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Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts - Summary of Gross Premium Receivable Roll-Forward (Direct and Assumed Contracts) (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 4 Months Ended | 8 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | ---
Apr. 30, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014
Successor [Member] |  |  |  |
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Premium Receivable [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Beginning premium receivable |  | $ 1,531,631 | $ 1,000,607 | $ 1,453,021
Premium receipts |  | (82,071) | (108,029) | (126,497)
Adjustments for changes in expected and contractual cash flows |  | (91,241) | (64,740) | (322,443)
Accretion of premium receivable discount |  | 26,184 | 24,628 | 36,651
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts Premium Receivable Deconsolidation Of Certain Variable Interest Entity |  | 45,883 |  |
Uncollectable premiums |  | (15,262) | 2,540 | (2,518)
Other adjustments (including foreign exchange) |  | 37,897 | (23,431) | (37,607)
Ending premium receivable | $ 1,531,631 | 1,453,021 | $ 831,575 | $ 1,000,607
Predecessor [Member] |  |  |  |
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Premium Receivable [Roll Forward] |  |  |  |
Beginning premium receivable | 1,620,621 | $ 1,531,631 |  |
Premium receipts | (48,296) |  |  |
Adjustments for changes in expected and contractual cash flows | (28,237) |  |  |
Accretion of premium receivable discount | 14,740 |  |  |
Uncollectable premiums | (634) |  |  |
Other adjustments (including foreign exchange) | (26,563) |  |  |
Ending premium receivable | $ 1,531,631 |  |  |

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- Definition Financial guarantee insurance contracts premium receivable deconsolidation of certain variable interest entity. + 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 Amount of increase (decrease) in the allowance for doubtful accounts. + References No definition available. + Details
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Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
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- Definition Amount of the premium receivable for financial guarantee insurance contracts reported in the statement of financial position. This element primarily would consist of those financial guarantee insurance contracts which premiums are to be collected over the contract period, but may, on occasion, include premiums which are to be collected in full at inception, but which straddle a financial reporting period. + 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 (c)(1),(5) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6933075&loc=SL5748726-161290 + Details
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Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition Amount of premium payments received during the period for premiums receivable on financial guarantee insurance contracts. + 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 (c)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6933075&loc=SL5748726-161290 + Details
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Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
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- Definition A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition This element represents the accretion of the discount for premiums receivable on financial guarantee insurance contracts. + 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 (c)(4)(iii) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6933075&loc=SL5748726-161290 + Details
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Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

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- Definition This element represents adjustments to the premium receivable related to financial guarantee insurance contracts due to changes in the period of the contract. + 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 (c)(4)(i) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6933075&loc=SL5748726-161290 + Details
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- Definition This element represents other adjustments to premiums receivable on financial guarantee insurance contracts. + 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 (c)(4)(iv) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6933075&loc=SL5748726-161290 + Details
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- Details
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- Details
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