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Investments (Tables) | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2019
Investments, Debt and Equity Securities [Abstract] |
Summary of Amortized Cost and Estimated Fair Value of Available-for-Sale Investments, Excluding VIE Investments | The amortized cost and estimated fair value of available-for-sale investments, excluding VIE investments, at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 were as follows:
|  | Amortized Cost |  | Gross Unrealized Gains |  | Gross Unrealized Losses |  | Estimated Fair Value |  | Non-credit Other-than temporary Impairments (1)
March 31, 2019: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Fixed income securities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Municipal obligations |  | $ | 406,315 |  |  | $ | 20,356 |  |  | $ | 1,787 |  |  | $ | 424,884 |  |  | $ | — |
Corporate obligations (2) |  | 1,223,640 |  |  | 14,312 |  |  | 4,408 |  |  | 1,233,544 |  |  | — |
Foreign obligations |  | 30,719 |  |  | 599 |  |  | 26 |  |  | 31,292 |  |  | — |
U.S. government obligations |  | 99,808 |  |  | 1,185 |  |  | 564 |  |  | 100,429 |  |  |  |
Residential mortgage-backed securities |  | 216,904 |  |  | 39,504 |  |  | 123 |  |  | 256,285 |  |  | 123 |
Collateralized debt obligations |  | 133,736 |  |  | 28 |  |  | 787 |  |  | 132,977 |  |  | — |
Other asset-backed securities |  | 369,410 |  |  | 71,623 |  |  | 633 |  |  | 440,400 |  |  | — |
|  | 2,480,532 |  |  | 147,607 |  |  | 8,328 |  |  | 2,619,811 |  |  | 123 |
Short-term |  | 908,209 |  |  | 43 |  |  | 17 |  |  | 908,235 |  |  | — |
|  | 3,388,741 |  |  | 147,650 |  |  | 8,345 |  |  | 3,528,046 |  |  | 123 |
Fixed income securities pledged as collateral: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
U.S. government obligations |  | 83,901 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 83,901 |  |  | — |
Total fixed income securities pledged as collateral |  | 83,901 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 83,901 |  |  | — |
Total available-for-sale investments |  | $ | 3,472,642 |  |  | $ | 147,650 |  |  | $ | 8,345 |  |  | $ | 3,611,947 |  |  | $ | 123 |
December 31, 2018: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Fixed income securities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Municipal obligations |  | $ | 882,631 |  |  | $ | 14,364 |  |  | $ | 17,076 |  |  | $ | 879,919 |  |  | $ | 5 |
Corporate obligations (2) |  | 1,288,882 |  |  | 6,444 |  |  | 17,204 |  |  | 1,278,122 |  |  | — |
Foreign obligations |  | 30,496 |  |  | 399 |  |  | 61 |  |  | 30,834 |  |  | — |
U.S. government obligations |  | 93,636 |  |  | 1,371 |  |  | 613 |  |  | 94,394 |  |  | — |
Residential mortgage-backed securities |  | 221,825 |  |  | 37,575 |  |  | 793 |  |  | 258,607 |  |  | 27 |
Collateralized debt obligations |  | 133,075 |  |  | 8 |  |  | 1,727 |  |  | 131,356 |  |  | — |
Other asset-backed securities |  | 370,199 |  |  | 72,868 |  |  | 624 |  |  | 442,443 |  |  | — |
|  | 3,020,744 |  |  | 133,029 |  |  | 38,098 |  |  | 3,115,675 |  |  | 32 |
Short-term |  | 430,405 |  |  | 23 |  |  | 97 |  |  | 430,331 |  |  | — |
Total available-for-sale investments |  | $ | 3,451,149 |  |  | $ | 133,052 |  |  | $ | 38,195 |  |  | $ | 3,546,006 |  |  | $ | 32 |
(1) | Represents the amount of non-credit other-than-temporary impairment losses remaining in accumulated other comprehensive income on securities that also had a credit impairment. These losses are included in gross unrealized losses as of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018.
(2) Includes Ambac's holdings of the secured notes issued by Ambac LSNI in connection with the Rehabilitation Exit Transactions.
