Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Millions	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 567	$ 782
Insurance loss recoverable	483	533
Assets held for sale	0	802
Deferred income taxes, net	1,000	1,000
Investments held-to-maturity, at amortized cost (fair value $2,580 and $2,632)	2,724	2,757
Total assets	15,510	16,284
Liabilities:
Liabilities held for sale	0	772
Total liabilities	$ 11,669	$ 12,334
Commitments and contingencies (See Note 13)
Equity:
Preferred stock, par value $1 per share; authorized shares--10,000,000; issued and outstanding--none	$ 0	$ 0
Common stock, par value $1 per share; authorized shares--400,000,000; issued shares--281,744,542 and 281,352,782	282	281
Additional paid-in capital	3,129	3,128
Retained earnings	2,991	2,858
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax of $39 and $7	(36)	21
Treasury stock, at cost--109,765,833 and 89,409,887 shares	(2,537)	(2,359)
Total shareholders' equity of MBIA Inc.	3,829	3,929
Preferred stock of subsidiary and noncontrolling interest	12	21
Total equity	3,841	3,950
Total liabilities and equity	15,510	16,284
Non Variable Interest Entity [Member]
Assets
Fixed-maturity securities held as available-for-sale, at fair value (amortized cost $5,096 and $5,036)	5,099	5,129
Investments carried at fair value	204	207
Investments pledged as collateral, at fair value (amortized cost $273 and $441)	247	408
Short-term investments held as available-for-sale, at fair value (amortized cost $1,106 and $1,069)	1,109	1,069
Other investments (includes investments at fair value of $13 and $13)	16	17
Total investments	6,675	6,830
Cash and cash equivalents	501	729
Premiums receivable	828	875
Deferred acquisition costs	193	217
Insurance loss recoverable	483	533
Deferred income taxes, net	992	1,028
Other assets	226	229
Liabilities:
Unearned premium revenue	1,800	1,986
Loss and loss adjustment expense reserves	500	506
Investment agreements	513	547
Medium-term notes (includes financial instruments carried at fair value of $166 and $197)	1,079	1,201
Long-term debt	1,854	1,810
Derivative liabilities	340	437
Other liabilities	213	271
Variable Interest Entity Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Assets
Investments carried at fair value	1,005	421
Cash	66	53
Investments held-to-maturity, at amortized cost (fair value $2,580 and $2,632)	2,724	2,757
Loans receivable at fair value	1,426	1,431
Loan repurchase commitments	388	379
Derivative assets	3	0
Liabilities:
Derivative liabilities	65	0
Variable interest entity notes (includes financial instruments carried at fair value of $2,581 and $2,047)	$ 5,305	$ 4,804