Note 4 - Fair Value of Financial Instruments Rollforward of Level III Assets and Liabilities Fair Value Disclosure (Details) (Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring, USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014		Mar. 31, 2013
Fair Value Level III Assets and Liabilities [Roll Forward]
Fair Value, Transfers Between Level 1 And Level 2, Amount	$ 0		$ 0
Derivative liabilities net [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value Level III Assets and Liabilities [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance Level III Liabilities	300,900,000		254,900,000
Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) Included in Earnings Level III Liabilities	(52,200,000)	[1]	167,700,000	[2]
Purchases Level III Liabilities	0		0
Sales Level III Liabilities	0		0
Issuances Level III Liabilities	0		0
Settlements Level III Liabilities	(3,400,000)		(3,500,000)
Transfers Into (Out of) Level III Liabilities	0	[3]	0	[3]
Ending Balance Level III Liabilities	252,100,000		426,100,000
VIE debt | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value Level III Assets and Liabilities [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance Level III Liabilities	94,600,000		108,900,000
Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) Included in Earnings Level III Liabilities	5,100,000	[1]	3,300,000	[2]
Purchases Level III Liabilities	0		0
Sales Level III Liabilities	0		0
Issuances Level III Liabilities	0		0
Settlements Level III Liabilities	4,100,000		4,800,000
Transfers Into (Out of) Level III Liabilities	0	[3]	0	[3]
Ending Balance Level III Liabilities	95,600,000		107,400,000
Unrealized Gains (Losses) Recorded in Earnings on Level III Liabilities Still Held	(4,400,000)		(2,500,000)
Total Level III liabilities net [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value Level III Assets and Liabilities [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance Level III Liabilities	395,500,000		363,800,000
Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) Included in Earnings Level III Liabilities	47,100,000	[1]	171,000,000	[2]
Purchases Level III Liabilities	0		0
Sales Level III Liabilities	0		0
Issuances Level III Liabilities	0		0
Settlements Level III Liabilities	700,000		1,300,000
Transfers Into (Out of) Level III Liabilities	0	[3]	0	[3]
Ending Balance Level III Liabilities	347,700,000		533,500,000
Derivative Financial Instruments, Liabilities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value Level III Assets and Liabilities [Roll Forward]
Unrealized Gains (Losses) Recorded in Earnings on Level III Liabilities Still Held	48,600,000		(172,600,000)
State and municipal obligations | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value Level III Assets and Liabilities [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance Level III Assets	18,700,000		19,000,000
Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) Level III Assets Included in Earnings	400,000		200,000	[2]
Purchases Level III Assets	0		0
Sales Level III Assets	0		0
Issuances Level III Assets	0		0
Settlements Level III Assets	0		0
Transfers Into (Out of) Level III Assets	0	[3]	0	[3]
Ending Balance Level III Assets	19,100,000		19,200,000
Corporate Bond and Note Securities [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value Level III Assets and Liabilities [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance Level III Assets			0
Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) Level III Assets Included in Earnings			0
Purchases Level III Assets			2,700,000
Sales Level III Assets			0
Issuances Level III Assets			0
Settlements Level III Assets			0
Transfers Into (Out of) Level III Assets			0	[3]
Ending Balance Level III Assets			2,700,000
CMBS | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value Level III Assets and Liabilities [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance Level III Assets			0
Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) Level III Assets Included in Earnings			0
Purchases Level III Assets			3,100,000
Sales Level III Assets			0
Issuances Level III Assets			0
Settlements Level III Assets			0
Transfers Into (Out of) Level III Assets			0	[3]
Ending Balance Level III Assets			3,100,000
Other ABS | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value Level III Assets and Liabilities [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance Level III Assets	900,000		1,700,000
Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) Level III Assets Included in Earnings	0		0
Purchases Level III Assets	0		0
