Consolidated Balance Sheets - USD ($) $ in Millions	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Assets
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 522	$ 782
Premiums receivable	792	875
Insurance loss recoverable	577	533
Assets held for sale	0	802
Deferred income taxes, net	939	1,009
Investments held-to-maturity, at amortized cost (fair value $2,401 and $2,632)	2,689	2,757
Total assets	14,855	16,284
Liabilities:
Long-term debt	1,908	1,810
Derivative liabilities	88	246
Liabilities held for sale	0	772
Total liabilities	$ 11,114	$ 12,334
Commitments and contingencies (See Note 21)
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 $51 and $7	(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
Preferred stock of subsidiary and noncontrolling interest	12	21
Total equity	3,741	3,950
Total liabilities and equity	14,855	16,284
Non Variable Interest Entity [Member]
Assets
Fixed-maturity securities held as available-for-sale, at fair value (amortized cost $5,155 and $5,036)	5,145	5,129
Investments carried at fair value	177	207
Investments pledged as collateral, at fair value (amortized cost $322 and $441)	291	408
Short-term investments held as available-for-sale, at fair value (amortized cost $720 and $1,069)	721	1,069
Other investments (includes investments at fair value of $13 and $13)	16	17
Total investments	6,350	6,830
Cash and cash equivalents	464	729
Premiums receivable	792	875
Deferred acquisition costs	168	217
Insurance loss recoverable	577	533
Deferred income taxes, net	951	1,028
Other assets	175	229
Liabilities:
Unearned premium revenue	1,591	1,986
Loss and loss adjustment expense reserves	516	506
Long-term debt	1,908	1,810
Medium-term notes (includes financial instruments carried at fair value of $161 and $197)	1,016	1,201
Investment agreements	462	547
Derivative liabilities	314	437
Other liabilities	211	271
Variable Interest Entity Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Assets
Investments carried at fair value	932	421
Cash	58	53
Investments held-to-maturity, at amortized cost (fair value $2,401 and $2,632)	2,689	2,757
Loans receivable at fair value	1,292	1,431
Loan repurchase commitments	396	379
Derivative assets	11	0
Liabilities:
Derivative liabilities	45	0
Variable interest entity notes (includes financial instruments carried at fair value of $2,362 and $2,047)	$ 5,051	$ 4,804