Note 10 - Financial Guaranty Insurance Contracts Future Premium Revenues For Financial Guaranty Contracts (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 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	$ 182,224
Amortization of Unearned Premium	5,346
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	200
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	5,546
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	176,117
Amortization of Unearned Premium	6,107
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	197
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	6,304
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	168,077
Amortization of Unearned Premium	8,040
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	191
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	8,231
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	163,441
Amortization of Unearned Premium	4,635
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	188
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	4,823
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	163,441
Amortization of Unearned Premium	24,128
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	776
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	24,904
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Year Two [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	147,112
Amortization of Unearned Premium	16,329
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	709
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	17,038
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Year Three [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	133,624
Amortization of Unearned Premium	13,488
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	666
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	14,154
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Year Four [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	121,270
Amortization of Unearned Premium	12,354
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	608
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	12,962
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Year Five [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	109,664
Amortization of Unearned Premium	11,606
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	554
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	12,160
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	109,664
Amortization of Unearned Premium	77,905
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	3,313
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	81,218
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	61,772
Amortization of Unearned Premium	47,892
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	2,114
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	50,006
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	30,304
Amortization of Unearned Premium	31,468
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	1,345
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	32,813
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	12,767
Amortization of Unearned Premium	17,537
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	856
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	18,393
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	12,767
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	989
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	13,756
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Amortization of Unearned Premium	187,569
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	8,617
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	$ 196,186