Note 3 - Discontinued Operations Disposal Group, Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended					0 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014		Sep. 30, 2014		Jun. 30, 2014		Mar. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Sep. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2013		Mar. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 22, 2014
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Net investment income	$ 16,531,000		$ 17,143,000		$ 16,663,000		$ 15,318,000		$ 17,722,000		$ 16,351,000		$ 17,087,000		$ 16,961,000		$ 65,655,000		$ 68,121,000		$ 72,679,000
Net gains (losses) on investments	18,658,000	[1]	(6,308,000)	[1]	28,233,000	[1]	43,286,000	[1]	(2,631,000)	[1]	(6,366,000)	[1]	(86,808,000)	[1]	(3,140,000)	[1]	83,869,000	[1]	(98,945,000)	[1]	114,282,000
Derivative, Gain on Derivative																	0		635,000
Derivative, Loss on Derivative																					(192,000)
Net gains (losses) on other financial instruments	(675,000)		14,000		(2,901,000)		(318,000)		(2,208,000)		(193,000)		60,000		(5,239,000)		(3,880,000)		(7,580,000)		7,802,000
Other Income																	5,820,000		6,890,000		5,595,000
Total revenues																	1,072,685,000		749,906,000		902,743,000
Policy acquisition costs																	24,446,000		28,485,000		34,131,000
Total expenses																	665,529,000		923,252,000		1,175,171,000
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	(449,691,000)	[2]	21,559,000	[2]	71,296,000	[2]	56,779,000	[2]	52,416,000		15,329,000		44,407,000		(167,286,000)		(300,057,000)	[2]	(55,134,000)		(227,363,000)
Fixed-maturities available for sale—at fair value	536,890,000								35,145,000								536,890,000		35,145,000
Equity securities available for sale—at fair value	143,368,000								129,161,000								143,368,000		129,161,000
Trading securities—at fair value	1,633,584,000								2,238,741,000								1,633,584,000		2,238,741,000
Short-term investments—at fair value	1,300,872,000								935,852,000								1,300,872,000		935,852,000
Other invested assets	14,585,000								22,421,000								14,585,000		22,421,000
Other assets	375,491,000								379,903,000								375,491,000		379,903,000
Assets held for sale	1,736,444,000	[3]							1,768,061,000								1,736,444,000	[3]	1,768,061,000		2,000,000,000
Unearned premiums	644,504,000								567,072,000								644,504,000		567,072,000
Reserve for losses and loss adjustment expenses (“LAE”)	1,560,032,000								2,164,353,000								1,560,032,000		2,164,353,000
Other liabilities	326,743,000								377,930,000								326,743,000		377,930,000
Liabilities held for sale	947,008,000								642,619,000								947,008,000		642,619,000
Radian Asset Assurance [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Discontinued Operation, Provision for Loss (Gain) on Disposal, before Income Tax																	(467,527,000)		0		0
Premiums Earned, Net, Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts																	37,194,000		49,474,000		36,598,000
Net investment income																	35,633,000		39,966,000		41,657,000
Net gains (losses) on investments																	51,409,000		(50,775,000)		70,606,000
Impairment losses on investments																	0		(3,000)		(3,000)
Derivative, Gain on Derivative																	130,617,000
Derivative, Loss on Derivative																			(32,406,000)		(143,834,000)
Net gains (losses) on other financial instruments																	3,903,000		2,845,000		(90,071,000)
Proceeds from the sale of investment in affiliate																	0		0		7,708,000
Other Income																	88,000		(20,000)		2,000
Total revenues																	258,844,000		9,081,000		(77,337,000)
Provision for losses																	2,853,000		2,486,000		37,664,000
Policy acquisition costs																	6,340,000		13,178,000		27,745,000
Other operating expenses																	23,726,000		27,127,000		29,010,000
Total expenses																	32,919,000		42,791,000		94,419,000
Equity in net (loss) income of affiliates																	(13,000)		1,000		(13,000)
Income (loss) from operations of businesses held for sale																	225,912,000		(33,709,000)		(171,769,000)
Discontinued Operation, Tax Effect of Income (Loss) from Disposal of Discontinued Operation																	58,442,000		21,425,000		55,594,000
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax																	(300,057,000)		(55,134,000)		(227,363,000)
Fixed-maturities available for sale—at fair value	224,552,000								85,408,000								224,552,000		85,408,000
Equity securities available for sale—at fair value	3,749,000								0								3,749,000		0
Trading securities—at fair value	689,887,000								884,696,000								689,887,000		884,696,000
Short-term investments—at fair value	435,413,000								493,376,000								435,413,000		493,376,000
Other invested assets	108,206,000								106,000,000								108,206,000		106,000,000
Other assets	274,637,000								198,581,000								274,637,000		198,581,000
