Schedule II - (Notes to Condensed Financial Statements) (Detail) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Fair value of securities pledged as collateral	$ 735	$ 820
Securities posted as collateral to derivative counterparties	42	0
National Public Finance Guarantee Holdings, Inc. [Member]
Dividends from subsidiaries	214
Optinuity Alliance Resource Corporation [Member]
Dividends from subsidiaries	2	53	38
CapMAC Holdings Inc. [Member]
Dividends from subsidiaries	3
MBIA Asset Finance, LLC [Member]
Dividends from subsidiaries		6
Euro Asset Acquisition Limited [Member]
Dividends from subsidiaries		1	8
MBIA Inc General Corporate Purposes [Member]
Liquid assets	307	170
MBIA Inc. [Member]
Liquid assets	359	239
Fair value of securities pledged as collateral	270	318
Securities posted as collateral to derivative counterparties	42	0
Mbia Inc Not Pledged As Collateral [Member]
Liquid assets	52
Fair Value Of The Collateral Pledged By MBIA Inc [Member] | MBIA Inc. [Member]
Money market securities pledged as collateral under investment agreements	$ 22	$ 144