Name:	cim_AvailableForSaleDebtSecuritiesDiscount
Namespace Prefix:	cim_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

The amount of premium that was originally recognized at the issuance of the debt security that has yet to be amortized.

No definition available.

Name:	cim_AvailableForSaleUnamortizedPremium
Namespace Prefix:	cim_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

Amount before tax of unrealized gain in accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) on investments in debt securities classified as available-for-sale.

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

Amount before tax of unrealized loss in accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) on investments in debt securities classified as available-for-sale.

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

This item represents the cost of debt securities, which are categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading, net of adjustments including accretion, amortization, collection of cash, previous other-than-temporary impairments recognized in earnings (less any cumulative-effect adjustments recognized, as defined), and fair value hedge accounting adjustments, if any.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (aa)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=d3e27161-111563

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

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

Amount before tax of unrealized gain (loss) in accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) on investments in debt and equity securities classified as available-for-sale.

No definition available.

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

The fair value as of the balance sheet date of firm holdings in mortgages, mortgage backed securities (investment instruments that represent ownership of an undivided interest in a group of mortgages, where principal and interest from the individual mortgages are used to pay investors' principal and interest on the mortgage backed security) and asset-backed securities that are primarily paid from the cash flows of a discrete pool of receivables or other financial assets (such as credit-card receivables), either fixed or revolving, that by their terms convert into cash within a finite time period. Includes both pledged (to counterparties as collateral for financing transactions) and unpledged holdings.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 940
-SubTopic 320
-Section 45
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35711157&loc=d3e42546-110969

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

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.

No definition available.

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

For investments which are quantified by principal amount, the principle balance held at close of period.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 320
-Section S99
-Paragraph 6
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-14.Column B)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=50485924&loc=d3e611322-123010

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 320
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-12.Column B)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=50485924&loc=d3e611133-123010

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 946
-SubTopic 320
-Section S99
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (SX 210.12-12C.Column B)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=50485924&loc=d3e611225-123010

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

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=us-gaap_ResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentSecondaryCategorizationAxis=cim_NonAgencySeniorMortgageBackedSecuritiesInterestOnlyAvailableForSaleMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentSecondaryCategorizationAxis=cim_NonAgencySubordinatedMortgageBackedSecuritiesAvailableForSaleMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentSecondaryCategorizationAxis=cim_NonAgencySubordinatedMortgageBackedSecuritiesInterestOnlyAvailableForSaleMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentSecondaryCategorizationAxis=cim_AgencyResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentSecondaryCategorizationAxis=cim_AgencyCommercialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentSecondaryCategorizationAxis=cim_AgencyInterestOnlyResidentialMortgageBackedSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: