Note 2 - Discontinued Operations (Details) - Entity [Domain] - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Apr. 01, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Dec. 31, 2014
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Net investment income		$ 19,285	$ 16,663	$ 36,613	$ 31,981
Net gains on investments and other financial instruments		28,448	25,332	45,227	68,300
Other income		1,743	1,739	3,074	2,865
Revenues		330,416	247,380	621,079	505,554
Policy acquisition costs		6,963	6,746	14,713	13,763
Other operating expenses		67,731	60,751	121,505	115,258
Costs and Expenses		250,432	154,493	403,645	285,570
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax		4,855	71,296	5,385	128,075
Available-for-sale Securities, Debt Securities		1,178,842		1,178,842		$ 536,890
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity Securities		881		881		143,368
Trading securities—at fair value		1,466,435		1,466,435		1,633,584
Short-term investments—at fair value		1,649,370		1,649,370		1,300,872
Other invested assets		13,620		13,620		14,585
Other assets		349,371		349,371		357,864
Total assets held for sale		0		0		1,736,444	[1]
Unearned premiums		665,947		665,947		644,504
Reserve for losses and loss adjustment expense (“LAE”) (Note 9)		1,204,792		1,204,792		1,560,032
Other liabilities		278,929		278,929		326,743
Total liabilities held for sale		0		0		947,008
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
Equity Method Investment, Net Sales Proceeds	$ 789,000
Discontinued Operation, Provision for Loss (Gain) on Disposal, before Income Tax		(350)	0	(14,280)	0	(468,000)
Premiums Earned, Net, Financial Guarantee Insurance Contracts		0	10,468	1,007	17,371
Net investment income		0	9,074	9,153	17,985
Net gains on investments and other financial instruments		7,818	19,978	21,486	42,159
Change in fair value of derivative instruments		0	57,477	2,625	107,563
Other income		0	78	0	79
Revenues		7,818	97,075	34,271	185,157
Provision for losses		0	5,078	502	10,727
Policy acquisition costs		0	1,675	(191)	3,272
Other operating expenses		0	4,800	4,107	10,202
Costs and Expenses		0	11,553	4,418	24,201
Equity in net (loss) income of affiliates		0	0	(13)	(13)
Income from operations of businesses held for sale		7,818	85,522	29,840	160,943
Income tax provision on classification as held for sale		2,613	14,226	10,175	32,868
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax		$ 4,855	$ 71,296	$ 5,385	$ 128,075
Available-for-sale Securities, Debt Securities						224,552
Available-for-sale Securities, Equity Securities						3,749
Trading securities—at fair value						689,887
Short-term investments—at fair value						435,413
Other invested assets						108,206
Other assets						274,637
Total assets held for sale						1,736,444
Unearned premiums						158,921
Reserve for losses and loss adjustment expense (“LAE”) (Note 9)						31,558
VIE debt						85,016
Derivative liabilities						183,370
Other liabilities						488,143
Total liabilities held for sale						$ 947,008

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