Investments - Summary of Amounts Included in Net Realized (Losses) Gains and Other-Than-Temporary Impairments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2022	Mar. 31, 2021	Dec. 31, 2021
Investment [Line Items]
Foreign exchange (losses) gains	$ 1	$ (5)
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale, Allowance for Credit Loss, Not to Sell before Recovery, Credit Loss, Previously Recorded, Expense (Reversal)	(1)	0
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale, Allowance for Credit Loss, Sell before Recovery	0	0
Realized Investment Gains (Losses)	10	2
Fair Value of Securities Deposited in Connection wtih Letter of Credit	1		$ 1
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale, Realized Gain	23	7
Debt Securities, Available-for-sale, Realized Loss	15	1
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Member]
Investment [Line Items]
Foreign exchange (losses) gains	$ 3	$ (4)

Fair Value of Securities Deposited in Connection wtih Letter of Credit

No definition available.

Name:	ambc_FairValueofSecuritiesDepositedinConnectionwtihLetterofCredit
Namespace Prefix:	ambc_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of expense (reversal of expense) for allowance for credit loss on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale), not intended to be sold and not more likely than not will be required to sell before recovery of amortized cost basis, with previously recorded allowance.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (f)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124269663&loc=SL82922900-210455

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAllowanceForCreditLossNotToSellBeforeRecoveryCreditLossPreviouslyRecordedExpenseReversal
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of decrease in allowance for credit loss on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale) from intent to sell or more likely than not will be required to sell before recovery of amortized cost basis.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 326
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (e)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124269663&loc=SL82922900-210455

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleAllowanceForCreditLossSellBeforeRecovery
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of realized gain on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale).

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123581744&loc=d3e27357-111563

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleRealizedGain
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of realized loss on investment in debt security measured at fair value with change in fair value recognized in other comprehensive income (available-for-sale).

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesAvailableForSaleRealizedLoss
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount before tax of foreign currency transaction realized and unrealized gain (loss) recognized in the income statement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 20
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=125521441&loc=d3e30690-110894

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 20
-Section 35
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123602790&loc=d3e30226-110892

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 17
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120253306&loc=d3e28228-110885

Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 830
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=124440516&loc=d3e30840-110895

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyTransactionGainLossBeforeTax
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of realized gain (loss) on investment.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 220
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-04.3(a))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=120400993&loc=SL114874131-224263

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_RealizedInvestmentGainsLosses
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfInvestmentIncomeReportedAmountsByCategoryLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_IncomeStatementLocationAxis=us-gaap_GainLossOnInvestmentsMember1
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: