XML 79 R68.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.7.0.1

Investments - Summary of Net Investment Income (Detail) - Successor [Member] - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 3 Months Ended
--- | ---
Mar. 31, 2017 | Mar. 31, 2016
Investment [Line Items] |  |
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Trading Securities | $ 7,211 | $ 1,707
Trading Securities, Realized Gain (Loss) | 1,283 | 406
Fixed income securities | 74,069 | 59,426
Short-term investments | 989 | 553
Loans | 89 | 106
Investment expense | (1,997) | (2,103)
Securities available-for-sale and short-term | 73,150 | 57,982
Other investments | 8,409 | 2,839
Total net investment income | 81,559 | 60,821
Gains (losses) on securities held as of reporting date [Member] |  |
Investment [Line Items] |  |
Other investments | $ 5,928 | $ 1,301

X
- Definition Investment Income Insurance Entity Short Term Investments + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ambc_InvestmentIncomeInsuranceEntityShortTermInvestments
Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Investment Income Interest On Debt Securities + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ambc_InvestmentIncomeInterestOnDebtSecurities
Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Investment Income Interest On Loans Receivable + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ambc_InvestmentIncomeInterestOnLoansReceivable
Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Other Investments Income + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | ambc_OtherInvestmentsIncome
Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Line items represent reporting 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 Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Article 12 -Section 12 -Sentence Column A + Details
Name: | invest_InvestmentLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | invest_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of operating dividend and interest income, including amortization and accretion of premiums and discounts, on available-for-sale securities. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 942 -SubTopic 225 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.9-04.2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879574&loc=d3e536633-122882 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Available-for-Sale Securities -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6505594 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 35 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27723805&loc=d3e24721-111560 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_InterestAndDividendIncomeSecuritiesAvailableForSale
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of expenses related to the generation of investment income. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.9) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 225 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879464&loc=d3e573970-122913 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_InvestmentIncomeInvestmentExpense
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount, after investment expense, of income earned from investments in securities and real estate. Includes, but is not limited to, real estate investment, policy loans, dividends, and interest. Excludes realized gain (loss) on investments. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 944 -SubTopic 225 -Section S99 -Paragraph 1 -Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879464&loc=d3e573970-122913 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher SEC -Name Regulation S-X (SX) -Number 210 -Section 16 -Article 12 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_NetInvestmentIncome
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The sum of the realized and unrealized net gain (loss) on trading securities during the period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 320 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 14 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=d3e27476-111563 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Trading Securities -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6526789 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_NetRealizedOrUnrealizedGainLossOnTradingSecurities
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of gain (loss) realized from securities classified as trading. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.7(c)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872669&loc=d3e20235-122688 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Trading Securities -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6526789 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_TradingSecuritiesRealizedGainLoss
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis=us-gaap_SuccessorMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis=ambc_GainslossesonsecuritiesheldasofreportingdateMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |