Note 10 - Financial Guaranty Insurance Contracts Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012 contract
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	314
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	20 years
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	$ 1,992,500,000
Interest	1,091,200,000
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	3,083,700,000
Gross claim liability	387,600,000
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	387,600,000
Discount, Net	(86,000,000)
Net claim liability	86,000,000
Unearned premium revenue	36,200,000
Claim liability reported in the balance sheet	70,600,000
Reinsurance recoverable	0
Performing
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	12
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	16 years
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	38,800,000
Interest	10,600,000
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	49,400,000
Gross claim liability	400,000
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	100,000
Discount, Net	0
Net claim liability	300,000
Unearned premium revenue	200,000
Claim liability reported in the balance sheet	200,000
Reinsurance recoverable	0
Special Mention
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	120
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	18 years
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	924,500,000
Interest	537,100,000
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	1,461,600,000
Gross claim liability	18,400,000
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	900,000
Discount, Net	2,800,000
Net claim liability	14,700,000
Unearned premium revenue	23,000,000
Claim liability reported in the balance sheet	6,800,000
Reinsurance recoverable	0
Intensified Surveillance
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	75
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	20 years
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	695,000,000
Interest	379,700,000
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	1,074,700,000
Gross claim liability	278,900,000
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	319,300,000
Discount, Net	(91,200,000)
Net claim liability	50,800,000
Unearned premium revenue	13,000,000
Claim liability reported in the balance sheet	43,400,000
Reinsurance recoverable	0
Case Reserve
Financial Guaranty Claim Liabilities by Surveillance Categories
Number of policies	107
Remaining weighted-average contract period (in years)	27 years
Insured contractual payments outstanding:
Principal	334,200,000
Interest	163,800,000
Total insured contractual payments outstanding	498,000,000
Gross claim liability	89,900,000
Reductions of gross claim liability:
Gross potential recoveries	67,300,000
Discount, Net	2,400,000
Net claim liability	20,200,000
Unearned premium revenue	0
Claim liability reported in the balance sheet	20,200,000
Reinsurance recoverable	$ 0