Note 5 - VIEs Financial Guaranty Insurance Contracts VIEs (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012
Balance Sheet Related Disclosures
Derivative assets	$ 9,379,000			$ 9,379,000			$ 13,609,000
Other assets	398,428,000			398,428,000			374,662,000
Unearned premiums	712,706,000			712,706,000			648,682,000
Reserve for losses and LAE	2,716,490,000			2,716,490,000			3,149,936,000
Derivative liabilities	350,576,000			350,576,000			266,873,000
VIE debt—at fair value	106,767,000			106,767,000			108,858,000
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	346,335,000			346,335,000			325,270,000
Statement of Operations
Premiums earned	213,124,000		186,779,000	405,712,000		354,144,000
Net investment income	27,615,000		30,877,000	54,488,000		65,590,000
Gain (Loss) on Investments, Excluding Other than Temporary Impairments	(130,254,000)		26,419,000	(135,759,000)		93,878,000
Change in fair value of derivative instruments	86,535,000		(33,124,000)	(81,135,000)		(105,881,000)
Net gains (losses) on other financial instruments	1,188,000		(61,862,000)	(4,487,000)		(79,714,000)
Provision for losses, (decrease) increase	140,291,000		210,868,000	272,350,000		477,022,000
Other operating expenses	60,981,000		40,193,000	141,081,000		90,347,000
Consolidated Financial Guaranty Insurance Contracts
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number Of Consolidated Other Financial Guaranty Transactions	2			2
Balance Sheet Related Disclosures
Other invested assets	76,959,000			76,959,000			78,006,000
Other assets	96,125,000			96,125,000			99,337,000
Derivative liabilities	64,637,000			64,637,000			70,467,000
VIE debt—at fair value	95,804,000			95,804,000			98,983,000
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	338,000			338,000			365,000
Maximum exposure (1)	115,324,000	[1]		115,324,000	[1]		120,939,000	[1]
Statement of Operations
Net investment income				888,000		2,427,000
Gain (Loss) on Investments, Excluding Other than Temporary Impairments				(1,935,000)		(2,863,000)
Change in fair value of derivative instruments				4,539,000		(2,364,000)
Net gains (losses) on other financial instruments				2,282,000		(92,517,000)
Other operating expenses				995,000		1,266,000
Net cash inflow for VIEs				225,000		(134,748,000)
Unconsolidated Financial Guaranty Insurance Contracts
Balance Sheet Related Disclosures
Derivative assets	897,000			897,000			3,201,000
Premiums receivable	2,528,000			2,528,000			2,859,000
Other assets	0			0			0
Unearned premiums	2,209,000			2,209,000			2,513,000
Reserve for losses and LAE	15,004,000			15,004,000			14,376,000
Derivative liabilities	262,942,000			262,942,000			175,781,000
Maximum exposure (1)	4,777,930,000	[1]		4,777,930,000	[1]		5,096,718,000	[1]
Statement of Operations
Premiums earned				611,000		899,000
Change in fair value of derivative instruments				(87,170,000)		(114,415,000)
Provision for losses, (decrease) increase				819,000		5,748,000
Net cash inflow for VIEs				2,742,000		(71,776,000)
April 2012 Commutation Transactions [Member] | Radian Asset Assurance [Member]
Variable Interest Entity [Line Items]
Number of Derivative Counterparties Involved in Commutation			1			1
Number Of Trups CDOs Terminated			6			6
Net Par Outstanding			$ 699,000,000			$ 699,000,000
Number Of Consolidated CDO Of ABS Transactions			1			1

[1] The difference between the carrying amounts of the net asset/liability position and maximum exposure related to VIEs is primarily due to the difference between the face amount of the obligation and the recorded fair values, which include an adjustment for our non-performance risk, as applicable. For those VIEs that have recourse to our general credit, the maximum exposure is based on the net par amount of our insured obligation. For any VIEs that do not have recourse to our general credit, the maximum exposure is generally based on the recorded net assets of the VIE, as of the reporting date.