Note 9 - Financial Guaranty Insurance Contracts Schedule of Significant Components Of Change In Financial Guaranty Claim Liability (Details) (USD $)						3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013 Trade Credit Reinsurance and Surety Insurance [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Trade Credit Reinsurance and Surety Insurance [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Project Finance Credit [Member]	Sep. 30, 2012 Financial Guarantee Insurance Product Line [Member] Sovereign Debt [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Financial Guarantee Insurance Product Line [Member] Financial Guaranty Segment	Sep. 30, 2012 Financial Guarantee Insurance Product Line [Member] Financial Guaranty Segment	Sep. 30, 2013 Financial Guarantee Insurance Product Line [Member] Financial Guaranty Segment	Sep. 30, 2012 Financial Guarantee Insurance Product Line [Member] Financial Guaranty Segment	Sep. 30, 2013 2012 FGIC Commutation [Member] Financial Guarantee Insurance Product Line [Member]
Claim liability at beginning of period	$ 2,346,879,000	$ 3,149,936,000	$ 1,600,000	$ 2,300,000			$ 23,611,000	$ 92,645,000	$ 64,291,000	$ 60,550,000
(Decrease)/increase in gross claim liability							(28,486,000)	37,559,000	(56,477,000)	199,257,000
Decrease/(increase) in gross potential recoveries							8,896,000	(69,624,000)	35,339,000	(261,339,000)
Decrease/(increase) in discount							24,075,000	36,312,000	30,208,000	102,457,000
Decrease/(increase) in unearned premiums							926,000	225,000	213,000	(1,683,000)
Paid Losses and LAE Current Year							70,000	(334,000)	103,000	0	41,600,000
Paid Losses and LAE Prior Years							(1,586,000)	26,843,000	42,933,000	28,634,000
Paid losses and LAE						23,500,000	(1,516,000)	26,509,000	43,036,000	28,634,000
Claim liability at end of period	2,346,879,000	3,149,936,000	1,600,000	2,300,000			30,538,000	70,608,000	30,538,000	70,608,000
Components of incurred losses and LAE [Abstract]
Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense, Incurred Claims Current Year							866,000	8,750,000	1,249,000	8,801,000
Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense, Incurred Claims, Prior Years							4,545,000	(4,278,000)	8,034,000	29,891,000
Total incurred							5,411,000	4,472,000	9,283,000	38,692,000
Components of (decrease)/increase in discount [Abstract]
(Increase)/decrease in discount related to claim liabilities established in current period							268,000	36,094,000	103,000	101,776,000
Decrease in discount related to existing claim liabilites							23,807,000	218,000	30,105,000	681,000
Decrease/(increase) in discount							24,075,000	36,312,000	30,208,000	102,457,000
Net Par Outstanding					$ 70,000,000