Note 10 - Financial Guaranty Insurance Contracts Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014 policy
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	344
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	17 years
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	$ 1,697,428
Interest	899,309
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	2,596,737
Gross claim liability	275,129
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	341,961
Discount, Net	(109,964)
Net claim liability/(asset) (prior to reduction for unearned premium)	43,132
Unearned premium revenue	23,577
Net claim liability/(asset) reported in the balance sheet	29,905
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	1,338
Interest	151
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	1,489
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	5
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	168
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	15 years
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	943,438
Interest	486,985
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	1,430,423
Gross claim liability	15,352
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	1,830
Discount, Net	1,966
Net claim liability/(asset) (prior to reduction for unearned premium)	11,556
Unearned premium revenue	14,101
Net claim liability/(asset) reported in the balance sheet	4,736
Reinsurance recoverable	0
Intensified Surveillance
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	90
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	18 years
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	658,561
Interest	386,906
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	1,045,467
Gross claim liability	227,546
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	291,209
Discount, Net	(110,678)
Net claim liability/(asset) (prior to reduction for unearned premium)	47,015
Unearned premium revenue	9,471
Net claim liability/(asset) reported in the balance sheet	40,608
Reinsurance recoverable	0
Case Reserve
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	81
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	18 years
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	94,091
Interest	25,267
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	119,358
Gross claim liability	32,230
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	48,922
Discount, Net	(1,252)
Net claim liability/(asset) (prior to reduction for unearned premium)	(15,440)
Unearned premium revenue	0
Net claim liability/(asset) reported in the balance sheet	(15,439)
Reinsurance recoverable	$ 0