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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, 2017 | Dec. 31, 2016
--- | --- | ---
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | $ 44,199,767 | $ 48,271,212
Insurance Assets | 1,069,268 | 1,223,037
Insurance Liabilities | 4,260,578 | 4,261,578
Derivative Liabilities | 9,745 | (140,882)
Global Structured Finance [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 18,569,951 | 22,662,741
Insurance Assets | 733,921 | 884,450
Insurance Liabilities | 3,889,522 | 3,902,436
Derivative Liabilities | 10,296 | (132,055)
Global Public Finance [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 25,629,816 | 25,608,471
Insurance Assets | 335,347 | 338,587
Insurance Liabilities | 371,056 | 359,142
Derivative Liabilities | (551) | (8,827)
Collateralized Debt Obligations [Member] | Global Structured Finance [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 35,555 | 761,451
Insurance Assets | 169 | 218
Insurance Liabilities | 1 | 3,319
Derivative Liabilities | (15) | (145,402)
Residential Mortgage-Backed Securities [Member] | Global Structured Finance [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 12,766,685 | 14,859,909
Insurance Assets | 619,848 | 725,106
Insurance Liabilities | 3,218,356 | 3,118,892
Other Consumer Asset-Backed [Member] | Global Structured Finance [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 2,266,610 | 2,391,604
Insurance Assets | 23,405 | 26,758
Insurance Liabilities | 328,732 | 302,335
Derivative Liabilities | 0 | 0
Other Commercial Asset-Backed [Member] | Global Structured Finance [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 987,797 | 1,686,256
Insurance Assets | 30,413 | 66,277
Insurance Liabilities | 35,976 | 64,961
Derivative Liabilities | 0 | 0
Other [Member] | Global Structured Finance [Member] |  |
Variable Interest Entities [Line Items] |  |
Maximum Exposure To Loss | 2,513,304 | 2,963,521
Insurance Assets | 60,086 | 66,091
Insurance Liabilities | 306,457 | 412,929
Derivative Liabilities | $ 10,311 | $ 13,347

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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
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Namespace Prefix: | ambc_
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Balance Type: | debit
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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
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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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- 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=77990344&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=77990344&loc=d3e5747-111685 + Details
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