Note 9 - Financial Guaranty Insurance Contracts Future Premium Revenues For Financial Guaranty Contracts (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013
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	$ 192,191
Amortization of Unearned Premium	8,414
Accretion of premium receivable	210
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	8,624
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Year Two [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	168,705
Amortization of Unearned Premium	23,486
Accretion of premium receivable	794
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	24,280
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Year Three [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	152,202
Amortization of Unearned Premium	16,503
Accretion of premium receivable	727
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	17,230
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Year Four [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	138,307
Amortization of Unearned Premium	13,895
Accretion of premium receivable	683
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	14,578
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Year Five [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	125,425
Amortization of Unearned Premium	12,882
Accretion of premium receivable	624
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	13,506
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Within Year Five [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	125,425
Amortization of Unearned Premium	75,180
Accretion of premium receivable	3,038
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	78,218
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	71,950
Amortization of Unearned Premium	53,475
Accretion of premium receivable	2,381
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	55,856
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	35,983
Amortization of Unearned Premium	35,967
Accretion of premium receivable	1,485
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	37,452
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	15,223
Amortization of Unearned Premium	20,760
Accretion of premium receivable	924
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	21,684
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	15,223
Accretion of premium receivable	1,075
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	16,298
Total Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts Future Premium Revenue to be Recognized [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	0
Amortization of Unearned Premium	200,605
Accretion of premium receivable	8,903
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	$ 209,508