Note 3 - Segment Reporting Schedule of Segment Reporting Information by Segment (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015		Mar. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of Operating Segments	2
Net premiums earned-insurance	$ 224,595,000		$ 198,762,000
Services revenue	30,529,000		0
Net investment income	17,328,000		15,318,000
Other income	1,432,000		1,126,000
Provision for losses	45,028,000		49,626,000
Policy acquisition costs	7,750,000		7,017,000
Direct cost of services	18,451,000		0
Other operating expenses before corporate allocations (3)	54,576,000		54,507,000
Cash and investments	3,678,850,000		3,302,787,000
Restricted cash	14,220,000		22,366,000		14,031,000
Goodwill	194,246,000		2,095,000
Other intangible assets, net	99,552,000		188,000
Assets held for sale (5)	1,755,873,000	[1]	1,795,185,000	[1]	1,736,444,000
Total assets (5)	6,813,855,000	[1]	5,528,985,000	[1]	6,859,963,000
Unearned premiums	657,555,000		580,453,000		644,504,000
Reserve for losses and LAE	1,384,714,000		1,893,960,000		1,560,032,000
Net Gains/Losses on All Financial Instruments	16,779,000		43,107,000	[2]
Business Combination, Acquisition Related Costs	(207,000)		0
Mortgage Insurance Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net premiums written—insurance	241,908,000		212,953,000
Increase in unearned premiums	(17,313,000)		(14,191,000)
Net premiums earned-insurance	224,595,000		198,762,000
Services revenue	0
Net investment income	17,328,000	[3]	15,318,000	[4]
Other income	1,331,000	[3]	996,000	[4]
Revenue Non GAAP Basis	243,254,000	[5]	215,076,000	[6]
Provision for losses	45,851,000		49,626,000
Change In Present Value of Estimated Credit Loss Payments			(139,000)
Policy acquisition costs	7,750,000		7,017,000
Direct cost of services	0
Other operating expenses before corporate allocations (3)	34,050,000	[7]	37,764,000
Total Expenses Non-GAAP	87,651,000	[8]	94,546,000
Adjusted pretax operating income before corporate allocations	155,603,000		120,530,000
Allocation of corporate operating expenses (1)	9,758,000	[3]	15,884,000	[4]
Allocation of interest expense (1)	19,953,000	[3]	19,927,000	[4]
Adjusted pretax operating income (loss)	125,892,000	[10],[9]	84,719,000	[10],[9]
Cash and investments	3,669,413,000		3,302,763,000
Restricted cash	11,348,000		22,366,000
Goodwill	0		0
Other intangible assets, net	0		0
Total assets (5)	4,708,744,000	[1]	3,731,139,000	[1]
Unearned premiums	657,555,000		580,453,000
Reserve for losses and LAE	1,384,714,000		1,893,960,000		1,560,032,000	2,164,353,000
New Insurance Written	9,385,000,000		6,808,000,000
Costs and Expenses, Related Party	900,000
Mortgage and Real Estate Services Segment [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net premiums written—insurance	0		0
Increase in unearned premiums	0		0
Net premiums earned-insurance	0		0
Services revenue	30,742,000
Net investment income	0	[3]	0	[4]
Other income	790,000	[3]	130,000	[4]
Revenue Non GAAP Basis	31,532,000	[5]	130,000	[6]
Provision for losses	0		0
Change In Present Value of Estimated Credit Loss Payments			0
Policy acquisition costs	0		0
Direct cost of services	18,451,000
Other operating expenses before corporate allocations (3)	9,659,000	[7]	859,000
Total Expenses Non-GAAP	28,110,000	[8]	859,000
Adjusted pretax operating income before corporate allocations	3,422,000		(729,000)
Allocation of corporate operating expenses (1)	981,000	[3]	0	[4]
Allocation of interest expense (1)	4,432,000	[3]	0	[4]
Adjusted pretax operating income (loss)	(1,991,000)	[11]	(729,000)	[11]
Cash and investments	9,437,000		24,000
Restricted cash	2,872,000		0
Goodwill	194,246,000		2,095,000		191,932,000	2,095,000
Other intangible assets, net	99,552,000		188,000
Total assets (5)	349,238,000	[1]	2,661,000	[1]
Unearned premiums	0		0
Reserve for losses and LAE	0		0
Revenue from Related Parties	900,000
Mortgage Insurance and Mortgage and Real Estate Services Segments [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net premiums written—insurance	241,908,000		212,953,000
Increase in unearned premiums	(17,313,000)		(14,191,000)
Net premiums earned-insurance	224,595,000		198,762,000
Services revenue	30,742,000
Net investment income	17,328,000	[3]	15,318,000	[4]
Other income	2,121,000	[3]	1,126,000	[4]
Revenue Non GAAP Basis	274,786,000	[5]	215,206,000	[6]
Provision for losses	45,851,000		49,626,000
Change In Present Value of Estimated Credit Loss Payments			(139,000)
Policy acquisition costs	7,750,000		7,017,000
Direct cost of services	18,451,000
Other operating expenses before corporate allocations (3)	43,709,000	[7]	38,623,000
Total Expenses Non-GAAP	115,761,000	[8]	95,405,000
Adjusted pretax operating income before corporate allocations	159,025,000		119,801,000
Allocation of corporate operating expenses (1)	10,739,000	[3]	15,884,000	[4]
Allocation of interest expense (1)	24,385,000	[3]	19,927,000	[4]
Adjusted pretax operating income (loss)	123,901,000		83,990,000
Operating Expense [Member] | Continuing Operations [Member] | Mortgage Insurance Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting, Previously Allocated Income (Expense) to Discontinued Operations	(2,100,000)		(4,100,000)
Interest Expense [Member] | Continuing Operations [Member] | Mortgage Insurance Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting, Previously Allocated Income (Expense) to Discontinued Operations	(9,900,000)		(14,600,000)
Investment Income [Member] | Continuing Operations [Member] | Mortgage Insurance Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting, Previously Allocated Income (Expense) to Discontinued Operations	900,000		1,300,000
Other Income [Member] | Continuing Operations [Member] | Mortgage Insurance Segment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Segment Reporting, Previously Allocated Income (Expense) to Discontinued Operations			$ 100,000

