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Comprehensive Income - Schedule of Changes in Balances of Each Component of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Detail) (Successor [Member], USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2015
Mar. 31, 2014
Changes In Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Roll Forward]    
Beginning Balance $ 220,283us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax $ 11,661us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications 75us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossBeforeReclassificationsNetOfTax 98,860us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossBeforeReclassificationsNetOfTax
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (51,029)us-gaap_ReclassificationFromAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeCurrentPeriodNetOfTax (6,104)us-gaap_ReclassificationFromAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeCurrentPeriodNetOfTax
Net current period other comprehensive income (50,954)ambc_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossExcludingNoncontrollingInterestNetOfTax 92,756ambc_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossExcludingNoncontrollingInterestNetOfTax
Ending Balance 169,329us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax 104,417us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
Unrealized Gains (Losses) on Available-for-Sale Securities [Member]    
Changes In Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Roll Forward]    
Beginning Balance 210,693us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedNetUnrealizedInvestmentGainLossMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
(41,910)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedNetUnrealizedInvestmentGainLossMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications 33,554us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossBeforeReclassificationsNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedNetUnrealizedInvestmentGainLossMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
94,622us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossBeforeReclassificationsNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedNetUnrealizedInvestmentGainLossMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (51,002)us-gaap_ReclassificationFromAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeCurrentPeriodNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedNetUnrealizedInvestmentGainLossMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
(5,900)us-gaap_ReclassificationFromAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeCurrentPeriodNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedNetUnrealizedInvestmentGainLossMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
Net current period other comprehensive income (17,448)ambc_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossExcludingNoncontrollingInterestNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedNetUnrealizedInvestmentGainLossMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
88,722ambc_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossExcludingNoncontrollingInterestNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedNetUnrealizedInvestmentGainLossMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
Ending Balance 193,245us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedNetUnrealizedInvestmentGainLossMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
46,812us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedNetUnrealizedInvestmentGainLossMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
Other Postretirement Benefit Plan, Defined Benefit [Member]    
Changes In Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Roll Forward]    
Beginning Balance 10,031us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
10,847us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications 0us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossBeforeReclassificationsNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
0us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossBeforeReclassificationsNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (27)us-gaap_ReclassificationFromAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeCurrentPeriodNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
(204)us-gaap_ReclassificationFromAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeCurrentPeriodNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
Net current period other comprehensive income (27)ambc_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossExcludingNoncontrollingInterestNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
(204)ambc_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossExcludingNoncontrollingInterestNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
Ending Balance 10,004us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
10,643us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_OtherPostretirementBenefitPlansDefinedBenefitMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
Accumulated Translation Adjustment [Member]    
Changes In Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Roll Forward]    
Beginning Balance (441)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedTranslationAdjustmentMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
42,724us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedTranslationAdjustmentMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications (33,479)us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossBeforeReclassificationsNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedTranslationAdjustmentMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
4,238us-gaap_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossBeforeReclassificationsNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedTranslationAdjustmentMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income 0us-gaap_ReclassificationFromAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeCurrentPeriodNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedTranslationAdjustmentMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
0us-gaap_ReclassificationFromAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeCurrentPeriodNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedTranslationAdjustmentMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
Net current period other comprehensive income (33,479)ambc_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossExcludingNoncontrollingInterestNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedTranslationAdjustmentMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
4,238ambc_OtherComprehensiveIncomeLossExcludingNoncontrollingInterestNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedTranslationAdjustmentMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
Ending Balance $ (33,920)us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedTranslationAdjustmentMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember
$ 46,962us-gaap_AccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeLossNetOfTax
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedTranslationAdjustmentMember
/ us-gaap_StatementScenarioAxis
= us-gaap_SuccessorMember