Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Amount after accumulated impairment loss of an asset representing future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35741047&loc=d3e13816-109267



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 20

-Section 45

-Paragraph 1

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388280&loc=d3e13770-109266

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

X

- Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

X

- Definition

Total amount of reorganization items.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 852

-SubTopic 10

-Section 55

-Paragraph 3

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=34712771&loc=d3e56145-112766



Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 852

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 9

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6916575&loc=d3e55730-112764

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Period Type:	duration

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