<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2011-01-03</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000814585</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MBIA INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MBI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001220640</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LEE KEWSONG</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O MBIA INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>113 KING STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ARMONK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10504</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-01-03</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>1785</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>12.74</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>83484</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>71486898</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Shares acquired in payment of director retainer and meeting fees.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Warburg Pincus Private Equity X, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (together with an affiliated limited partnership, &quot;WP X&quot;) is the holder of (a) 46,159,252 shares of Common Stock and (b) warrants exercisable for 25,327,646 shares of Common Stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Warburg Pincus X L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (&quot;WP X LP&quot;) is the general partner of WP X; Warburg Pincus X LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (&quot;WP X LLC&quot;) is the general partner of WP X LP; Warburg Pincus Partners, LLC, a New York limited liability company (&quot;WP Partners&quot;) is the sole member of WP X LLC; and Warburg Pincus &amp; Co., a New York general partnership (&quot;WP&quot;) is the managing member of WP Partners. Warburg Pincus LLC, a New York limited liability company (&quot;WP LLC&quot;) manages WP X. As a Partner of WP and a Member and Managing Director of WP LLC, Mr. Kewsong Lee may be deemed to be the beneficial owner of the Common Stock held by WP X and the warrants exercisable for Common Stock held by WP X.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">Pursuant to Rule 16a-1(a)(4) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, Mr. Kewsong Lee, herein states that this filing shall not be deemed an admission that he is the beneficial owner of any of the shares of Common Stock held by WP X or of any of the warrants exercisable for Common Stock held by WP X. Mr. Lee disclaims beneficial ownership of such Common Stock and such warrants exercisable for Common Stock, except to the extent of his pecuniary interest in such shares of Common Stock and in such warrants exercisable for Common Stock.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/Andrew Hughes, Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-01-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
