Note 12 - Financial Guaranty Insurance Contracts Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	318
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	20
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	$ 1,868,000,000
Interest	1,020,400,000
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	2,888,400,000
Gross claim liability	234,500,000
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	143,900,000
Discount, Net	16,400,000
Net claim liability	74,200,000
Unearned premium revenue	33,200,000
Claim liability reported in the balance sheet	60,500,000
Reinsurance recoverable	0
Performing
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	16
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	23
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	58,100,000
Interest	12,600,000
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	70,700,000
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	135
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	18
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	1,080,300,000
Interest	624,600,000
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	1,704,900,000
Gross claim liability	15,700,000
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	700,000
Discount, Net	3,300,000
Net claim liability	11,700,000
Unearned premium revenue	25,300,000
Claim liability reported in the balance sheet	3,600,000
Reinsurance recoverable	0
Intensified Surveillance
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	61
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	21
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	370,800,000
Interest	198,800,000
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	569,600,000
Gross claim liability	114,500,000
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	60,000,000
Discount, Net	10,800,000
Net claim liability	43,700,000
Unearned premium revenue	7,700,000
Claim liability reported in the balance sheet	38,200,000
Reinsurance recoverable	0
Case Reserve
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	106
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	25
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	358,800,000
Interest	184,400,000
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	543,200,000
Gross claim liability	103,900,000
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	83,200,000
Discount, Net	2,200,000
Net claim liability	18,500,000
Unearned premium revenue	0
Claim liability reported in the balance sheet	18,500,000
Reinsurance recoverable	$ 0