Summary of Amortized Cost and Estimated Fair Value of Available-for-Sale Investments, Excluding VIE Investments Held by Successor Ambac, by Contractual Maturity | The amortized cost and estimated fair value of available-for-sale investments, excluding VIE investments, at March 31, 2019, by contractual maturity, were as follows:
|  | Amortized Cost |  | Estimated Fair Value
Due in one year or less |  | $ | 1,076,361 |  |  | $ | 1,076,545 |
Due after one year through five years |  | 999,235 |  |  | 1,006,812 |
Due after five years through ten years |  | 316,441 |  |  | 323,494 |
Due after ten years |  | 360,555 |  |  | 375,434 |
|  | 2,752,592 |  |  | 2,782,285 |
Residential mortgage-backed securities |  | 216,904 |  |  | 256,285 |
Collateralized debt obligations |  | 133,736 |  |  | 132,977 |
Other asset-backed securities |  | 369,410 |  |  | 440,400 |
Total |  | $ | 3,472,642 |  |  | $ | 3,611,947 |
Summary of Gross Unrealized Losses and Fair Values of Ambac's Available-for-Sale Investments | The following table shows gross unrealized losses and fair values of Ambac’s available-for-sale investments, excluding VIE investments, aggregated by investment category and length of time that the individual securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss position, at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018:
|  | Less Than 12 Months |  | 12 Months or More |  | Total
|  | Fair Value |  | Gross Unrealized Loss |  | Fair Value |  | Gross Unrealized Loss |  | Fair Value |  | Gross Unrealized Loss
March 31, 2019: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Fixed income securities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Municipal obligations |  | $ | 20,997 |  |  | $ | 951 |  |  | $ | 25,865 |  |  | $ | 836 |  |  | $ | 46,862 |  |  | $ | 1,787 |
Corporate obligations |  | 39,639 |  |  | 550 |  |  | 256,406 |  |  | 3,858 |  |  | 296,045 |  |  | 4,408 |
Foreign obligations |  | 401 |  |  | 4 |  |  | 3,980 |  |  | 22 |  |  | 4,381 |  |  | 26 |
U.S. government obligations |  | 12,793 |  |  | 360 |  |  | 53,861 |  |  | 204 |  |  | 66,654 |  |  | 564 |
Residential mortgage-backed securities |  | 4,375 |  |  | 122 |  |  | 243 |  |  | 1 |  |  | 4,618 |  |  | 123 |
Collateralized debt obligations |  | 101,939 |  |  | 787 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 101,939 |  |  | 787 |
Other asset-backed securities |  | 3,840 |  |  | 9 |  |  | 83,645 |  |  | 624 |  |  | 87,485 |  |  | 633 |
|  | 183,984 |  |  | 2,783 |  |  | 424,000 |  |  | 5,545 |  |  | 607,984 |  |  | 8,328 |
Short-term |  | 99,429 |  |  | 17 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 99,429 |  |  | 17 |
Total temporarily impaired securities |  | $ | 283,413 |  |  | $ | 2,800 |  |  | $ | 424,000 |  |  | $ | 5,545 |  |  | $ | 707,413 |  |  | $ | 8,345 |
|  | Less Than 12 Months |  | 12 Months or More |  | Total
|  | Fair Value |  | Gross Unrealized Loss |  | Fair Value |  | Gross Unrealized Loss |  | Fair Value |  | Gross Unrealized Loss
December 31, 2018: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Fixed income securities: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Municipal obligations |  | $ | 537,904 |  |  | $ | 15,878 |  |  | $ | 28,533 |  |  | $ | 1,198 |  |  | $ | 566,437 |  |  | $ | 17,076 |
Corporate obligations |  | 306,506 |  |  | 8,634 |  |  | 190,273 |  |  | 8,570 |  |  | 496,779 |  |  | 17,204 |
Foreign obligations |  | 1,161 |  |  | 1 |  |  | 5,163 |  |  | 60 |  |  | 6,324 |  |  | 61 |
U.S. government obligations |  | 5,643 |  |  | 135 |  |  | 58,495 |  |  | 478 |  |  | 64,138 |  |  | 613 |
Residential mortgage-backed securities |  | 34,852 |  |  | 793 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 34,852 |  |  | 793 |
Collateralized debt obligations |  | 123,848 |  |  | 1,727 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 123,848 |  |  | 1,727 |
