Note 12 - Financial Guaranty Insurance Contracts Future Premium Revenues For Financial Guaranty Contracts (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Amortization of Unearned Premium	$ 247,225
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	10,212
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	257,437
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Next Rolling Quarter [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	241,736
Amortization of Unearned Premium	5,489
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	225
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	5,714
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Second Rolling Quarter [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	234,372
Amortization of Unearned Premium	7,364
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	221
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	7,585
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Third Rolling Quarter [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	227,437
Amortization of Unearned Premium	6,935
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	216
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	7,151
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Fourth Rolling Quarter [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	218,854
Amortization of Unearned Premium	8,583
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	212
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	8,795
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Next Twelve Months [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	218,854
Amortization of Unearned Premium	28,371
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	874
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	29,245
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Year Two [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	195,816
Amortization of Unearned Premium	23,038
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	807
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	23,845
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Year Three [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	177,146
Amortization of Unearned Premium	18,670
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	763
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	19,433
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Year Four [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	160,821
Amortization of Unearned Premium	16,325
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	705
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	17,030
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Year Five [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	145,589
Amortization of Unearned Premium	15,232
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	652
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	15,884
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized Within Five Years [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	145,589
Amortization of Unearned Premium	101,636
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	3,801
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	105,437
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Premium Receivable, Premium Expected to be Collected, Year Six Through Ten [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	82,917
Amortization of Unearned Premium	62,672
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	2,571
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	65,243
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Year 11 Through 15 [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	41,422
Amortization of Unearned Premium	41,495
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	1,657
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	43,152
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Year 16 Through 20 [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	17,766
Amortization of Unearned Premium	23,656
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	1,022
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	24,678
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Greater than 20 Years [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	0
Amortization of Unearned Premium	17,766
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	1,161
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	$ 18,927