Note 10 - Financial Guaranty Insurance Contracts Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014 policy
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	354
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	17 years
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	$ 1,794,424
Interest	946,629
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	2,741,053
Gross claim liability	294,916
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	365,848
Discount, Net	(118,403)
Net claim liability/(asset) (prior to reduction for unearned premium)	47,471
Unearned premium revenue	26,804
Net claim liability/(asset) reported in the balance sheet	32,859
Reinsurance recoverable	0
Performing
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	5
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	21 years
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	1,443
Interest	159
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	1,602
Gross claim liability	1
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	0
Discount, Net	0
Net claim liability/(asset) (prior to reduction for unearned premium)	1
Unearned premium revenue	6
Net claim liability/(asset) reported in the balance sheet	0
Reinsurance recoverable	0
Special Mention
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	173
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	16 years
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	1,018,341
Interest	536,743
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	1,555,084
Gross claim liability	16,543
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	1,442
Discount, Net	2,414
Net claim liability/(asset) (prior to reduction for unearned premium)	12,687
Unearned premium revenue	16,125
Net claim liability/(asset) reported in the balance sheet	5,212
Reinsurance recoverable	0
Intensified Surveillance
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	97
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	19 years
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	681,284
Interest	384,351
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	1,065,635
Gross claim liability	246,341
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	309,894
Discount, Net	(120,205)
Net claim liability/(asset) (prior to reduction for unearned premium)	56,652
Unearned premium revenue	10,673
Net claim liability/(asset) reported in the balance sheet	49,516
Reinsurance recoverable	0
Case Reserve
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	79
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	18 years
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	93,356
Interest	25,376
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	118,732
Gross claim liability	32,031
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	54,512
Discount, Net	(612)
Net claim liability/(asset) (prior to reduction for unearned premium)	(21,869)
Unearned premium revenue	0
Net claim liability/(asset) reported in the balance sheet	(21,869)
Reinsurance recoverable	$ 0