Note 9 - Losses and LAE Rescissions And Denials (Details) (USD $)			12 Months Ended											12 Months Ended	24 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013 Mortgage Insurance Segment	Dec. 31, 2012 Mortgage Insurance Segment	Dec. 31, 2013 Claims Denied in the Last Twelve Months [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Policies Rescinded in the Last Twenty Four Months [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Mortgage Insurance Segment percentagepoint		Dec. 31, 2012 Mortgage Insurance Segment		Dec. 31, 2011 Mortgage Insurance Segment		Dec. 31, 2013 Mortgage Insurance Segment Denials [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Mortgage Insurance Segment Claim Curtailments [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Mortgage Insurance Segment Rescissions [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Mortgage Insurance Segment Claims Denied in the Last Twelve Months [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Mortgage Insurance Segment Policies Rescinded in the Last Twenty Four Months [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Mortgage Insurance Segment Claim Curtailments [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Mortgage Insurance Segment Reinstatements and Resubmission of Policies and Claims Related to Previously Rescinded or Denied Policies and Claims [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Maximum [Member] Mortgage Insurance Segment Claims Denied in the Last Twelve Months [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Maximum [Member] Mortgage Insurance Segment Policies Rescinded in the Last Twenty Four Months [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Minimum [Member] Mortgage Insurance Segment Claims Denied in the Last Twelve Months [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Minimum [Member] Mortgage Insurance Segment Policies Rescinded in the Last Twenty Four Months [Member]
Rescissions And Denials [Line Items]
Number of Months That the Gross Reinstatement Rate Used in Estimating Claim Liability Declines			12 months	24 months
Decrease To Our Loss Reserves Due To Estimated Rescissions And Denials					$ 247,000,000		$ 455,000,000
Increase To Our Loss Reserves Due To Estimated Future Reinstatements Of Previously Rescinded Policies And Denied Claims					283,000,000		303,000,000
Prior years					(19,526,000)		21,996,000		166,778,000								120,300,000
Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense, Incurred but Not Reported (IBNR) Claims, Amount					281,900,000		323,000,000
Claims Rescissions and Denials [Abstract]
Claim rescissions					81,200,000		279,300,000		474,200,000
Claim denials					171,700,000		539,400,000		170,900,000
Total rescissions and denials					252,900,000	[1]	818,700,000	[1]	645,100,000	[1]
Liability for Unpaid Claims and Claims Adjustment Expense, Reported and Incurred but Not Reported (IBNR) Claims											162,100,000	14,900,000	83,700,000
Gross Exposure Related to Denied Claims From Previous Twelve Months														305,800,000
Gross Exposure Related to Rescinded Policies Within Twenty Four Months															417,400,000
Gross Reinstatement Percentage Assumption for Denied Claims																		60.00%		0.00%
Gross Reinstatement Percentage Assumption on Rescinded Policies																			20.00%		0.00%
Accrued Liability For Premiums Expected To Be Refunded From Rescissions	17,000,000	48,000,000
Percentage Point Change In Severity Used In Assumption Shift Analysis					1
First Lien Primary Claim Severity					28.00%
Impact To Loss Reserves Based On One Percentage Change In Primary Claim Severity					57,000,000
First Lien Pool Claim Severity					45.00%
Impact To Loss Reserves Based On One Percentage Change In Pool Claim Severity					3,000,000
Weighted Average Default To Claim Rate Assumption Net Of Denials And Rescissions					47.00%
Impact To Loss Reserves Based On One Percentage Change in Default To Claim Rate					36,000,000
Claim Curtailments, Gross																$ 72,400,000

[1] Includes an amount related to a small number of submitted claims that were subsequently withdrawn by the insured.