Note 12 - Financial Guaranty Insurance Contracts Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012 policy
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	315
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	20 years
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	$ 1,962,313
Interest	1,078,853
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	3,041,166
Gross claim liability	369,893
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	360,204
Discount, Net	(68,154)
Net claim liability	77,843
Unearned premium revenue	34,848
Claim liability reported in the balance sheet	64,291
Reinsurance recoverable	0
Performing
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	10
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	21 years
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	2,313
Interest	232
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	2,545
Gross claim liability	0
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	0
Discount, Net	0
Net claim liability	0
Unearned premium revenue	31
Claim liability reported in the balance sheet	0
Reinsurance recoverable	0
Special Mention
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	121
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	18 years
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	951,361
Interest	543,648
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	1,495,009
Gross claim liability	16,884
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	678
Discount, Net	2,586
Net claim liability	13,620
Unearned premium revenue	22,675
Claim liability reported in the balance sheet	6,541
Reinsurance recoverable	0
Intensified Surveillance
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	73
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	20 years
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	669,083
Interest	365,705
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	1,034,788
Gross claim liability	266,977
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	293,175
Discount, Net	(71,939)
Net claim liability	45,741
Unearned premium revenue	12,142
Claim liability reported in the balance sheet	39,268
Reinsurance recoverable	0
Case Reserve
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	111
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	27 years
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	339,556
Interest	169,268
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	508,824
Gross claim liability	86,032
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	66,351
Discount, Net	1,199
Net claim liability	18,482
Unearned premium revenue	0
Claim liability reported in the balance sheet	18,482
Reinsurance recoverable	$ 0