Note 3 - Segment Reporting Schedule of Segment Reporting Information by Segment (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net premiums written-insurance	$ 707,247	$ 691,881	$ 443,848
Net premiums earned-insurance	756,025	825,733	825,901
Net investment income	163,520	178,760	214,190
Net gains on investments	202,177	139,944	257,141
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings	(1,202)	(90)	(9,269)
Change in fair value of derivative instruments	628,395	(558,712)	99,958
Net gains (losses) on other financial instruments	193,329	(211,681)	(88,569)
Gain on sale of affiliate	0	34,815	0
Other income	5,599	8,696	14,026
Total revenues	1,947,843	417,465	1,313,378
Provision for losses	1,296,521	1,739,244	1,337,574
Change in reserve for premium deficiency	(7,092)	(14,621)	(61,504)
Policy acquisition costs	52,763	53,469	63,034
Other operating expenses	175,810	191,942	203,770
Interest expense	61,394	41,777	46,010
Total expenses	1,579,396	2,011,811	1,588,884
Equity in net income of affiliates	65	14,668	33,226
Pretax income (loss)	368,512	(1,579,678)	(242,280)
Income tax provision (benefit)	66,362	226,189	(94,401)
Net income (loss)	302,150	(1,805,867)	(147,879)
Cash and investments	5,846,168	6,680,630	6,214,376
Deferred policy acquisition costs	139,906	148,326	160,281
Total assets	6,656,765	7,620,887	8,057,158
Unearned premiums	637,372	686,364	823,621
Reserve for losses and LAE	3,310,902	3,596,735	3,578,982
VIE debt	228,240	520,114	296,080
Derivative liabilities	126,006	723,579	238,697
Mortgage Insurance Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net premiums written-insurance	717,264	699,909	630,076
Net premiums earned-insurance	680,895	739,631	724,423
Net investment income	93,678	104,030	129,871
Net gains on investments	126,205	84,004	161,637
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings	(1,202)	(90)	(9,246)
Change in fair value of derivative instruments	(632)	32,381	(14,428)
Net gains (losses) on other financial instruments	3,864	(48,137)	(96,022)
Gain on sale of affiliate		0
Other income	5,369	7,208	12,258
Total revenues	908,177	919,027	908,493
Provision for losses	1,293,857	1,730,801	1,300,827
Change in reserve for premium deficiency	(7,092)	(14,621)	(61,504)
Policy acquisition costs	36,051	36,102	27,563
Other operating expenses	132,225	141,172	140,487
Interest expense	13,894	11,668	15,372
Total expenses	1,468,935	1,905,122	1,422,745
Equity in net income of affiliates	0	0	0
Pretax income (loss)	(560,758)	(986,095)	(514,252)
Income tax provision (benefit)	83,157	157,082	(176,456)
Net income (loss)	(643,915)	(1,143,177)	(337,796)
Cash and investments	3,210,279	4,037,578	3,775,682
Deferred policy acquisition costs	52,094	41,939	35,854
Total assets	3,470,103	4,801,953	4,949,815
Unearned premiums	233,446	197,260	240,346
Reserve for losses and LAE	3,247,900	3,524,971	3,450,538
VIE debt	9,450	141,006	287,995
Derivative liabilities	0	0	0
Primary New Insurance Written Major Customer for Segment Reporting Percentage	10.10%	15.50%	16.10%
Entity Wide Revenue, Major Customer, Number of Customers	2	2
Mortgage Insurance Segment | Geographic Concentration Risk [Member] | State Of California [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Direct Primary New Insurance Written by Geographic Area Percent	15.30%	12.80%	16.90%
Mortgage Insurance Segment | Primary Risk In Force [Member] | Geographic Concentration Risk [Member] | State Of California [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Concentration Risk, Percentage	11.80%	11.40%
Mortgage Insurance Segment | Pool Risk in Force [Member] | Geographic Concentration Risk [Member] | State Of California [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Concentration Risk, Percentage	10.50%	10.90%
Financial Guaranty Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net premiums written-insurance	(10,017)	(8,028)	(186,228)
Net premiums earned-insurance	75,130	86,102	101,478
Net investment income	69,842	74,730	84,315
Net gains on investments	75,972	55,940	95,504
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings	0	0	(23)
Change in fair value of derivative instruments	629,027	(591,093)	114,386
Net gains (losses) on other financial instruments	189,465	(163,544)	7,453
Gain on sale of affiliate		0
Other income	230	364	1,394
Total revenues	1,039,666	(537,501)	404,507
Provision for losses	2,664	8,443	36,747
Change in reserve for premium deficiency	0	0	0
Policy acquisition costs	16,712	17,367	35,471
Other operating expenses	43,585	50,520	67,223
Interest expense	47,500	30,109	30,638
Total expenses	110,461	106,439	170,079
Equity in net income of affiliates	65	78	0
Pretax income (loss)	929,270	(643,862)	234,428
Income tax provision (benefit)	(16,795)	51,509	68,641
Net income (loss)	946,065	(695,371)	165,787
Cash and investments	2,635,889	2,643,052	2,438,694
Deferred policy acquisition costs	87,812	106,387	124,427
Total assets	3,186,662	2,818,934	2,985,919
Unearned premiums	403,926	489,104	583,275
Reserve for losses and LAE	63,002	71,764	128,444
VIE debt	218,790	379,108	8,085
Derivative liabilities	126,006	723,579	238,697
Financial Services Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net premiums written-insurance		0	0
Net premiums earned-insurance			0
Net investment income		0	4
Net gains on investments		0	0
Net impairment losses recognized in earnings		0	0
Change in fair value of derivative instruments		0	0
Net gains (losses) on other financial instruments			0
Gain on sale of affiliate		34,815
Other income		1,124	374
Total revenues		35,939	378
Provision for losses		0	0
Change in reserve for premium deficiency		0	0
Policy acquisition costs		0	0
Other operating expenses		250	(3,940)
Interest expense		0	0
Total expenses		250	(3,940)
Equity in net income of affiliates		14,590	33,226
Pretax income (loss)		50,279	37,544
Income tax provision (benefit)		17,598	13,414
Net income (loss)		32,681	24,130
Cash and investments		0	0
Deferred policy acquisition costs		0	0
Total assets		0	121,424
Unearned premiums		0	0
Reserve for losses and LAE		0	0
VIE debt		0	0
Derivative liabilities		$ 0	$ 0