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Segment Information - Summary of Financial Information by Reportable Segment (Detail) - Successor [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | ---
Sep. 30, 2015 | Sep. 30, 2014 | Sep. 30, 2015 | Sep. 30, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2014
Revenues: |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | $ 87,690 | $ 155,339 | $ 473,933 | $ 321,810 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | (388,193) | 84,773 | 114,482 | 33,659 |
Total assets | 24,266,919 | 26,590,785 | 24,266,919 | 26,590,785 | $ 25,159,864
Net investment income | 64,195 | 83,581 | 201,931 | 234,475 |
Amortization of insurance intangible assets | 39,680 | 41,908 | 115,200 | 109,878 |
Interest expense | 29,899 | 31,841 | 85,980 | 96,122 |
Goodwill, Impairment Loss | 514,511 | 0 | 514,511 | 0 | $ 0
Reorganization items | 0 | 2 | 0 | 211 |
Unaffiliated Customers [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | 86,565 | 154,968 | 470,725 | 321,439 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | (389,318) | 84,402 | 111,274 | 33,288 |
Equity Method Investee [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | 1,125 | 371 | 3,208 | 371 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | 1,125 | 371 | 3,208 | 371 |
Financial Guarantee [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | 152,048 |  | 521,626 | 438,528 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | (321,177) | 95,534 | 170,184 | 132,556 |
Financial Services [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | (67,201) |  | (54,131) | (117,195) |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | (67,230) | (16,585) | (56,000) | (120,437) |
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | 2,915 | 6,287 | 6,547 | 23,822 |
Inter-segment Eliminations [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | (72) | (5,856) | (109) | (23,345) |
Operating Segments [Member] | Financial Guarantee [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | 24 | 170,572 |  |  |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations |  | (6,441) |  |  |
Total assets | 23,610,582 | 25,926,306 | 23,610,582 | 25,926,306 |
Net investment income | 61,292 | 82,978 | 195,270 | 232,995 |
Amortization of insurance intangible assets | 39,680 | 41,908 | 115,200 | 109,878 |
Interest expense | 29,738 | 31,491 | 85,165 | 94,886 |
Goodwill, Impairment Loss | 514,511 |  | 514,511 |  |
Operating Segments [Member] | Financial Guarantee [Member] | Unaffiliated Customers [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | 152,024 | 170,335 | 521,340 | 437,591 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | (320,414) | 101,975 | 172,271 | 157,551 |
Operating Segments [Member] | Financial Guarantee [Member] | Equity Method Investee [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Operating Segments [Member] | Financial Guarantee [Member] | Inter-segment Eliminations [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items |  | 237 |  |  |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | (763) |  |  |  |
Operating Segments [Member] | Financial Services [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | (204) | (15,664) |  |  |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations |  | (281) |  |  |
Total assets | 363,118 | 349,411 | 363,118 | 349,411 |
Net investment income | 139 | 154 | 401 | 967 |
Amortization of insurance intangible assets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Interest expense | 161 | 350 | 815 | 1,236 |
Goodwill, Impairment Loss | 0 |  | 0 |  |
Operating Segments [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Unaffiliated Customers [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | (66,997) | (15,445) | (53,566) | (116,294) |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | (67,655) | (16,304) | (55,861) | (119,287) |
Operating Segments [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Equity Method Investee [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Operating Segments [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Inter-segment Eliminations [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items |  | (219) |  |  |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | 425 |  |  |  |
Inter-segment Eliminations [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | (72) | (5,856) | (109) | (23,345) |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | (964) | 0 | (801) | 0 |
Total assets | 3,981 | 16,195 | 3,981 | 16,195 |
Net investment income | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Amortization of insurance intangible assets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Interest expense | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Goodwill, Impairment Loss | 0 |  | 0 |  |
Inter-segment Eliminations [Member] | Unaffiliated Customers [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Inter-segment Eliminations [Member] | Equity Method Investee [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Inter-segment Eliminations [Member] | Financial Guarantee [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items |  |  | 286 | 937 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations |  |  | (2,087) | (24,995) |
Inter-segment Eliminations [Member] | Financial Services [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items |  |  | (565) | (901) |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations |  |  | (139) | (1,150) |
Inter-segment Eliminations [Member] | Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | 252 | 5,838 | 388 | 23,309 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | 1,302 | 6,722 | 3,027 | 26,145 |
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | 1,178 | 5,824 | 1,099 | 21,540 |
Total assets | 289,238 | 298,873 | 289,238 | 298,873 |
Net investment income | 2,764 | 449 | 6,260 | 513 |
Amortization of insurance intangible assets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Unaffiliated Customers [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | 1,538 | 78 | 2,951 | 142 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | (1,249) | (1,269) | (5,136) | (4,976) |
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Equity Method Investee [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | 1,125 |  | 3,208 | 371 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | 1,125 |  | 3,208 | 371 |
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] |  |  |  |  |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |  |  |
Interest expense | 0 | $ 0 | 0 | $ 0 |
Goodwill, Impairment Loss | $ 0 |  | $ 0 |  |

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