Note 15 - Income Taxes Schedule of Components of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Components of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Valuation Allowance, Deferred Tax Asset, Change in Amount	$ 192,000,000
Components of Deferred Tax Assets [Abstract]
Accrued expenses	51,049,000	41,011,000
Unearned premiums	36,060,000	14,327,000
Premium deficiency reserves	1,290,000	1,275,000
Net operating loss (NOL)	666,633,000	666,407,000
Differences in fair value of derivative and other financial instruments	54,335,000	0
Rescission premium	16,797,000	20,015,000
State net operating loss carryforward	31,744,000	31,825,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Credit Carryforwards, Foreign	26,292,000	26,884,000
Depreciation	5,478,000	5,037,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Equity Method Investments	65,704,000	64,544,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Tax Deferred Expense, Reserves and Accruals, Allowance for Doubtful Accounts	39,540,000	0
Deferred Tax Asset, Residual Interest in Limited Purpose Vehicle	24,084,000	0
Other	53,319,000	57,127,000
Total deferred tax assets	1,072,325,000	928,452,000
Components of Deferred Tax Liabilities [Abstract]
Deferred policy acquisition cost	30,882,000	48,969,000
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Convertible Debt	28,449,000	32,091,000
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Differences in FV of Derivative and Other Financial Instruments	0	3,591,000
Deferred Tax Liabilities, Unrealized Gains on Trading Securities	8,783,000	4,191,000
Loss reserves	0	9,744,000
Foreign currency	18,000	22,000
Other	14,536,000	16,169,000
Total deferred tax liabilities	82,668,000	114,777,000
Valuation Allowance, Amount	989,657,000	797,700,000
Deferred Tax Assets, Net	0	15,975,000
Settlement with Taxing Authority [Member] | Internal Revenue Service (IRS) [Member]
Components of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities [Line Items]
Valuation Allowance, Deferred Tax Asset, Change in Amount	$ 16,000,000