Schedule II (Condensed Balance Sheets) (Detail) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012
Assets [Abstract]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 522	$ 782	$ 1,258	$ 990
Total assets	14,855	16,284	16,953
Liabilities:
Long-term debt	1,908	1,810
Derivative liabilities	88	246
Total liabilities	11,114	12,334
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--281,833,618 and 281,352,782	282	281
Additional paid-in capital	3,138	3,128
Retained earnings	3,038	2,858
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax of $3 and $6	(61)	21	(86)	56
Treasury stock, at cost--130,303,241 and 89,409,887 shares	(2,668)	(2,359)
Total shareholders' equity of MBIA Inc.	3,729	3,929
Total liabilities and equity	14,855	16,284
Fixed-maturity securities held as available-for-sale, amortized cost	$ 6,160	$ 6,509
Preferred stock, par value	$ 1	$ 1
Preferred stock, authorized shares	10,000,000	10,000,000
Preferred stock, issued	0	0
Preferred stock, outstanding	0	0
Common stock, par value	$ 1	$ 1
Common stock, authorized shares	400,000,000	400,000,000
Common stock, issued shares	281,833,618	281,352,782
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), taxes	$ 51	$ 7
Treasury stock, shares	130,303,241	89,409,887
Parent Company [Member]
Assets [Abstract]
Fixed-maturity securities held as available-for-sale, at fair value (amortized cost $739 and $671)	$ 792	$ 751
Investments carried at fair value	7	33
Investments pledged as collateral, at fair value (amortized cost $329 and $445)	291	408
Short-term investments held as available-for-sale, at fair value (amortized cost $254 and $327)	254	327
Other investments	4	4
Total investments	1,348	1,523
Cash and cash equivalents	35	100	$ 140	$ 92
Investment in wholly-owned subsidiaries	4,085	3,953
Deferred income taxes, net	991	965
Other assets	110	143
Total assets	6,569	6,684
Liabilities:
Investment agreements	423	505
Long-term debt	582	592
Affiliate loans payable	1,022	1,207
Other liabilities	813	451
Total liabilities	2,840	2,755
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--281,833,618 and 281,352,782	282	281
Additional paid-in capital	3,138	3,128
Retained earnings	3,038	2,858
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax of $3 and $6	(61)	21
Treasury stock, at cost--130,303,241 and 89,409,887 shares	(2,668)	(2,359)
Total shareholders' equity of MBIA Inc.	3,729	3,929
Total liabilities and equity	6,569	6,684
Fixed-maturity securities held as available-for-sale, amortized cost	739	671
Investments pledged as collateral, amortized cost	329	445
Short-term investments held as available-for-sale, amortized cost	$ 254	$ 327
Preferred stock, par value	$ 1	$ 1
Preferred stock, authorized shares	10,000,000	10,000,000
Preferred stock, issued	0	0
Preferred stock, outstanding	0	0
Common stock, par value	$ 1	$ 1
Common stock, authorized shares	400,000,000	400,000,000
Common stock, issued shares	281,833,618	281,352,782
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), taxes	$ 3	$ 6
Treasury stock, shares	130,303,241	89,409,887