XML 135 R118.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.3.1.900

Income Taxes - Significant Portions of Deferred Tax Liabilities and Deferred Tax Assets (Detail) - USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Apr. 30, 2013
--- | --- | --- | ---
Deferred tax assets: |  |  |
AMT Credits |  |  | $ 60,000,000
Successor [Member] |  |  |
Deferred tax liabilities: |  |  |
Insurance intangible | $ 424,239,000 | $ 493,822,000 |
Variable interest entities | 10,053,000 | 14,149,000 |
Investments | 66,278,000 | 136,017,000 |
Unearned premiums and credit fees | 98,945,000 | 104,589,000 |
Other | 34,025,000 | 33,835,000 |
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Gross, Noncurrent | 633,540,000 | 782,412,000 |
Total deferred tax liabilities | (2,205,000) | (2,079,000) |
Deferred tax assets: |  |  |
Net operating loss and capital carryforward | 1,504,569,000 | 1,890,551,000 |
Loss reserves | 122,635,000 | 185,881,000 |
Compensation | 2,839,000 | 2,004,000 |
AMT Credits | 27,252,000 | 10,359,000 |
Other | 9,913,000 | 9,539,000 |
Sub total deferred tax assets | 1,667,208,000 | 2,098,334,000 |
Valuation allowance | 1,035,873,000 | 1,318,001,000 |
Total deferred tax assets | $ 631,335,000 | $ 780,333,000 |

X
- Definition Current Liabilities Variable Interest Entity + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ambc_CurrentLiabilitiesVariableInterestEntity
Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Deferred Tax Liabilities Unearned Premium Revenue + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ambc_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesUnearnedPremiumRevenue
Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Maximum Alternative Minimum Tax Tolling Payment Credit + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ambc_MaximumAlternativeMinimumTaxTollingPaymentCredit
Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences and carryforwards. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32537-109319 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Deferred Tax Asset -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6510090 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsGross
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount after allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences and carryforwards. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (b),(c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32537-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNet
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsNetAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible operating loss carryforwards. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 25 -Paragraph 20 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51675352&loc=d3e28680-109314 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32621-109319 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32632-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences not separately disclosed. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32621-109319 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32632-109319 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 25 -Paragraph 20 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51675352&loc=d3e28680-109314 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOther
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences from employee compensation. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32621-109319 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32632-109319 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 25 -Paragraph 20 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51675352&loc=d3e28680-109314 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseCompensationAndBenefitsEmployeeCompensation
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount before allocation of valuation allowances of deferred tax asset attributable to deductible temporary differences from loss reserves other than estimated credit losses. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32621-109319 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32632-109319 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 25 -Paragraph 20 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51675352&loc=d3e28680-109314 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsTaxDeferredExpenseReservesAndAccrualsLossReserves
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of deferred tax assets for which it is more likely than not that a tax benefit will not be realized. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32537-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount, after deferred tax asset, of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable differences, before jurisdictional netting. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 6 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=37586315&loc=d3e31931-109318 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32537-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilities
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences from intangible assets other than goodwill. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32632-109319 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 25 -Paragraph 20 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51675352&loc=d3e28680-109314 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32621-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesGoodwillAndIntangibleAssetsIntangibleAssets
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Gross amount of noncurrent deferred tax liabilities, which result from applying the applicable tax rate to taxable temporary differences pertaining to each jurisdiction to which the entity is obligated to pay income tax. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=37586315&loc=d3e31917-109318 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32537-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesGrossNoncurrent
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences from investments (excludes investments in subsidiaries and equity method investments). + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesInvestments
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesNetAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of deferred tax liability attributable to taxable temporary differences not separately disclosed. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32632-109319 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 25 -Paragraph 20 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51675352&loc=d3e28680-109314 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=d3e32621-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_DeferredTaxLiabilitiesOther
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

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