Note 9 - Reinsurance Captive and Smart Home Transactions (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended						72 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2011 Government [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Captives [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Captives [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Captives [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Smart Home [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Smart Home [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Smart Home [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Terminated Transactions [Member]
Ceded Credit Risk [Line Items]
Contracts in Force Ceded Under Captive Reinsurance Arrangements					$ 340,800,000	$ 420,600,000
Captive Reinsurers Minimum Capitalization Percentage To Risk Assumed					10.00%
Number of Reinsurance Transactions Terminated								2
Percentage of Ceded Losses Recoverable Attributable To Two Captive Reinsurers	25.60%
Number Of Captive Reinsurers Accounting For Largest Combined Percentage Of Ceded Losses Recoverable					2
Contracts in Force Subject to Participation Through Reinsurance, Percentage								2.70%	3.20%
Contracts in Force Subject to Participation Through Reinsurance, Terminations, Value						6,000,000,000		41,000,000
Reinsurance recoverables	157,985,000	244,894,000			90,100,000	151,700,000		67,900,000	93,200,000
Ceded Premiums Written	37,349,000	89,855,000	139,130,000		28,600,000	80,100,000	128,300,000	8,800,000	9,800,000	10,900,000
Ceded Premiums Earned, Property and Casualty					28,800,000	83,400,000	129,800,000	8,800,000	9,800,000	10,900,000
Reinsurance Costs and Recoveries, Net	84,500,000	134,700,000	31,300,000
Maximum Regulatory Risk To Capital Ratio	25.0			0.25
Net Cash Received (Paid) For Commutations, Terminations And Recaptures	$ 92,599,000	$ (85,657,000)	$ 369,926,000			$ 321,000,000					$ 673,200,000