Other asset-backed securities |  | 13,813 |  |  | 33 |  |  | 77,479 |  |  | 591 |  |  | 91,292 |  |  | 624 |
|  | 1,023,727 |  |  | 27,201 |  |  | 359,943 |  |  | 10,897 |  |  | 1,383,670 |  |  | 38,098 |
Short-term |  | 115,374 |  |  | 97 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 115,374 |  |  | 97 |
Total temporarily impaired securities |  | $ | 1,139,101 |  |  | $ | 27,298 |  |  | $ | 359,943 |  |  | $ | 10,897 |  |  | $ | 1,499,044 |  |  | $ | 38,195 |
Summary of Amounts Included in Net Realized (Losses) Gains and Other-Than-Temporary Impairments | The following table details amounts included in net realized gains (losses) and other-than-temporary impairments included in earnings for the affected periods:
|  | Three Months Ended March 31,
|  | 2019 |  | 2018
Gross realized gains on securities |  | $ | 24,219 |  |  | $ | 11,054 |
Gross realized losses on securities |  | (4,288 | ) |  | (1,388 | )
Net foreign exchange (losses) gains |  | (2,698 | ) |  | (4,804 | )
Net realized gains (losses) |  | $ | 17,233 |  |  | $ | 4,862 |
Net other-than-temporary impairments (1) |  | $ | (29 | ) |  | $ | (299 | )
(1) Other-than-temporary impairments exclude impairment amounts recorded in other comprehensive income under ASC Paragraph 320-10-65-1, which comprise non-credit related amounts on securities that are credit impaired but which management does not intend to sell and it is not more likely than not that the company will be required to sell before recovery of the amortized cost basis.
Summary of Roll-Forward of Ambac's Cumulative Credit Losses on Debt Securities for Which Portion of Other-than-Temporary Impairment was Recognized in Other Comprehensive Income | The following table presents a roll-forward of Ambac’s cumulative credit losses on debt securities held as of March 31, 2019 and 2018 for which a portion of an other-than-temporary impairment was recognized in other comprehensive income:
|  | Three Months Ended March 31,
|  | 2019 |  | 2018
Balance, beginning of period |  | $ | 12,454 |  |  | $ | 67,085 |
Additions for credit impairments recognized on: |  |  |  |
Securities not previously impaired |  | — |  |  | 226 |
Securities previously impaired |  | — |  |  | 64 |
Reductions for credit impairments previously recognized on: |  |  |  |
Securities that matured or were sold during the period |  | (49 | ) |  | (23,742 | )
Balance, end of period |  | $ | 12,405 |  |  | $ | 43,633 |
Summary of Fair Value, Including Financial Guarantee, and Weighted-Average Underlying Rating, Excluding Financial Guarantee, of Insured Securities | The following table represents the fair value, including the value of the financial guarantee, and weighted-average underlying rating, excluding the financial guarantee, of the insured securities at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively:
|  | Municipal Obligations |  | Corporate Obligations (3) |  | Mortgage and Asset- backed Securities |  | Total |  | Weighted Average Underlying Rating (1)
March 31, 2019: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ambac Assurance Corporation (2) |  | $ | 166,770 |  |  | $ | 583,550 |  |  | $ | 599,512 |  |  | $ | 1,349,832 |  |  | CCC-
National Public Finance Guarantee Corporation |  | 13,839 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 13,839 |  |  | BBB-
Total |  | $ | 180,609 |  |  | $ | 583,550 |  |  | $ | 599,512 |  |  | $ | 1,363,671 |  |  | CCC-
December 31, 2018: |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Ambac Assurance Corporation (2) |  | $ | 833,241 |  |  | $ | 656,473 |  |  | $ | 599,185 |  |  | $ | 2,088,899 |  |  | CC
National Public Finance Guarantee Corporation |  | 15,600 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 15,600 |  |  | BBB-
Total |  | $ | 848,841 |  |  | $ | 656,473 |  |  | $ | 599,185 |  |  | $ | 2,104,499 |  |  | CC
(1) | Ratings are based on the lower of Standard & Poor’s or Moody’s rating. If unavailable, Ambac’s internal rating is used.
