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Special Purpose Entities, Including Variable Interest Entities - Additional Information (Detail) $ in Thousands | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | ---
Jul. 31, 2015 USD ($) | Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($) Entity | Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) Entity
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Equity Method Investments |  | $ 31,201 |  | $ 30,003
Number of RMBS Sold | 17 |  |  |
Cash Received From Delaware Trust | $ 146,000 |  |  |
Secured Debt |  | 92,311 |  | 102,403
Fair Value of Securities Placed in Trust |  | 355,223 |  | 360,759
Securities Issued by Delaware Trust | $ 146,000 |  |  |
Consolidated VIE assets |  | 13,762,688 |  | 13,367,834
Consolidated VIE liabilities |  | 13,631,197 |  | 13,235,425
Successor [Member] |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entity Change in Fair Value of Assets and Liabilities |  | 3,701 | $ (27,163) |
Fair value of special purpose entities |  | 7,039 |  | 7,382
variable interest entities deconsolidation gain loss |  | 0 | 0 |
Variable Interest Entity, Measure of Activity, Income or Loss before Tax |  | $ 3,701 | $ (27,163) |
Asset-Backed Securities and Utility Obligations [Member] |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Weighted average life |  | 4 years 10 months 15 days |  |
Average rating of assets held by sponsored special purpose entities |  | BBB+ |  |
Sponsored Variable Interest Entities [Member] |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Total principal amount of debt outstanding |  | $ 395,490 |  | $ 388,950
Consolidated Entities [Member] |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of Newly Consolidated Variable Interest Entities |  | 0 | 0 |
Number of DeConsolidated Variable Interest Entities |  | 0 | 0 |
Number of consolidated Variable Interest Entities | Entity |  | 12 |  | 12
Ambac UK [Member] |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of consolidated Variable Interest Entities | Entity |  | 8 |  | 8
Consolidated VIE assets |  | $ 13,362,738 |  | $ 12,950,009
Consolidated VIE liabilities |  | $ 13,244,407 |  | $ 12,833,466
Ambac Assurance [Member] |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Number of consolidated Variable Interest Entities | Entity |  | 4 |  | 4
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) [Member] |  |  |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |  |  |
Interest Rate on Securities Issued by Delaware Trust | 2.80% |  |  |

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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 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 Carrying value as of the balance sheet date, including the current and noncurrent portions, of collateralized debt obligations (with maturities initially due after one year or beyond the operating cycle, if longer). Such obligations include mortgage loans, chattel loans, and any other borrowings secured by assets of the borrower. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.16) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 210 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.16) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 02 -Paragraph 19, 20, 22 -Article 5 + Details
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