[1] Assets held for sale are not part of the Mortgage Insurance or Services segments.

[2] The change in expected economic loss or recovery associated with our consolidated VIEs is included in adjusted pretax operating income above. Therefore, for purposes of this reconciliation, net gains on investments and other financial instruments has been adjusted by $0.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2014 to reverse this item, which represents an amount that is not included in net income.

[3] Includes certain corporate income and expenses that have been reallocated to the Mortgage Insurance segment that were previously allocated to the former financial guaranty segment, but were not reclassified to discontinued operations. These items include net investment income of $0.9 million, corporate overhead expenses of $2.1 million and interest expense of $9.9 million.

[4] Includes certain corporate income and expenses that have been reallocated to the Mortgage Insurance segment that were previously allocated to the former financial guaranty segment, but were not reclassified to discontinued operations. These items include net investment income of $1.3 million, other income of $0.1 million, corporate overhead expenses of $4.1 million and interest expense of $14.6 million

[5] Excludes net gains on investments and other financial instruments of $16.8 million, not included in adjusted pretax operating income. Includes inter-segment revenues of $0.9 million in the Services segment.

[6] Excludes net gains on investments and other financial instruments of $43.1 million, not included in adjusted pretax operating income.

[7] Excludes $0.2 million of acquisition-related expenses not included in segment other operating expenses.

[8] Includes inter-segment expenses of $0.9 million in the Mortgage Insurance segment.

[9] Includes inter-segment expenses of $0.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2015.

[10] Includes certain corporate income and expenses that have been reallocated to the Mortgage Insurance segment for all periods presented, as listed in the preceding detailed tables. These amounts represent items that were previously allocated to the former financial guaranty segment, but were not reclassified to discontinued operations.

[11] Includes inter-segment revenues of $0.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2015.