Note 10 - Financial Guaranty Insurance Contracts Future Premium Revenues For Financial Guaranty Contracts (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2014
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	$ 154,439
Amortization of Unearned Premium	6,080
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	179
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	6,259
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Remainder of Fiscal Year [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	154,439
Amortization of Unearned Premium	6,080
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	179
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	6,259
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Year Two [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	139,127
Amortization of Unearned Premium	15,312
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	674
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	15,986
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Year Three [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	126,046
Amortization of Unearned Premium	13,081
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	617
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	13,698
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Year Four [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	114,629
Amortization of Unearned Premium	11,417
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	581
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	11,998
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts, Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized, Year Five [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Unearned premiums	103,819
Amortization of Unearned Premium	10,811
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	530
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	11,341
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	103,819
Amortization of Unearned Premium	56,701
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	2,581
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	59,282
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	59,338
Amortization of Unearned Premium	44,480
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	2,049
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	46,529
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	29,650
Amortization of Unearned Premium	29,689
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	1,334
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	31,023
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	12,697
Amortization of Unearned Premium	16,962
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	858
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	17,820
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	12,697
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	993
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	13,690
Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts Future Expected Premium Revenue to be Recognized [Member]
Future Premium Revenue To Be Recognized [Line Items]
Amortization of Unearned Premium	160,529
Accretion of Premium Receivable and Unearned Premium	7,815
Total Premium Revenue to be recognized	$ 168,344