Note 19 - Net Income (Loss) Per Share (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2015		Sep. 30, 2015		Jun. 30, 2015		Mar. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014		Sep. 30, 2014		Jun. 30, 2014		Mar. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Attributable to Parent		$ 74,528		$ 70,091		$ 45,193		$ 91,727		$ 878,026	[1]	$ 132,031	[1]	$ 103,537	[1]	$ 145,980	[1]	$ 281,539		$ 1,259,574	[1]	$ (141,851)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax		$ 0	[2]	$ 0	[2]	$ 4,855	[2]	$ 530	[2]	$ (449,691)	[2],[3]	$ 21,559	[2],[3]	$ 71,296	[2],[3]	$ 56,779	[2],[3]	5,385	[2]	(300,057)	[2],[3]	(55,134)
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Basic																		286,924		959,517		(196,985)
Income (Loss) From Continuing Operations, Diluted, Amount																		296,297		1,273,946		(141,851)
Net Income (Loss) Available to Common Stockholders, Diluted																		$ 301,682		$ 973,889		$ (196,985)
Average common shares outstanding																		199,910		184,551		166,366
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Dilutive Effect of Share-based Payment Arrangements	[4]																	2,393		3,150		0
Adjusted shares outstanding-diluted		247,981	[5]	250,795	[5]	246,650	[5]	243,048	[5]	242,801	[5]	238,067	[5]	230,779	[5]	222,668	[5]	246,332	[5]	233,902	[5]	166,366
Net income (loss) from continuing operations, per basic share																		$ 1.41		$ 6.83		$ (0.85)
Net (loss) income per share—basic																		1.44		5.20		(1.18)
Net income (loss) from continuing operations, per diluted share																		1.20		5.44		(0.85)
Net income (loss) from discontinued operations and disposal of discontinued operations, net of tax, per diluted share																		0.02		(1.28)		(0.33)
Net (loss) income per share—diluted		$ 0.32	[5],[6]	$ 0.29	[5],[6]	$ 0.22	[5],[6]	$ 0.39	[5],[6]	$ 1.78	[5],[6]	$ 0.67	[5],[6]	$ 0.78	[5],[6]	$ 0.94	[5],[6]	$ 1.22	[5],[6]	$ 4.16	[5],[6]	$ (1.18)
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share, Amount																		728		542		43,288
Convertible Debt [Member] | Convertible Senior Notes Due 2017
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Dilutive Effect of Conversion of Debt Securities																		6,293		8,465		0
Convertible Debt [Member] | Convertible Senior Notes Due 2019
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]
Interest on Convertible Debt, Net of Tax	[7]																	$ 14,758		$ 14,372		$ 0
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Dilutive Effect of Conversion of Debt Securities																		37,736		37,736		0

[1] This amount reflects a reversal of substantially all of our tax valuation allowance in the fourth quarter of 2014.

[2] Radian completed the sale of Radian Asset Assurance to Assured on April 1, 2015, pursuant to the Radian Asset Assurance Stock Purchase Agreement dated as of December 22, 2014. Until the April 1, 2015 sale date, the operating results of Radian Asset Assurance were classified as discontinued operations for all periods presented in our consolidated statements of operations. See Note 3 for additional information.

[3] Reflects a $468 million loss on reclassification of Radian Asset Assurance as assets held for sale in the fourth quarter of 2014.

[4] The following number of shares of our common stock equivalents issued under our stock-based compensation arrangements were not included in the calculation of net income (loss) per share because they were anti-dilutive: Year Ended December 31,(in thousands)2015 2014 2013Shares of common stock equivalents728 542 43,288

[5] Diluted net income per share and average shares outstanding per the accounting standard regarding earnings per share.

[6] Diluted net income per share is computed independently for each period presented. Consequently, the sum of the quarters may not equal the total net income per share for the year. For all calculations, the determination of whether potential common shares are dilutive or anti-dilutive is based on net income from continuing operations.

[7] As applicable, includes coupon interest, amortization of discount and fees, and other changes in income or loss that would result from the assumed conversion.