Note 16 - Commitments and Contingencies Legal Proceedings (Details) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified			0 Months Ended	6 Months Ended	102 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2014 matters	Jun. 30, 2014 Loss Contingency 8-1-2011 Claim [Member] loan	Apr. 09, 2013 Real Estate Settlement Practices Act of 1974 [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Internal Revenue Service (IRS) [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Captive Reinsurance Arrangements [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Minimum [Member] loan plaintiff	Jun. 30, 2014 Total Primary Insurance Mortgage Insurance Products [Member] Maximum [Member] Insurance Claims [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Pool Insurance Mortgage Insurance Product [Member] Maximum [Member] Insurance Claims [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Financial Guaranty Segment Trade Credit Reinsurance and Surety Insurance [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 Euro Member Countries, Euro Financial Guaranty Segment Trade Credit Reinsurance and Surety Insurance [Member]	Jun. 30, 2014 United States of America, Dollars Financial Guaranty Segment Trade Credit Reinsurance and Surety Insurance [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Loss Contingency, Range of Possible Loss, Minimum										$ 10.2	$ 13.9
Number Of Home Mortgage Loans Involved In Pending Litigation		507				1
Risk In Force		29.0
Loss Contingency, Number of Plaintiffs Whose Loans Were Insured						1
Loss Contingency, Settlement Agreement, Number of Years Restricted From Activities			10 years
Litigation Settlement, Gross			3.75
Insurance Recoveries					814
Proposed Increase To Tax Liability Resulting From I.R.S. Examination Of Tax Years 2000 Through 2007				128
Income Tax Examination, Proposed Penalties				$ 42
Number of Days Company Has to Respond to IRS Office of Appeals Deficiency Notice				90 days
Loss Contingency, Legal Actions Commencement, Period							2 years	3 years
Minimum Number of Pending or Threatened Matters That Could Effect Our Results	1
Percentage of Claims Rejected by Entity									100.00%