Insurance Contracts - Summary of Information Related to Policies Currently Included in Ambac's Loss Reserves or Subrogation Recoverable (Phantom) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2023	Dec. 31, 2022	Jun. 30, 2022
Schedule of Insured Financial Obligations with Credit Deterioration [Line Items]
Loss and loss expense reserves	$ 863	$ 805
Subrogation recoverable	(139)	(271)
Liability for Claims	$ 863	$ 805
Ceded Loss And Loss Expenses Paid Not Yet Recovered			$ 0

Ceded Loss And Loss Expenses Paid Not Yet Recovered

No definition available.

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

- Definition

The amount needed to reflect the estimated ultimate cost of settling claims relating to insured events that have occurred on or before the balance sheet date, whether or not reported to the insurer at that date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 40
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116884095&loc=d3e14764-158437

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 40
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (cc)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=116884095&loc=d3e14764-158437

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LiabilityForClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpense
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount needed to reflect the estimated ultimate cost of settling claims relating to financial default insured events that have occurred on or before a particular date (ordinarily, the balance sheet date) and the amount needed to provide for the estimated ultimate cost required to investigate and settle claims relating to insured events that have occurred on or before a particular date (ordinarily, the balance sheet date), whether or not reported to the insurer at that date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 7
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6933001&loc=SL5747862-161289

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 40
-Section 50
-Paragraph 9
-Subparagraph (a)(5)(vii)
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99382878&loc=SL5749324-161292

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LiabilityNetForClaimsAndClaimsAdjustmentExpenseFinancialGuaranteeInsuranceContracts
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The estimated amount as of the balance sheet date to be received by an insurer from the sale of property (usually damaged) on which the insurer has paid a total claim to the insured and has obtained title to the property and the right of an insurer to pursue any course of recovery of damages, in its name or in the name of the policyholder, against a third party who is liable for costs relating to an insured event that have been paid by the insurer. Estimated salvage and subrogation is generally deducted from the liability for unpaid claims.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 40
-Section 30
-Paragraph 3
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6482241&loc=d3e13783-158432

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 40
-Section 30
-Paragraph 2
-URI https://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6482241&loc=d3e13779-158432

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_SalvageAndSubrogationRecoveriesValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

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