Note 1 - Description of Business and Recent Developments Mortgage Insurance (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2012 Scenario, Forecast [Member]
Mortgage Insurance Data [Line Items]
Percentage Decrease In New Defaults	18.00%	30.00%	15.00%
Weighted Average Default To Claim Rate Assumption Net Of Denials And Rescissions	43.00%	40.00%
Percentage Point Change In Severity Used In Assumption Shift Analysis	1.00%
Increase To Provison For Losses Based On One Percentage Change in Default To Claim Rate	$ 67,000,000
Percentage Of Primary Insurance On Domestic First-Lien Mortgages To Total First Lien Insurance Risk In Force	93.70%
First Lien Primary Mortgage Insurance Risk In Force	32,800,000,000
Percentage Of Pool Insurance On Domestic First-Lien Mortgages To Total First Lien Insurance Risk In Force	6.30%
NonTraditional Risk In Force	$ 214,000,000
Percentage Of Non-Traditional RIF To Total RIF	1.00%
Private Mortage Insurance Protects Lenders For Loans Made With This Maximum Downpayment Percentage	20.00%
Minimum Percentage Of The Loans In Excess Of An 80% L.T.V. Which Must Be Retained By The Mortgage Originator Or Seller	10.00%
Maximum Loan To Value Percentage For G.S.E. Acquired Loans	80.00%