Sales Level III Assets	0		0
Issuances Level III Assets	0		0
Settlements Level III Assets	400,000		200,000
Transfers Into (Out of) Level III Assets	(500,000)	[3]	0	[3]
Ending Balance Level III Assets	0		1,500,000
Equity securities | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value Level III Assets and Liabilities [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance Level III Assets	400,000		1,000,000
Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) Level III Assets Included in Earnings	0		0
Purchases Level III Assets	0		0
Sales Level III Assets	0		600,000
Issuances Level III Assets	0		0
Settlements Level III Assets	0		0
Transfers Into (Out of) Level III Assets	0	[3]	0	[3]
Ending Balance Level III Assets	400,000		400,000
Other investments | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value Level III Assets and Liabilities [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance Level III Assets	81,500,000		79,000,000
Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) Level III Assets Included in Earnings	600,000	[1]	(1,600,000)	[2]
Purchases Level III Assets	0		400,000
Sales Level III Assets	0		100,000
Issuances Level III Assets	0		0
Settlements Level III Assets	0		400,000
Transfers Into (Out of) Level III Assets	0	[3]	0	[3]
Ending Balance Level III Assets	82,100,000		77,300,000
Unrealized Gains (Losses) Recorded in Earnings on Level III Assets Still Held	200,000
Investments | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value Level III Assets and Liabilities [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance Level III Assets	101,500,000		100,700,000
Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) Level III Assets Included in Earnings	1,000,000	[1]	(1,400,000)	[2]
Purchases Level III Assets	0		6,200,000
Sales Level III Assets	0		700,000
Issuances Level III Assets	0		0
Settlements Level III Assets	400,000		600,000
Transfers Into (Out of) Level III Assets	(500,000)	[3]	0	[3]
Ending Balance Level III Assets	101,600,000		104,200,000
Unrealized Gains (Losses) Recorded in Earnings on Level III Assets Still Held			(1,500,000)
NIMS derivative assets | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value Level III Assets and Liabilities [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance Level III Assets			1,600,000
Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) Level III Assets Included in Earnings			0
Purchases Level III Assets			0
Sales Level III Assets			0
Issuances Level III Assets			0
Settlements Level III Assets			0
Transfers Into (Out of) Level III Assets			0	[3]
Ending Balance Level III Assets			1,600,000
Other Assets Excluding NIMS Derivative Assets [Member] | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value Level III Assets and Liabilities [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance Level III Assets	91,900,000		99,200,000
Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) Level III Assets Included in Earnings	5,800,000	[1]	3,300,000	[2]
Purchases Level III Assets	0		0
Sales Level III Assets	0		0
Issuances Level III Assets	0		0
Settlements Level III Assets	5,200,000		6,000,000
Transfers Into (Out of) Level III Assets	0	[3]	0	[3]
Ending Balance Level III Assets	92,500,000		96,500,000
Unrealized Gains (Losses) Recorded in Earnings on Level III Assets Still Held	3,600,000		800,000
Total Level III Assets | Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3
Fair Value Level III Assets and Liabilities [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance Level III Assets	193,400,000		201,500,000
Realized and Unrealized Gains (Losses) Level III Assets Included in Earnings	6,800,000	[1]	1,900,000	[2]
Purchases Level III Assets	0		6,200,000
Sales Level III Assets	0		700,000
Issuances Level III Assets	0		0
Settlements Level III Assets	5,600,000		6,600,000
Transfers Into (Out of) Level III Assets	(500,000)	[3]	0	[3]
Ending Balance Level III Assets	$ 194,100,000		$ 202,300,000

[1] Includes unrealized gains (losses) relating to assets and liabilities still held as of March 31, 2014 as follows: $0.2 million for other investments, $3.6 million for other assets, $48.6 million for derivative liabilities and $(4.4) million for VIE debt.

[2] Includes unrealized gains (losses) relating to assets and liabilities still held as of March 31, 2013 as follows: $(1.5) million for investments, $0.8 million for other assets, $(172.6) million for derivative liabilities and $(2.5) million for VIE debt.

[3] Transfers are recognized at the end of the period as the availability of market observed inputs change from period to period.