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Special Purpose Entities, Including Variable Interest Entities - Summary of Carrying Amount of Assets, Liabilities and Maximum Exposure to Loss of Ambac's Variable Interests in Non-Consolidated Variable Interest Entities (Detail) - Variable Interest Entity [Member] - Successor [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands | Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014
--- | --- | ---
Global Public Finance [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | $ 28,586,582 | $ 31,639,004
Insurance Assets | 377,412 | 457,774
Insurance Liabilities | 427,299 | 533,192
Derivative Liabilities | (24,860) | (22,135)
Collateralized Debt Obligations [Member] | Global Structured Finance [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 980,935 | 1,386,100
Insurance Assets | 264 | 345
Insurance Liabilities | 3,639 | 4,000
Derivative Liabilities | (129,525) | (145,565)
Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member] | Global Structured Finance [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 17,081,002 | 16,202,408
Insurance Assets | 1,279,650 | 1,011,888
Insurance Liabilities | 2,680,739 | 2,924,987
Other Consumer Asset-Backed [Member] | Global Structured Finance [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 3,853,443 | 5,109,776
Insurance Assets | 47,346 | 65,204
Insurance Liabilities | 535,090 | 885,572
Derivative Liabilities | 0 | (36,877)
Other Commercial Asset-Backed [Member] | Global Structured Finance [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 2,393,805 | 3,119,891
Insurance Assets | 104,033 | 135,215
Insurance Liabilities | 94,191 | 128,988
Derivative Liabilities | 0 | 0
Other [Member] | Global Structured Finance [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 3,286,568 | 3,801,382
Insurance Assets | 81,017 | 97,345
Insurance Liabilities | 461,364 | 599,915
Derivative Liabilities | $ 16,604 | $ 18,176

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- Definition The net carrying amount of derivative assets or liabilities in the reporting entity's statement of financial position that relate to the entity's variable interests in Variable Interest Entities (VIEs) where the VIEs are not consolidated. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ambc_VariableInterestEntityNonconsolidatedCarryingAmountDerivativeNetAssetsOrLiabilities
Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition The carrying amount of insurance assets in the reporting entity's statement of financial position that relate to the entity's variable interests in Variable Interest Entities (VIEs) where the VIEs are not consolidated. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ambc_VariableInterestEntityNonconsolidatedCarryingAmountInsuranceAssets
Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition The carrying amount of insurance liabilities in the reporting entity's statement of financial position that relate to the entity's variable interests in Variable Interest Entities (VIEs) where the VIEs are not consolidated. + References No definition available. + Details
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Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

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- Definition The reporting entity's maximum amount of exposure to loss as a result of its involvement with the Variable Interest Entity (VIE). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph b -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=52262685&loc=d3e5728-111685 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -Subparagraph (c) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=52262685&loc=d3e5747-111685 + Details
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Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

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- 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
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Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
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Period Type: | duration

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- Details
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- Details
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- Details
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- Details
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- Details
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- Details
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- Details
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- Details
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