Loss Reserves (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
		Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) loan	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($) loan	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) loan	Sep. 30, 2014 USD ($) loan	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($) loan	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) loan	Sep. 30, 2014 loan
Loss Reserve [Roll Forward]
Reserve at beginning of period				$ 2,396,807	$ 3,061,401
Less reinsurance recoverable				57,841	64,085
Net reserve at beginning of period				2,338,966	2,997,316
Losses and LAE incurred in respect of default notices related to [Abstract]
Current year				338,611	454,390
Change in loss reserves	[1],[2]			(90,130)	(75,387)
Subtotal				248,481	379,003
Losses and LAE paid in respect of default notices related to [Abstract]
Current year				9,227	11,574
Prior years				652,465	895,061
Reinsurance terminations	[3]			(15,440)	0
Subtotal				646,252	906,635
Net reserve at end of period		$ 1,941,195	$ 2,469,684	1,941,195	2,469,684
Plus reinsurance recoverables		38,748	57,898	38,748	57,898
Reserve at end of period		$ 1,979,943	$ 2,527,582	1,979,943	2,527,582
Causes of Increase (Decrease) in Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense [Line Items]
Change in loss reserves	[1],[2]			$ (90,130)	$ (75,387)
Premium refund liability, expected claim payments						$ 105,000	$ 115,000
Primary Default Inventory [Roll Forward]
Default inventory at the beginning of period | loan		66,357	85,416	79,901	103,328
New notices | loan		19,509	22,927	55,856	67,451
Cures | loan		(17,036)	(19,582)	(56,700)	(68,082)
Paids (including those charged to a deductible or captive) | loan		(3,958)	(5,288)	(12,671)	(18,420)
Rescissions and denials | loan		(230)	(319)	(623)	(1,123)
Items removed from inventory resulting from the Countrywide settlement on GSE loans | loan		0	0	(1,121)	0
Default inventory at end of period | loan		64,642	83,154	64,642	83,154
Pool insurance notice inventory [Abstract]
Pool insurance notice inventory (in number of loans) | loan						2,950		4,525
Historical average period for uncured default to develop into paid claim				12 months
Aging of the Primary Default Inventory [Abstract]
3 months or less | loan						13,991	15,319	16,209
3 months or less (in hundredths)						22.00%	19.00%	19.00%
4 - 11 months | loan						14,703	19,710	18,890
4 - 11 months (in hundredths)						23.00%	25.00%	23.00%
12 months or more | loan						35,948	44,872	48,055
12 months or more (in hundredths)						55.00%	56.00%	58.00%
Total primary default inventory | loan		66,357	85,416	79,901	103,328	64,642	79,901	83,154
Total primary default inventory (in hundredths)						100.00%	100.00%	100.00%
Primary claims received inventory included in ending default inventory | loan	[4]					2,982	4,746	5,194
Primary claims received inventory included in ending default inventory (in hundredths)	[4]					5.00%	6.00%	6.00%
Number of rescindable loans affected by Company's decision to voluntarily suspend rescissions | loan						430	1,425	1,575
Number of payments delinquent [Abstract]
3 payments or less | loan						20,637	23,253	23,769
3 payments or less (in hundredths)						32.00%	29.00%	28.00%
4 - 11 payments | loan						14,890	19,427	18,985
4 - 11 payments (in hundredths)						23.00%	24.00%	23.00%
12 payments or more | loan						29,115	37,221	40,400
12 payments or more (in hundredths)						45.00%	47.00%	49.00%
Total primary default inventory | loan		66,357	85,416	79,901	103,328	64,642	79,901	83,154
Total primary default inventory (in hundredths)						100.00%	100.00%	100.00%
Premium refund liability, expected future rescissions						$ 7,000	$ 28,000
Decrease in estimated claim rate on primary defaults
Losses and LAE incurred in respect of default notices related to [Abstract]
Change in loss reserves				$ (95,000)	$ (38,000)
Causes of Increase (Decrease) in Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense [Line Items]
Change in loss reserves				$ (95,000)	$ (38,000)
Percentage of prior year default inventory resolved (in hundredths)				52.00%	50.00%
Increase in estimated severity on primary defaults
Losses and LAE incurred in respect of default notices related to [Abstract]
Change in loss reserves				$ 12,000	$ (20,000)
Causes of Increase (Decrease) in Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense [Line Items]
Change in loss reserves				12,000	(20,000)
Change in estimates related to pool reserves, LAE reserves and reinsurance
Losses and LAE incurred in respect of default notices related to [Abstract]
Change in loss reserves				(7,000)	(17,000)
Causes of Increase (Decrease) in Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense [Line Items]
Change in loss reserves				(7,000)	$ (17,000)
Change in estimates related to disputes on claims paying practices and IBNR
Losses and LAE incurred in respect of default notices related to [Abstract]
Change in loss reserves				21,000
Causes of Increase (Decrease) in Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense [Line Items]
Change in loss reserves				$ 21,000

[1] A negative number for prior year loss development indicates a redundancy of prior year loss reserves, and a positive number indicates a deficiency of prior year loss reserves.

[2] A negative number for prior year losses incurred indicates a redundancy of prior year loss reserves and a positive number for prior year losses incurred indicates a deficiency of prior year loss reserves.

[3] In a termination or commutation, the reinsurance agreement is cancelled, with no future premium ceded and funds for any incurred but unpaid losses transferred to us. The transferred funds result in an increase in our investment portfolio (including cash and cash equivalents) and a decrease in net losses paid (reduction in losses incurred). In addition, there is an offsetting decrease in the reinsurance recoverable (increase in losses incurred), and thus there is no net impact to losses incurred.

[4] Our claims received inventory includes suspended rescissions, as we have voluntarily suspended rescissions of coverage related to loans that we believed would be included in a potential resolution. As of September 30, 2015, rescissions of coverage on approximately 430 loans had been voluntarily suspended compared to 1,425 at December 31, 2014 and 1,575 at September 30, 2014.