Financial Guaranty Insurance Losses (Details 3) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Total, Salvage and subrogation recoverable payable, net	$ 249	[1]	$ 410	[1]
Reinsurance recoverable on unpaid losses	59		58
Total present value basis	373	[2]
Net expected loss to be expensed related to consolidated financial guaranty VIEs	109
Financial Guaranty Variable Interest Entities
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Net expected loss to be paid	52
Consolidated Entity Excluding Variable Interest Entities (VIE)
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Contra-paid, net	94
Total, Salvage and subrogation recoverable payable, net	244
Loss and LAE reserve	(540)
Reinsurance recoverable on unpaid losses	23	[3]
Financial Guarantee [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Net expected loss to be paid	552
Financial Guarantee [Member] | Before VIE Adjustment [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Net expected loss to be paid	604
Financial guaranty
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Net expected loss to be paid	552		451
Contra-paid, net	94	[4]	124	[4]
Total present value basis	373	[5]
Below investment grade (BIG) | Financial guaranty
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Net expected loss to be paid	(552)	[6]	(451)	[6]
Below investment grade (BIG) | Financial guaranty | Before VIE Adjustment [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Net expected loss to be paid	(604)	[6]	(355)	[6]
Below investment grade (BIG) | Financial guaranty | Financial Guaranty Variable Interest Entities
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Net expected loss to be paid	$ 52	[6]	$ (96)	[6]

[1] (1)See “Components of Net Reserves (Salvage)” table for loss and LAE reserve and salvage and subrogation recoverable components.

[2] Consolidation of FG VIEs resulted in reductions of $109 million in net expected loss to be expensed.

[3] R&W recoveries recorded in other assets on the consolidated balance sheet.

[4] Excludes $197 million and $262 million of deferred premium revenue, and $64 million and $98 million of contra-paid related to FG VIEs as of September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012, respectively.

[5] Excludes $109 million as of September 30, 2013, related to consolidated FG VIEs.

[6] In Third Quarter 2013, the Company adjusted its approach to assigning internal ratings. See "Refinement of Approach to Internal Credit Ratings and Surveillance Categories" in Note 3, Outstanding Exposure. This approach is reflected in the "Financial Guaranty Insurance BIG Transaction Loss Summary" tables as of both September 30, 2013 and December 31, 2012.