Note 9 - Financial Guaranty Insurance Contracts Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	309
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	21
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	$ 1,804,200,000
Interest	928,300,000
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	2,732,500,000
Gross claim liability	230,100,000
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	153,200,000
Discount, Net	21,500,000
Net claim liability	55,400,000
Unearned premium revenue	33,000,000
Claim liability reported in the balance sheet	41,500,000
Reinsurance recoverable	0
Performing
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	15
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	23
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	60,500,000
Interest	13,200,000
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	73,700,000
Gross claim liability	400,000
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	0
Discount, Net	100,000
Net claim liability	300,000
Unearned premium revenue	200,000
Claim liability reported in the balance sheet	200,000
Reinsurance recoverable	0
Special Mention
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	133
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	18
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	995,600,000
Interest	521,900,000
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	1,517,500,000
Gross claim liability	15,300,000
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	500,000
Discount, Net	3,700,000
Net claim liability	11,100,000
Unearned premium revenue	24,900,000
Claim liability reported in the balance sheet	3,300,000
Reinsurance recoverable	0
Intensified Surveillance
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	60
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	22
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	383,300,000
Interest	212,400,000
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	595,700,000
Gross claim liability	122,900,000
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	69,200,000
Discount, Net	15,600,000
Net claim liability	38,100,000
Unearned premium revenue	7,900,000
Claim liability reported in the balance sheet	32,100,000
Reinsurance recoverable	0
Case Reserve
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	101
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	27
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	364,800,000
Interest	180,800,000
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	545,600,000
Gross claim liability	91,500,000
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	83,500,000
Discount, Net	2,100,000
Net claim liability	5,900,000
Unearned premium revenue	0
Claim liability reported in the balance sheet	5,900,000
Reinsurance recoverable	$ 0