Assets held for sale	1,736,444,000								1,768,061,000								1,736,444,000		1,768,061,000
Unearned premiums	158,921,000								201,798,000								158,921,000		201,798,000
Reserve for losses and loss adjustment expenses (“LAE”)	31,558,000								21,069,000								31,558,000		21,069,000
VIE debt—at fair value	85,016,000								91,800,000								85,016,000		91,800,000
Derivative Liabilities	183,370,000								307,185,000								183,370,000		307,185,000
Other liabilities	488,143,000								20,767,000								488,143,000		20,767,000
Liabilities held for sale	947,008,000								642,619,000								947,008,000		642,619,000
Number of Credit Risk Derivatives Held	74								93								74		93
Derivative, Notional Amount	8,755,457,000								12,269,421,000								8,755,457,000		12,269,421,000
Derivative Assets (Liabilities), at Fair Value, Net	159,335,000								290,543,000								159,335,000		290,543,000
Number of policies	347.000																347.000
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)																	17 years
Gross claim liability	269,865,000																269,865,000
Gross potential recoveries	318,175,000																318,175,000
Net claim liability	29,566,000	[4]															29,566,000	[4]
Sale of Radian Asset Assurance [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Sale of Stock, Percentage of Ownership before Transaction																						100.00%
Discontinued Operation, Provision for Loss (Gain) on Disposal, before Income Tax																	468,000,000
Performing | Radian Asset Assurance [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Number of policies	5																5
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)																	21 years
Gross claim liability	1,000																1,000
Gross potential recoveries	0																0
Net claim liability	0	[4]															0	[4]
Special Mention | Radian Asset Assurance [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Number of policies	166																166
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)																	15 years
Gross claim liability	14,803,000																14,803,000
Gross potential recoveries	1,733,000																1,733,000
Net claim liability	4,540,000	[4]															4,540,000	[4]
Intensified Surveillance | Radian Asset Assurance [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Number of policies	85																85
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)																	18 years
Gross claim liability	219,594,000																219,594,000
Gross potential recoveries	269,442,000																269,442,000
Net claim liability	37,328,000	[4]															37,328,000	[4]
Case Reserve | Radian Asset Assurance [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Number of policies	91																91
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)																	19 years
Gross claim liability	35,467,000																35,467,000
Gross potential recoveries	47,000,000																47,000,000
Net claim liability	(12,302,000)	[4]															(12,302,000)	[4]
Parent Company
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Net investment income																	9,515,000		4,300,000		9,093,000
Net gains (losses) on other financial instruments																	(2,865,000)		(6,026,000)		9,180,000
Other Income																	7,000		0		3,000
Total revenues																	6,790,000		(2,656,000)		27,092,000
Total expenses																	57,366,000		37,087,000		20,446,000
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax																	(18,027,000)		0		0
Trading securities—at fair value	5,447,000								5,240,000								5,447,000		5,240,000
Short-term investments—at fair value	631,934,000								633,178,000								631,934,000		633,178,000
Other assets	16,660,000								12,880,000								16,660,000		12,880,000
Assets held for sale	18,027,000								0								18,027,000		0
Other liabilities	3,935,000								5,903,000								3,935,000		5,903,000
Liabilities held for sale	18,027,000								0								18,027,000		0
Parent Company | Sale of Radian Asset Assurance [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Sale of Stock, Percentage of Ownership before Transaction																						100.00%
Disposal Group, Including Discontinued Operation, Consideration																						810,000,000
Significant Acquisitions and Disposals, Acquisition Costs or Sale Proceeds																						790,000,000
Discontinued Operation, Provision for Loss (Gain) on Disposal, before Income Tax																	$ 468,000,000

[1] The 2014 and 2013 amounts reflect unrealized gains (losses), respectively, on our trading securities.

[2] This amount reflects a $468 million loss on reclassification of Radian Asset Assurance as assets held for sale in the fourth quarter.

[3] Assets held for sale are not part of the mortgage insurance or MRES segments.

[4] Net of discount and unearned premium reserves.