Note 10 - Financial Guaranty Insurance Contracts Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories (Details) (USD $)	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	320
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	20 years
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	$ 2,041,600,000
Interest	1,188,700,000
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	3,230,300,000
Gross claim liability	380,600,000
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	322,100,000
Discount, Net	(49,700,000)
Net claim liability	108,200,000
Unearned premium revenue	37,000,000
Claim liability reported in the balance sheet	92,600,000
Reinsurance recoverable	0
Performing
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	8
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	9 years
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	18,900,000
Interest	3,500,000
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	22,400,000
Gross claim liability	100,000
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	100,000
Discount, Net	0
Net claim liability	0
Unearned premium revenue	100,000
Claim liability reported in the balance sheet	0
Reinsurance recoverable	0
Special Mention
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	130
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	19 years
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	1,156,600,000
Interest	723,200,000
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	1,879,800,000
Gross claim liability	23,400,000
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	7,800,000
Discount, Net	0
Net claim liability	15,600,000
Unearned premium revenue	26,100,000
Claim liability reported in the balance sheet	8,100,000
Reinsurance recoverable	0
Intensified Surveillance
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	76
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	20 years
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	529,300,000
Interest	292,400,000
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	821,700,000
Gross claim liability	255,400,000
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	238,800,000
Discount, Net	(54,400,000)
Net claim liability	71,000,000
Unearned premium revenue	10,800,000
Claim liability reported in the balance sheet	62,900,000
Reinsurance recoverable	0
Case Reserve
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	106
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	25 years
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	336,800,000
Interest	169,600,000
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	506,400,000
Gross claim liability	101,700,000
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	75,400,000
Discount, Net	4,700,000
Net claim liability	21,600,000
Unearned premium revenue	0
Claim liability reported in the balance sheet	21,600,000
Reinsurance recoverable	$ 0