(2) | Includes corporate obligations and asset-backed securities with a fair value of $144,530 and $144,672 at March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively, insured by Ambac UK.
(3) Represents Ambac's holdings of secured notes issued by Ambac LSNI in connection with the Rehabilitation Exit Transactions. These secured notes are insured by Ambac Assurance.
Equity Method Investments [Table Text Block] | There are no unfunded commitments applicable to any of these investments for the periods disclosed.
|  | Fair Value |  |  |  |
Class of Funds |  | March 31, 2019 |  | December 31, 2018 |  | Redemption Frequency |  | Redemption Notice Period
Real estate properties (1) |  | $ | 16,150 |  |  | $ | 16,123 |  |  | quarterly |  | 10 business days
Interest rate products (2) (6) |  | 207,704 |  |  | 177,357 |  |  | daily, weekly or monthly |  | 0 - 30 days
Illiquid investments (3) |  | 85,323 |  |  | 84,297 |  |  | quarterly |  | 180 days
Insurance-linked investments (4) |  | 28,746 |  |  | 29,318 |  |  | quarterly |  | 90-120 days
Equity market investments (5) (6) |  | 49,122 |  |  | 43,954 |  |  | daily |  | 0 days
Total equity investments in pooled funds |  | $ | 387,045 |  |  | $ | 351,049 |  |  |  |  |
(1) | Investments consist of UK property to generate income and capital growth.
(2) | This class of funds includes investments in a range of instruments including leveraged loans, CLOs, asset-backed securities and floating rate notes to generate income and capital appreciation. Funds with less frequent redemption periods limit redemptions to as little as 15% per period. Funds with a same day redemption notice period are redeemable only weekly, while funds that may be redeemed any business day have notice periods of 15-30 days.
(3) | This class seeks to obtain high long-term total return through investments with low liquidity and defined term, resulting in expected capital distributions to subscribers in the second half of 2019 and 2023.
(4) | This class aims to provide returns from the insurance and reinsurance markets through investments in catastrophe bonds, life insurance and other insurance linked investments. Redemption periods are quarterly, subject to 90-day notice for January/July redemption dates and 120-day notice for April/October redemption dates.
(5) | Investments represent a diversified exposure to global equity market returns through holdings of various regional market index funds.
(6) Interest rate products include $53,135 at March 31, 2019 and $27,154 at December 31, 2018 and equity market investments include $49,122 at March 31, 2019 and $43,954 at December 31, 2018 that have readily determinable fair values priced through pricing vendors.
Summary of Net Investment Income | Net investment income was comprised of the following for the affected periods:
|  | Three Months Ended March 31,
|  | 2019 |  | 2018
Fixed income securities |  | $ | 43,666 |  |  | $ | 109,351 |
Short-term investments |  | 4,113 |  |  | 2,840 |
Loans |  | 184 |  |  | 187 |
Investment expense |  | (1,411 | ) |  | (1,827 | )
Securities available-for-sale and short-term |  | 46,552 |  |  | 110,551 |
Other investments |  | 8,290 |  |  | (311 | )
Total net investment income |  | $ | 54,842 |  |  | $ | 110,240 |
Net investment income from Other investments primarily represents changes in fair value on securities classified as trading or under the fair value option plus income from the above noted equity interests in an unconsolidated trust. The portion of net unrealized gains (losses) related to trading securities still held at the end of each period is as follows:
|  | Three Months Ended March 31,
|  | 2019 |  | 2018
Net gains (losses) recognized during the period on trading securities |  | $ | 6,947 |  |  | $ | (1,579 | )
Less: net gains (losses) recognized during the reporting period on trading securities sold during the period |  | 631 |  |  | 1,933 |
Unrealized gains (losses) recognized during the reporting period on trading securities still held at the reporting date |  | $ | 6,316 |  |  | $ | (3,512 | )

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