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Special Purpose Entities, Including Variable Interest Entities - Additional Information (Detail) | 4 Months Ended | 8 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended
--- | --- | --- | ---
Apr. 30, 2013 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($) Transactions Entity | Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) Transactions Entity
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
variable interest entities deconsolidation gain loss |  | $ (15,273,000) | $ 572,000 | $ 0
Secured Debt |  |  | 130,571,000 |
Consolidated VIE assets |  |  | 14,288,497,000 | 15,126,110,000
Consolidated VIE liabilities |  |  | $ 14,259,776,000 | 15,085,685,000
Number of RMBS Sold |  |  | 17 |
Cash Received From Delaware Trust |  |  | $ 146,000,000 |
Par Value of Securities Placed in Trust |  |  | 377,837,000 |
Fair Value of Securities Placed in Trust |  |  | 396,100,000 |
Securities Issued by Delaware Trust |  |  | 146,000,000 |
Equity Method Investments |  |  | 25,339,000 |
Successor [Member] |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Fair value of special purpose entities |  |  | $ 8,696,000 | $ 12,036,000
Asset-Backed Securities and Utility Obligations [Member] |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Weighted average life |  |  | 5 years 10 months 7 days |
Average rating of assets held by sponsored special purpose entities |  |  | BBB |
Sponsored Variable Interest Entities [Member] |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of individual transactions with special purpose entities | Transactions |  |  | 15 |
Number of transactions outstanding with special purpose entities | Transactions |  |  |  | 3
Total principal amount of debt outstanding |  |  | $ 454,290,000 | $ 457,960,000
Variable Interest Entity, Primary Beneficiary [Member] |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Secured Debt |  |  | $ 0 |
Variable Interest Entities [Member] | Successor [Member] |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Amortization Of Variable Interest Entity Intangible Assets |  | 5,015,000 |  |
Asset Impairment Charges |  | $ 76,140,000 |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Member] | Predecessor [Member] |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity, Initial Consolidation, Gain (Loss) | $ 385,291,000 |  |  |
Fair Value Intangible Assets Initially Recorded Upon Consolidation Of Variable Interest Entity | $ 164,520,000 |  |  |
Acquired Finite-lived Intangible Assets, Weighted Average Useful Life | 16 years |  |  |
Consolidated Entities [Member] |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of DeConsolidated Variable Interest Entities |  | 1 | 2 | 3
Number of consolidated Variable Interest Entities | Entity |  |  | 15 | 15
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Interest Rate on Securities Issued by Delaware Trust |  |  | 2.80% |

X
- Definition The expense charged against earnings to allocate the fair value of consolidated VIE intangible assets to the periods expected to benefit from such assets. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Cash Received From Delaware Trust + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The total principal amount of outstanding debt issued by Ambac's sponsored medium term note special purpose entities. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Amount of intangible assets at fair value recorded upon the initial consolidation of a variable interest entity when consolidation occurred during the period(s) reported. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition Interest Rate on Securities Issued by Delaware Trust + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition The number of asset transfer transactions executed with Ambac's sponsored medium term note special purpose entities that are still outstanding at the reporting date. + References No definition available. + Details
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- Definition This item represents the carrying amount on the entity's balance sheet of its investment in common stock of an equity method investee. This is not an indicator of the fair value of the investment, rather it is the initial cost adjusted for the entity's share of earnings and losses of the investee, adjusted for any distributions (dividends) and other than temporary impairment (OTTI) losses recognized. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 323 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35755396&loc=d3e33749-111570 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 210 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.12) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682 + Details
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- Definition The gain (loss) recognized on initial consolidation of a variable interest entity (VIE) when the VIE is not a business (as defined). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=52262685&loc=d3e5710-111685 + Details
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