XML 104 R74.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.3.0.814

Derivative Instruments - Summary of Location and Amount of Gains and Losses of Derivative Contracts (Detail) - Successor [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Derivative instruments, gain (loss) recognized in income, net, Total	$ (31,689)	$ (36,101)	$ 114,484	$ (286,918)
Net Change in Fair Value of Credit Derivatives [Member] | Credit Derivatives [Member] | Financial Guarantee [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Derivative instruments, gain (loss) recognized in income, net, Total	36,952	7,416	44,746	13,579
Derivative Products [Member] | Financial Services Derivatives Products [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Derivative instruments, gain (loss) recognized in income, net, Total	(65,083)	(15,685)	(51,858)	(117,511)
Derivative Products [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member] | Financial Services Derivatives Products [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Derivative instruments, gain (loss) recognized in income, net, Total	(63,044)	(15,638)	(48,839)	(112,995)
Derivative Products [Member] | Futures Contracts [Member] | Financial Services Derivatives Products [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Derivative instruments, gain (loss) recognized in income, net, Total	(2,039)	(47)	(3,019)	(4,516)
Income Loss On Variable Interest Entities [Member] | Variable Interest Entity [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Derivative instruments, gain (loss) recognized in income, net, Total	(3,558)	(27,832)	121,596	(182,986)
Income Loss On Variable Interest Entities [Member] | Interest Rate Swaps [Member] | Variable Interest Entity [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Derivative instruments, gain (loss) recognized in income, net, Total	(15,793)	(44,846)	68,044	(204,411)
Income Loss On Variable Interest Entities [Member] | Currency Swaps [Member] | Variable Interest Entity [Member]
Schedule of Trading Securities and Other Trading Assets [Line Items]
Derivative instruments, gain (loss) recognized in income, net, Total	$ 12,235	$ 17,014	$ 53,552	$ 21,425

X

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in the fair value of derivatives recognized in the income statement.

+ References

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



-Publisher FASB



-Name Accounting Standards Codification



-Topic 815



-SubTopic 10



-Section 50



-Paragraph 4A



-Subparagraph (b)



-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56946850&loc=SL5618551-113959



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



-Publisher FASB



-Name Accounting Standards Codification



-Topic 815



-SubTopic 10



-Section 50



-Paragraph 4C



-Subparagraph (a),(c),(d),(e)



-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56946850&loc=SL5624171-113959

+ Details

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

X

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis=us-gaap_SuccessorMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=ambc_NetChangeInFairValueOfCreditDerivativesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=ambc_CreditDerivativesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis=us-gaap_FinancialGuaranteeMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=ambc_DerivativeProductsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeByNatureAxis=ambc_FinancialServicesDerivativesProductsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_InterestRateSwapMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_FutureMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=ambc_IncomeLossOnVariableInterestEntitiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableInterestEntitiesByClassificationOfEntityAxis=us-gaap_VariableInterestEntityPrimaryBeneficiaryMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

X

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis=us-gaap_CurrencySwapMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: