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Segment Information - Summary of Financial Information by Reportable Segment (Detail) - Successor [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 3 Months Ended |
--- | --- | ---
Mar. 31, 2016 | Mar. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2015
Revenues: |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | $ 16,902 | $ 155,491 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | 12,854 | 216,580 |
Total assets | 23,718,591 | 25,386,610 | $ 23,728,070
Net investment income | 60,821 | 72,983 |
Amortization of insurance intangible assets | 50,890 | 37,432 |
Interest expense | 30,430 | 27,908 |
Unaffiliated Customers [Member] |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | 15,770 | 154,463 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | 11,722 | 215,552 |
Equity Method Investee [Member] |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | 1,132 | 1,028 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | 1,132 | 1,028 |
Financial Guarantee [Member] |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | 96,602 |  |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | 96,794 | 255,466 |
Financial Services [Member] |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | (83,552) |  |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | (84,301) | (38,892) |
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | 3,890 | 1,358 |
Inter-segment Eliminations [Member] |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | (38) | 0 |
Operating Segments [Member] | Financial Guarantee [Member] |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items |  | 192,071 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations |  | (539) |
Total assets | 23,045,239 | 24,676,608 |
Net investment income | 57,713 | 71,470 |
Amortization of insurance intangible assets | 50,890 | 37,432 |
Interest expense | 30,284 | 27,585 |
Operating Segments [Member] | Financial Guarantee [Member] | Unaffiliated Customers [Member] |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | 97,374 | 191,814 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | 98,417 | 256,005 |
Operating Segments [Member] | Financial Guarantee [Member] | Equity Method Investee [Member] |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | 0 | 0 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | 0 | 0 |
Operating Segments [Member] | Financial Guarantee [Member] | Inter-segment Eliminations [Member] |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | (772) | 257 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | (1,623) |  |
Operating Segments [Member] | Financial Services [Member] |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items |  | (37,938) |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations |  | (312) |
Total assets | 390,661 | 408,090 |
Net investment income | 203 | 128 |
Amortization of insurance intangible assets | 0 | 0 |
Interest expense | 146 | 323 |
Operating Segments [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Unaffiliated Customers [Member] |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | (83,214) | (37,708) |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | (83,847) | (38,580) |
Operating Segments [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Equity Method Investee [Member] |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | 0 | 0 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | 0 | 0 |
Operating Segments [Member] | Financial Services [Member] | Inter-segment Eliminations [Member] |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | (338) | (230) |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | (454) |  |
Inter-segment Eliminations [Member] |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | (38) | 0 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | 0 | 0 |
Total assets | 5,806 | 18,474 |
Net investment income | 0 | 0 |
Amortization of insurance intangible assets | 0 | 0 |
Interest expense | 0 | 0 |
Inter-segment Eliminations [Member] | Unaffiliated Customers [Member] |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | 0 | 0 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | 0 | 0 |
Inter-segment Eliminations [Member] | Equity Method Investee [Member] |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | 0 | 0 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | 0 | 0 |
Inter-segment Eliminations [Member] | Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | 1,148 | (27) |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | 2,077 | 851 |
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] |  |  |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | 361 | 6 |
Total assets | 276,885 | 283,438 |
Net investment income | 2,905 | 1,385 |
Amortization of insurance intangible assets | 0 | 0 |
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Unaffiliated Customers [Member] |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | 1,610 | 357 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | (2,848) | (1,873) |
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Equity Method Investee [Member] |  |  |
Revenues: |  |  |
Total revenues before expenses and reorganization items | 1,132 | 1,028 |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |
Pre-tax (loss) income from continuing operations | 1,132 | 1,028 |
Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] | Corporate, Non-Segment [Member] |  |  |
Pre-tax income (loss) from continuing operations: |  |  |
Interest expense | $ 0 | $ 0 |

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