Loss Reserves (Details) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) Loan	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($) Loan	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) Loan	Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($) Loan	Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) Loan	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) Loan	Jun. 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				223,564	306,386
Prior years	[1],[2]			(51,541)	(42,637)
Subtotal				172,023	263,749
Losses and LAE paid in respect of default notices related to [Abstract]
Current year				2,382	2,674
Prior years				451,317	640,560
Reinsurance terminations				(15)	0
Subtotal				453,684	643,234
Net reserve at end of period		$ 2,057,305	$ 2,617,831	2,057,305	2,617,831
Plus reinsurance recoverables		53,456	57,763	53,456	57,763
Reserve at end of period		$ 2,110,761	$ 2,675,594	2,110,761	2,675,594
Causes of Increase (Decrease) in Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense [Line Items]
Change in loss reserves	[1],[2]			$ (51,541)	$ (42,637)
Historical average period for uncured default to develop into paid claim				12 months
Premium refund liability, expected claim payments						$ 107,000	$ 115,000
Primary Default Inventory [Roll Forward]
Default inventory at the beginning of period | Loan		72,236	91,842	79,901	103,328
New notices | Loan		17,451	21,178	36,347	44,524
Cures | Loan		(17,897)	(21,182)	(39,664)	(48,500)
Paids (including those charged to a deductible or captive) | Loan		(4,140)	(6,068)	(8,713)	(13,132)
Rescissions and denials | Loan		(172)	(354)	(393)	(804)
Items removed from inventory resulting from the Countrywide settlement on GSE loans | Loan		(1,121)	0	(1,121)	0
Default inventory at end of period | Loan		66,357	85,416	66,357	85,416
Pool insurance notice inventory [Abstract]
Pool insurance notice inventory (in number of loans) | Loan						3,129		5,271
Aging of the Primary Default Inventory [Abstract]
3 months or less | Loan						12,545	15,319	15,297
3 months or less (in hundredths)						19.00%	19.00%	18.00%
4 - 11 months | Loan						15,487	19,710	19,362
4 - 11 months (in hundredths)						23.00%	25.00%	23.00%
12 months or more | Loan						38,325	44,872	50,757
12 months or more (in hundredths)						58.00%	56.00%	59.00%
Total primary default inventory | Loan		72,236	91,842	79,901	103,328	66,357	79,901	85,416
Total primary default inventory (in hundredths)						100.00%	100.00%	100.00%
Primary claims received inventory included in ending default inventory | Loan	[3]					3,440	4,746	5,398
Primary claims received inventory included in ending default inventory (in hundredths)	[3]					5.00%	6.00%	6.00%
Number of rescindable loans affected by Company's decision to voluntarily suspend rescissions | Loan						430	1,425	1,558
Number of payments delinquent [Abstract]
3 payments or less | Loan						19,274	23,253	22,867
3 payments or less (in hundredths)						29.00%	29.00%	27.00%
4 - 11 payments | Loan						15,710	19,427	19,666
4 - 11 payments (in hundredths)						24.00%	24.00%	23.00%
12 payments or more | Loan						31,373	37,221	42,883
12 payments or more (in hundredths)						47.00%	47.00%	50.00%
Total primary default inventory | Loan		72,236	91,842	79,901	103,328	66,357	79,901	85,416
Total primary default inventory (in hundredths)						100.00%	100.00%	100.00%
Premium refund liability, expected future rescissions						$ 9,000	$ 28,000
Decrease in Estimated Claim Rate on Primary Defaults [Member]
Losses and LAE incurred in respect of default notices related to [Abstract]
Prior years				$ (59,000)	$ (25,000)
Causes of Increase (Decrease) in Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense [Line Items]
Change in loss reserves				$ (59,000)	$ (25,000)
Percentage of prior year default inventory resolved (in hundredths)				41.00%	40.00%
Increase in Estimated Severity on Primary Defaults [Member]
Losses and LAE incurred in respect of default notices related to [Abstract]
Prior years				$ 15,000	$ (8,000)
Causes of Increase (Decrease) in Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense [Line Items]
Change in loss reserves				15,000	(8,000)
Change in Estimates Related to Pool Reserves, LAE Reserves and Reinsurance [Member]
Losses and LAE incurred in respect of default notices related to [Abstract]
Prior years				(8,000)	(10,000)
Causes of Increase (Decrease) in Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense [Line Items]
Change in loss reserves				(8,000)	$ (10,000)
Change in Reserve Estimates Related to Disputes on Claims Paying Practices and IBNR [Member]
Losses and LAE incurred in respect of default notices related to [Abstract]
Prior years				(20,000)
Causes of Increase (Decrease) in Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense [Line Items]
Change in loss reserves				$ (20,000)

[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] 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 June 30, 2015, rescissions of coverage on approximately 430 loans had been voluntarily suspended compared to 1,425 at December 31, 2014 and 1,558 at June 30, 2014