Note 2 - Segment Reporting Schedule of Segment Reporting Information by Segment (Details) (USD $) In Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Dec. 31, 2010
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net premiums written-insurance	$ 178,287	$ 174,807	$ 513,814	$ 490,209
Net premiums earned-insurance	179,655	203,937	571,612	605,651
Net investment income	38,763	46,554	124,826	140,531
Net gains on investments	81,640	94,258	163,311	209,468
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings	(20)	(34)	(31)	(90)
Change in fair value of derivative instruments	126,008	229,783	558,626	(372,777)
Net gains (losses) on other financial instruments	80,602	4,882	160,900	(159,882)
Gain on sale of affiliate	0	0	0	34,815
Other income	1,404	1,951	4,048	5,654
Total revenues	508,052	581,331	1,583,292	463,370
Provision for losses	249,598	344,389	940,537	1,323,435
Change in reserve for premium deficiency	(1,942)	8,628	(6,427)	43
Policy acquisition costs	11,449	11,054	39,967	42,719
Other operating expenses	45,240	43,052	137,413	143,273
Interest expense	14,094	9,502	47,197	28,551
Total expenses	318,439	416,625	1,158,687	1,538,021
Equity in net income of affiliates	0	0	65	14,668
Pretax income (loss)	189,613	164,706	424,670	(1,059,983)
Income tax provision (benefit)	6,045	52,521	981	(386,733)
Net income (loss)	183,568	112,185	423,689	(673,250)
Deferred policy acquisition costs	138,962		138,962		148,326
Total assets	7,246,285		7,246,285		7,620,887
Unearned premiums	628,400		628,400		686,364
Reserve for losses and LAE	3,260,556		3,260,556		3,596,735
VIE debt	273,379		273,379		520,114
Derivative liabilities	188,921		188,921		723,579
Mortgage Insurance Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net premiums written-insurance	178,215	174,419	523,255	499,360
Net premiums earned-insurance	163,436	181,731	513,895	539,062
Net investment income	21,642	26,658	73,328	81,561
Net gains on investments	53,263	62,326	98,450	125,548
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings	(20)	(34)	(31)	(90)
Change in fair value of derivative instruments	200	6,772	64	5,739
Net gains (losses) on other financial instruments	2,486	(6,591)	4,321	(44,764)
Other income	1,357	1,870	3,881	5,292
Total revenues	242,364	272,732	693,908	712,348
Provision for losses	276,599	347,800	960,564	1,304,513
Change in reserve for premium deficiency	(1,942)	8,628	(6,427)	43
Policy acquisition costs	7,834	6,444	26,651	29,061
Other operating expenses	36,082	31,690	104,132	103,562
Interest expense	2,015	3,251	11,950	6,920
Total expenses	320,588	397,813	1,096,870	1,444,099
Equity in net income of affiliates	0	0	0	0
Pretax income (loss)	(78,224)	(125,081)	(402,962)	(731,751)
Income tax provision (benefit)	(36,033)	(50,090)	(27,158)	(267,700)
Net income (loss)	(42,191)	(74,991)	(375,804)	(464,051)
Cash and investments	3,176,860	3,722,189	3,176,860	3,722,189
Deferred policy acquisition costs	47,863	37,144	47,863	37,144
Total assets	3,731,978	5,293,768	3,731,978	5,293,768
Unearned premiums	206,477	199,764	206,477	199,764
Reserve for losses and LAE	3,214,854	3,504,181	3,214,854	3,504,181
VIE debt	31,164	156,811	31,164	156,811
Derivative liabilities	0	178	0	178
Financial Guaranty Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net premiums written-insurance	72	388	(9,441)	(9,151)
Net premiums earned-insurance	16,219	22,206	57,717	66,589
Net investment income	17,121	19,896	51,498	58,970
Net gains on investments	28,377	31,932	64,861	83,920
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings	0	0	0	0
Change in fair value of derivative instruments	125,808	223,011	558,562	(378,516)
Net gains (losses) on other financial instruments	78,116	11,473	156,579	(115,118)
Other income	47	81	167	299
Total revenues	265,688	308,599	889,384	(283,856)
Provision for losses	(27,001)	(3,411)	(20,027)	18,922
Change in reserve for premium deficiency	0	0	0	0
Policy acquisition costs	3,615	4,610	13,316	13,658
Other operating expenses	9,158	11,362	33,281	39,511
Interest expense	12,079	6,251	35,247	21,631
Total expenses	(2,149)	18,812	61,817	93,722
Equity in net income of affiliates	0	0	65	78
Pretax income (loss)	267,837	289,787	827,632	(377,500)
Income tax provision (benefit)	42,078	102,611	28,139	(136,278)
Net income (loss)	225,759	187,176	799,493	(241,222)
Cash and investments	2,759,726	2,716,715	2,759,726	2,716,715
Deferred policy acquisition costs	91,099	109,331	91,099	109,331
Total assets	3,514,307	3,257,829	3,514,307	3,257,829
Unearned premiums	421,923	507,501	421,923	507,501
Reserve for losses and LAE	45,702	88,792	45,702	88,792
VIE debt	242,215	339,482	242,215	339,482
Derivative liabilities	188,921	530,510	188,921	530,510
Financial Services Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net premiums written-insurance				0
Net premiums earned-insurance				0
Net investment income				0
Net gains on investments				0
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings				0
Change in fair value of derivative instruments				0
Net gains (losses) on other financial instruments				0
Gain on sale of affiliate				34,815
Other income				63
Total revenues				34,878
Provision for losses				0
Change in reserve for premium deficiency				0
Policy acquisition costs				0
Other operating expenses				200
Interest expense				0
Total expenses				200
Equity in net income of affiliates				14,590
Pretax income (loss)				49,268
Income tax provision (benefit)				17,245
Net income (loss)	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0	$ 32,023