Schedule II Financial Information of Registrant Parent Company Statement of Cash Flows (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended																6 Months Ended	9 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		Jun. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2014		Dec. 31, 2013
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)	$ 74,528		$ 70,091		$ 50,048		$ 92,257		$ 428,335		$ 153,590		$ 174,833		$ 202,759				$ 286,924		$ 959,517		$ (196,985)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	[1]	0	[1]	4,855	[1]	530	[1]	(449,691)	[1],[2]	$ 21,559	[1],[2]	$ 71,296	[1],[2]	56,779	[1],[2]			5,385	[1]	(300,057)	[1],[2]	(55,134)
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Net (gains) losses on investments and other financial instruments recognized in earnings																			(35,693)		(79,989)		105,890
Loss on induced conversion and debt extinguishment	2,320		$ 11		$ 91,876		0												94,207		0		0
Deferred income tax provision (benefit)																			156,170		(825,843)		(31,847)
Change in other assets																			21,620		37,460		61,302
Change in other liabilities																			(58,562)		(55,592)		54,354
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, continuing operations							666												15,514		(153,245)		(619,040)
Net cash used in operating activities, discontinued operations							(1,759)												(1,759)		17,071		(45,897)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities																			13,755		(136,174)		(664,937)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Proceeds from sales of fixed-maturity investments available for sale																	$ 3,621	$ 16,208	20,100		19,672		17,185
Purchases of fixed-maturity investments available for sale																	671,952	(1,006,985)	(1,486,318)		(519,166)		(21,432)
Purchases of trading securities																			0		0		(259,897)
Purchases of equity securities available for sale																			(75,538)		0		0
Sales, redemptions (purchases) of short-term investments, net																			222,882		(364,855)		(363,446)
Proceeds from Sale of Other Assets, Investing Activities																			16,717		7,836		41,397
Payments to Acquire Businesses, Net of Cash Acquired																			(10,837)		(295,977)		0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities																			1,789		(337,632)		60,299
Cash flows from financing activities:
Dividends paid																			(1,996)		(1,865)		(1,632)
Issuance of long-term debt, net																			343,334		293,809		377,783
Purchases and redemptions of long-term debt																			(156,172)		(57,223)		(79,372)
Proceeds from Hedge, Financing Activities																			13,150		0		0
Issuance of common stock																			1,285		247,188		299,410
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock																			(202,000)		0		0
Excess tax benefits from stock-based awards																			3,000		107		752
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities																			601		482,016		596,941
Cash, beginning of period							30,465								22,880		30,465	30,465	30,465		22,880		29,408
Cash, end of period	46,898								30,465										46,898		30,465		22,880
Parent Company
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net income (loss)																			286,924		959,517		(196,985)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax																			204		(18,027)		0
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Loss on induced conversion and debt extinguishment																			94,207		0		0
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities, continuing operations																			(128,879)		(27,153)		105,681
Net cash used in operating activities, discontinued operations																			0		(18,027)		0
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities																			(128,879)		(45,180)		105,681
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchases of fixed-maturity investments available for sale																			(39,667)		0		0
Sales/redemptions of trading securities																			0		0		9,000
Purchases of equity securities available for sale																			(25,545)		0		0
Sales, redemptions (purchases) of short-term investments, net																			473,350		1,372		(496,979)
Proceeds from Sale of Other Assets, Investing Activities																			0		0		(21,473)
Payments for (Proceeds from) Productive Assets																			(688)		(1,351)		(647)
Proceeds from Contributions from Affiliates																			113,784		0		0
Capital contributions to subsidiaries and affiliates																			(182,307)		(139,103)		(233,391)
Issuance of notes receivable from affiliates																			(208,527)		(300,000)		0
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities																			130,400		(439,082)		(700,544)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Dividends paid																			(1,996)		(1,865)		(1,632)
Issuance of long-term debt, net																			343,334		293,809		377,783
Purchases and redemptions of long-term debt																			(156,172)		(57,223)		(79,372)
Proceeds from Hedge, Financing Activities																			13,150		0		0
Issuance of common stock																			1,285		247,188		299,410
Payments for Repurchase of Common Stock																			(202,000)		0		0
Excess tax benefits from stock-based awards																			2,228		0		0
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities																			(171)		481,909		596,189
(Decrease) increase in cash																			1,350		(2,353)		1,326
Cash, beginning of period							$ 1,951								$ 4,304		$ 1,951	$ 1,951	1,951		4,304		2,978
Cash, end of period	$ 3,301								$ 1,951										$ 3,301		$ 1,951		$ 4,304

[1] 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.

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