Supplemental Condensed Consolidating Financial Information Condensed consolidating statement of operations (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net premiums earned	$ 28,068	$ 29,267
Service fee and commission income	13,124	9,529
Other Income	2,218	1,083
Loss on change in fair value of debt	(8,951)	(4,331)
Total revenues	33,630	36,647
Loss and loss adjustment expenses	21,831	21,775
Commissions and premium taxes	6,712	4,419
Interest expense	1,833	1,849
Total expenses	51,473	46,844
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest	(17,843)	(10,197)
Loss on buy-back of debt	(24)	0
Equity in net income (loss) of investee	255	(2,266)
Loss before income tax (benefit) expense	(17,612)	(12,463)
Income tax (benefit) expense	(276)	59
Net loss	(17,336)	(12,522)
Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net premiums earned	0	0
Service fee and commission income	0	0
Other Income	0	0
Loss on change in fair value of debt	0	0
Total revenues	0	0
Loss and loss adjustment expenses	0	0
Commissions and premium taxes	0	0
Other Expenses	0	0
Interest expense	0	0
Total expenses	0	0
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest	0	0
Loss on buy-back of debt	0
Equity in net income (loss) of investee	0	0
Loss before income tax (benefit) expense	0	0
Income tax (benefit) expense	0	0
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Change Due to Net Income Attributable to Parent and Effects of Changes, Net	20,167	14,825
Net loss	20,167	14,825
Consolidated Entities [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net premiums earned	28,068	29,267
Service fee and commission income	13,124	9,529
Other Income	1,389	2,182
Loss on change in fair value of debt	(8,951)	(4,331)
Total revenues	33,630	36,647
Loss and loss adjustment expenses	21,831	21,775
Commissions and premium taxes	6,712	4,419
Other Expenses	21,097	18,801
Interest expense	1,833	1,849
Total expenses	51,473	46,844
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest	(17,843)	(10,197)
Loss on buy-back of debt	(24)
Equity in net income (loss) of investee	255	(2,266)
Loss before income tax (benefit) expense	(17,612)	(12,463)
Income tax (benefit) expense	(276)	59
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Change Due to Net Income Attributable to Parent and Effects of Changes, Net	0	0
Net loss	(17,336)	(12,522)
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net premiums earned	0	0
Service fee and commission income	0	0
Other Income	(116)	671
Loss on change in fair value of debt	0	0
Total revenues	(116)	671
Loss and loss adjustment expenses	0	0
Commissions and premium taxes	0	0
Other Expenses	823	1,023
Interest expense	0	0
Total expenses	823	1,023
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest	(939)	(352)
Loss on buy-back of debt	0
Equity in net income (loss) of investee	0	0
Loss before income tax (benefit) expense	(939)	(352)
Income tax (benefit) expense	0	0
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Change Due to Net Income Attributable to Parent and Effects of Changes, Net	(16,397)	(10,899)
Net loss	(17,336)	(11,251)
Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net premiums earned	0	0
Service fee and commission income	0	0
Other Income	(1,396)	878
Loss on change in fair value of debt	(7,702)	(2,075)
Total revenues	(9,098)	(1,197)
Loss and loss adjustment expenses	0	0
Commissions and premium taxes	0	0
Other Expenses	1,633	1,679
Interest expense	2,799	3,527
Total expenses	4,432	5,206
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest	(13,530)	(6,403)
Loss on buy-back of debt	(24)
Equity in net income (loss) of investee	255	(2,266)
Loss before income tax (benefit) expense	(13,299)	(8,669)
Income tax (benefit) expense	0	0
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Change Due to Net Income Attributable to Parent and Effects of Changes, Net	(3,770)	(3,926)
Net loss	(17,069)	(12,595)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Net premiums earned	28,068	29,267
Service fee and commission income	13,124	9,529
Other Income	2,901	633
Loss on change in fair value of debt	(1,249)	(2,256)
Total revenues	42,844	37,173
Loss and loss adjustment expenses	21,831	21,775
Commissions and premium taxes	6,712	4,419
Other Expenses	18,641	16,099
Interest expense	(966)	(1,678)
Total expenses	46,218	40,615
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations before Equity Method Investments, Income Taxes, Extraordinary Items, Noncontrolling Interest	(3,374)	(3,442)
Loss on buy-back of debt	0
Equity in net income (loss) of investee	0	0
Loss before income tax (benefit) expense	(3,374)	(3,442)
Income tax (benefit) expense	(276)	59
Consolidation, Less than Wholly Owned Subsidiary, Parent Ownership Interest, Change Due to Net Income Attributable to Parent and Effects of Changes, Net	0	0
Net loss	$ (3,098)	$ (3,501)