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Background and Business Description Rehabilitation Exit Support Agreement (Details) - USD ($) | 12 Months Ended |  |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Dec. 31, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Jun. 30, 2018 | Feb. 12, 2018 | Dec. 31, 2017 | May 01, 2013 | Apr. 30, 2013
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding | 0 |  |  |  | 0 |  |
Entity Incorporation, Date of Incorporation | Apr. 29, 1991 |  |  |  |  |  |
satisfaction and discharge of segregated account deferred amounts |  |  |  | $ 3,856,992,000 |  |  |
Cancellation of Surplus Notes Principal |  |  |  | 552,320,000 |  |  |
Cancellation of Surplus Notes Accrued Interest |  |  |  | 257,200,000 |  |  |
Gain Contingency, Unrecorded Amount |  |  | $ 1,400,000,000 |  |  |  |
Amount of Senior Surplus Notes Outstanding on June 8, 2020 |  |  |  |  | 25.00% |  |
Common stock, shares authorized | 130,000,000 |  |  |  | 130,000,000 |  |
Common Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share | $ 0.01 |  |  |  | $ 0.01 |  | $ 0.01
Preferred stock, shares authorized | 20,000,000 |  |  |  | 20,000,000 |  |
Preferred Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share | $ 0.01 |  |  |  | $ 0.01 |  |
Class of Warrant or Right, Exercise Price of Warrants or Rights |  |  |  |  |  | $ 16.67 |
Common Stock Voting Restrictions |  | 10.00% |  |  |  |  |
Common Stock Voting Restriction Less One Vote |  | 10.00% |  |  |  |  |
Common Stock Transfer Restrictions |  | 5.00% |  |  |  |  |
Common Stock Additional Transfer Restrictions |  | 5.00% |  |  |  |  |
Minimum surplus amount | $ 100,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Stockholders' Equity Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest | 41,150,000 |  |  |  | $ 264,110,000 |  |
Market Value of Secured Note Collateral | $ 209,983,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Ambac Assurance Corporation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Preferred Stock, Shares Outstanding | 4,115 |  |  |  | 26,411 |  |
Preferred Stock, Liquidation Preference, Value | $ 102,875,000 |  |  |  | $ 660,275,000 |  |
Ambac Assurance [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Secured Notes Received from Ambac LSNI |  |  |  | 643,583,000 |  |  |
Ambac [Member] | Deferred Payment Obligation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
One Dollar Outstanding |  |  |  | 1.00 |  |  |
Discount Amount |  |  |  | 0.09 |  |  |
Payment Amount in New Secured Notes |  |  |  | 0.91 |  |  |
AFG [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Amount of Remaining Senior Suplus Notes |  |  |  |  | $ 60,000,000 |  |
Secured Notes Received from Ambac LSNI |  |  |  | 124,881,000 |  |  |
Ambac LSNI Secured Note [Domain] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
AMBAC LSNI Secured Note |  |  |  | 2,154,332,000 |  |  |
5.1% Surplus Notes, General Account, Due 2020 [Member] | Ambac Assurance Corporation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage |  |  | 5.10% |  |  |  |
Deferred Payment Obligation [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Discount Amount |  |  |  | 0.065 |  |  |
Surplus Notes [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash Payment Amount |  |  |  | 0.40 |  |  |
Payment Amount in New Secured Notes |  |  |  | 0.41 |  |  |
Payment Amount in Existing Surplus Notes |  |  |  | $ 0.125 |  |  |

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