Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies Additional Information (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Apr. 30, 2013
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Common Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share	$ 0.01	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Entity Incorporation, Date of Incorporation	Apr. 29, 1991
Preferred stock, shares authorized	20,000,000us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesAuthorized	20,000,000us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesAuthorized
Preferred Stock, Par or Stated Value Per Share	$ 0.01	$ 0.01
Common stock, shares issued	45,006,057us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued	45,005,932us-gaap_CommonStockSharesIssued
Warrant Exercised During Period Shares	125ambc_WarrantExercisedDuringPeriodShares

Warrant Exercised During Period Shares

No definition available.

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- Definition

Date when an entity was incorporated

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Face amount or stated value per share of common stock.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.29)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 30

-Article 5

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- Definition

Total number of common shares of an entity that have been sold or granted to shareholders (includes common shares that were issued, repurchased and remain in the treasury). These shares represent capital invested by the firm's shareholders and owners, and may be all or only a portion of the number of shares authorized. Shares issued include shares outstanding and shares held in the treasury.

+ References

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- Definition

Face amount or stated value per share of preferred stock nonredeemable or redeemable solely at the option of the issuer.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.28)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 29

-Article 5

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- Definition

The maximum number of nonredeemable preferred shares (or preferred stock redeemable solely at the option of the issuer) permitted to be issued by an entity's charter and bylaws.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 210

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.28)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Section 02

-Paragraph 29

-Article 5

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